National Maritime Union of America Records

Records pertaining to governance, local organizing, contract negotiation and compliance, lobbying, public relations and policing the membership. Examples of documents found in the records include constitutions, minutes, correspondence, contracts, speeches and testimony, reports, press clippings, personnel records, case files, publications, photographs and audiovisual recordings. Among the topics represented to at least some degree are U.S. maritime policy, the Panama Canal, passenger ship safety, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Vietnam War. The case files derive in most instances from charges of misconduct (such as drunkenness, not appearing when scheduled to sail on a ship or refusal to work) brought against an individual by his fellow crew members. They date from the 1940s to the 1960s. Subjects documented by the photographs include U.S. Congressional hearings, union functions, union officials (portraits), strikes, ships, ship conditions, crews, a post-war wage campaign and seafaring women. The audiovisual recordings include cine film and videotapes.