National Maritime Union

Curran and the crew of California went on what was essentially a sitdown strike[4] at sailing time, refusing to cast off the lines unless wages were increased and overtime paid.Speaking to the crew by telephone, Perkins agreed to arrange a grievance hearing once the ship docked at its destination in New York City, and that there would be no reprisals by the company or government against Curran and the strikers.[4] However, United States Secretary of Commerce Daniel Roper and the Panama Pacific Line declared Curran and the strikers mutineers.Curran and other top strike leaders were fined two days' pay, fired and blacklisted, but Perkins was able to keep the strikers from being prosecuted for mutiny.[4][9] Immediately after the NMU's founding convention in July 1937, Curran and other seamen's union leaders were invited by John L. Lewis to come to Washington, D.C., to form a major organizing drive among ship and port workers.[12] The Curran buildings held offices for the union and its pension fund, medical and training facilities, dormitory rooms for seaman, a gymnasium, swimming pool and 900-seat auditorium.The 17th Street and Ninth Avenue buildings were sold in 1987 to Covenant House, a drug rehabilitation program, for use as a runaway shelter and educational facility.
Seamen in hiring hall, NMU banner, New York City, December 1941. (Photograph: Arthur Rothstein)
This building at Seventh Avenue between 12th Street and 13th Street , designed by Albert C. Ledner , was built in 1964 as the union's headquarters. The hiring halls were in the glass blocks on the ground floor. The union sold it to St. Vincent's Hospital in 1973, [ 12 ] and it later became Lenox Health Greenwich Village .
The Joseph Curran Annex (left) and Plaza (right), on Ninth Avenue between West 16th and 17th Streets , were built in 1966, also designed by Ledner. [ 12 ] The Ninth Avenue building on the right is currently the Maritime Hotel , while the 17th Street building (left) is being converted into the Dream Downtown Hotel. [ when? ] [ citation needed ]
Seafarers International Union of North AmericaNew York CityNew YorkUnited StatesCongress of Industrial OrganizationsAFL–CIOlabor unionmergerJoseph Curranable seamanboatswainPanama Pacific Lineocean linerSS CaliforniaInternational Seamen's UnionHelen LawrensonSan Pedro, Los Angelessitdown strikeUnited States Secretary of LaborFrances PerkinsUnited States Secretary of CommerceDaniel Roper1936 Gulf Coast maritime workers' strikeJames PeckFerdinand SmithSeventh Avenue12th Street13th StreetAlbert C. LednerSt. Vincent's HospitalLenox Health Greenwich VillageNinth Avenue17th StreetsMaritime HotelJohn L. LewisWashington, D.C.American Federation of LaborSteel Workers Organizing CommitteeHarry BridgesInternational Longshoremen's AssociationLee PressmanJoseph ForerGerhard EislerFur and Leather Workers UnionGas, Coke and Chemical Workers UnionImmigration and Naturalization ServiceNew OrleansWest 17th StreetPort of New YorkCovenant HouseMarine Engineers' Beneficial AssociationUnited States Department of JusticeAlex ShandrowskyDon KeefeRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ActSeafarers International UnionShannon J. WallAmerican Maritime OfficersSailors' Union of the PacificUnited States Merchant MarineMarine Firemen's UnionThe New York TimesAssociated PressHorne, Gerald