On The Global Waterfront The Fight to Free the Charleston Five

Longshoremen stand at the nexus of the global economy, handling nearly every cargo container that enters or leaves any country. Even after the “containerization” of cargo in the 70s and 80s, a development that decimated longshore unions, they have managed to win contracts that provide strong benefits and high wages.

On the Global Waterfront tells the story of how longshoremen in South Carolina confronted attempts to wipe out the state’s most powerful black organization. In the process of exploring this local conflict, we learn about the forces shaping the US and the global economy. This is a compelling narrative of a local struggle, a transformed union leader, and a newly energized international worker movement.

Softcover, 6x9, 224pp., 2008.