“Bloody Thursday”: The police open fire on striking longshoremen in San Francisco.
Bloody Thursday refers to the violent events of July 5, 1934, during the West Coast Longshoremen’s Strike in San Francisco. This pivotal day emerged from growing tensions between striking dockworkers and law enforcement. The strike itself began in May 1934 when members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) walked off the job, demanding union recognition, better working conditions, and control over hiring. Employers refused to concede, and the situation intensified with each passing week. By early July, the strike had effectively shut down the Port of San Francisco, and both sides were locked in a bitter stalemate.
On Thursday, July 5, events turned deadly. The police, attempting to break up a mass picket line near Pier 34 (now Pier 38), used tear gas, batons, and ultimately opened fire with live ammunition. The confrontation was brutal. Dozens were injured, and two strikers, Howard Sperry and Nick Bordoise, were killed. Their deaths instantly galvanized support for the strikers and fueled public outrage. Rather than quelling the unrest, the violence intensified the labor movement’s resolve and drew national attention to the cause of organized labor.
The aftermath of Bloody Thursday was dramatic. A massive funeral procession for the fallen workers drew over 40,000 people through San Francisco’s streets. It was a somber and powerful display of solidarity. The tragic events helped shift public sentiment toward the workers, undermining the narrative that the strikers were mere agitators or radicals. Bloody Thursday also catalyzed a citywide general strike on July 16, as thousands of workers from other industries joined in solidarity. This general strike brought much of San Francisco to a standstill, demonstrating the breadth and unity of the labor movement.
In the long run, Bloody Thursday proved to be a turning point for organized labor on the West Coast. The strike ended later that summer with key gains for the ILA, including union recognition and a hiring hall controlled jointly by the union and employers. It also paved the way for the rise of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) under Harry Bridges. Today, Bloody Thursday is commemorated annually by ILWU members, not only to honor those who died but to remember the struggle and sacrifices that helped transform the labor landscape in the United States.