On this day in Labor History the year was 2013.
That was the day a somewhat unexpected new union formed in Bangor, Maine.
Local 207 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers represents lobster fisherman.
Lobster fisherman are known for being fiercely independent.
So it surprised many when some started talking union.
One of those to bring up the early idea of forming a union was Magnus Lane, a fisherman originally from Iceland.
There was cause for concern in the Maine lobster industry that year.
A glut of lobsters had driven prices down to a forty-year low.
At the same time, fuel and bait prices continued to rise.
More than 100 lobstermen and women attended that first meeting.
They elected officers and settled on bylaws.
In a television interview, newly elected local president, Rocky Alley, explained, “we're the ones who catch the lobster we should be able to control the price.”
Over the next year membership grew to 600 members from up and down the Maine coast.
A year after the union was founded, boat captain Julie Eaton explained the importance of the new union in a newspaper interview.
She said, “For the first time we feel like we have a voice. For the first time, we feel hope that we can protect our way of life.”
While some lobster fisherman support the union, others have organized against unionization.
But the union has been able to win some legislative protections.
For example, they were able to ensure that lobster fisherman can keep their fishing licenses while on active military duty.
The union continues to chart new waters in the fight for working people in Maine.
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Labor History in 2:00 brought to you by the Illinois Labor History Society and The Rick Smith Show