ades hi ▁polit icians ▁conv icted ▁of ▁cr imes <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁IL W U ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁strike ▁began ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁when ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Long sh ore ▁and ▁W are house ▁Union ▁( IL W U ) ▁walked ▁out ▁against ▁their ▁employ ers , ▁represented ▁by ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Mar itime ▁Association ▁( P MA ). ▁The ▁union ' s ▁goal ▁was ▁to ▁secure ▁employ ment , ▁w ages , ▁and ▁benefits ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁increased ▁mechan ization , ▁shr inking ▁work force , ▁and ▁the ▁slow ing ▁economic ▁climate ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁The ▁strike ▁shut ▁down ▁all ▁ 5 6 ▁West ▁coast ▁ports , ▁and ▁last ed ▁ 1 3 0 ▁days , ▁the ▁longest ▁strike ▁in ▁the ▁IL W U ' s ▁history . ▁ ▁Background ▁▁ ▁The ▁IL W U ▁had ▁lost ▁membership ▁and ▁power ▁in ▁the ▁de cade ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁strike , ▁under ▁two ▁five - year ▁Mechan ization ▁and ▁Modern ization ▁contract s ▁that ▁reduced ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁labor ▁and ▁decre ased ▁union ▁membership . ▁ ▁The ▁old ▁' break ▁bulk ' ▁style ▁of ▁loading ▁and ▁un loading , ▁which ▁required ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁workers , ▁was ▁dangerous , ▁and ▁expensive ▁for ▁employ ers , ▁and ▁had ▁become ▁ob sole te . ▁In cre ased ▁imports ▁and ▁exports ▁added ▁in cent ive ▁for ▁more ▁efficient ▁port ▁operations . ▁The ▁introduction ▁of ▁container ization ▁increased