This oral history interview with Jesse K. Stranahan was conducted by Bill Patten in three sessions, between January 7 and February 4, 1995, at the offices of ILWU Local 8 in Portland, Oregon. The interview was conducted for the Oregon Labor Oral History Program, which collects oral histories of individuals who have advocated for working people of Oregon, including public figures, union members, and workers.

In this interview, Stranahan discusses his family background in Roslyn, Washington, and his early life in Portland, Oregon, including his father’s career as a checker on the Portland docks, and his memories of the Depression. He speaks about the 1934 waterfront strike, in which his father took part; and describes what the waterfront strikes accomplished for workers. He speaks about the development of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). He discusses working as a checker on the Portland waterfront beginning in 1941, and how the labor movement progressed after the end of the war. He speaks about his involvement in the Longshore Supercargoes and Clerks Local 40 and ILWU Local 8, beginning in 1946. He describes his experience during strikes in the 1940s, and gains the union made after those strikes. He also discusses a strike by workers on the Portland waterfront from 1971 to 1972 in response to increasing mechanization. He describes how work on docks has changed since he retired in 1979. He also discusses his involvement with the ILWU’s Columbia River District Council and the council’s lobbying activities. He closes the interview by talking about his retirement activities, particularly his involvement with retiree associations, and by reflecting on his accomplishments in the labor movement.