on august 6, 1917, the marine transport workers industrial union no. 700, which was affiliated with the industrial workers of the world, called for a strike of deckhands on steamers operating on the columbia and willamette rivers, to show sympathy for lumber worker strikes then ongoing at mills and logging camps. most of the deckhands of five steamers went out on strike. of the eight deckhands on "bailey gatzert", three or four non-union hands remained on duty.