Examines how labour relations on the New York and East Coast waterfront were driven from below by radical and reform rank-and-file movements led by communists, Catholics, and local union leaders in the post-World War II era. It looks at power and collective action, as well as institutional and social movements, specifically analyzing the impact on political development. This rich account illustrates how workers defied the combined powers of elites and sporadically imposed their will on labour relations.