N'afọ 1937, Smith pụtara dịka osote onye isi oche n'oge e hiwere National Maritime Union, nke gosipụtara mmụba n'ịgba mbọ n'etiti ndị ọkwọ ụgbọ mmiri na mbido Scottsboro Boys Case na 1934 na West Coast waterfront strike
(nke Harry Bridges International Longshoremen's na Warehousemen's Union ma ọ bụ ILWU na West Coast Marine Cooks na Stewards ma ọ bụ MCS), na-esote ọdịda nke International Seamen's Union (ISU) na ọdịda nke ndị ọrụ mmepụta ihe nke ụwa (IWW ma ọ bụ "Wobblies") na 1920s. N'ụzọ na-emegide onwe ya, aha Smith bịara n'ihu n'ihi na otu kọmitii NMU kpere ya ikpe n'ime ụlọ maka na ọ kwadoghị ngagharị iwe nke 1934 mana emesịa kpochapụ ndị otu ahụ.