The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) is a labor union representing between 45,000-85,000 dockworkers at ports along the Eastern and Gulf Coasts of the United States while having roughly 200 affiliated local union groups. The ILA was initially formed in the 1880s, and is a member labor union of the AFL-CIO.  ¹

In October 2024, the ILA and its president Harold Daggett initiated a brief strike at several major U.S shipping docks to protest the use of automated cranes, gates, and containers at nearly 36 major ports. After three days, the ILA agreed to a partial deal reopening the ports and to hold off another strike until January 2025. ²

In 2024, CBS News reported that one-third of ILA member dockworkers made $200,000 or more annually. ³

History

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) was formed in the 1880s in the Great Lakes region, with the first local union being formed in 1877 within Chicago, Illinois as the Association of Lumber Handlers. The local union was founded by Dan Keefe, who expanded the union throughout Chicago and headed the group until 1908. ¹

In 1892, the ILA was formed at a convention in Detroit when local unions of dockworkers from 11 ports merged to form the National Longshoremen’s Association of The United States. In 1895, the name was changed to the International Longshoremen’s Association. The ILA was soon affiliated with the American Federation of Labor (AFL), later called the AFL-CIO. ¹ In the early 1900s, the union expanded into New York City, absorbing a local union there and creating its New York District Council. ¹

The ILA was initially affiliated with dockworkers at ports along the West Coast by 1902. But by 1934, a strike led to the creation of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which was initially  called the Pacific Coast District of the ILA. ⁴

Leadership

Harold Daggett is the president of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) as of 2024. He  earns over $900,000 in compensation from the union including president emeritus pay. Daggett was previously accused of having mob ties, even being charged and put on trial in 2005 for racketeering, but was later acquitted. Daggett later denied the accusations but admitted to being a victim of mob exploitation. ^{5 6 7 5}

Controversy

Allegations of Mob Ties

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has previously been accused of ties to the Genovese crime family, whereas in 2014 the U.S. Department of Justice charged several local union leaders of ILA Local 1235 while alleging that several Genovese crime family members had been holding leadership positions while operating a “nearly three-decades-long extortion of port workers in ILA Local 1, ILA Local 1235, and ILA Local 1478.” ⁸

The U.S. Department of Justice further alleged that “Two other Genovese family associates charged in the case are former union officials: Albert Cernadas, 79, of Union, New Jersey, the president of ILA Local 1235 from approximately 1981 to 2006 and former ILA executive vice president; and Nunzio LaGrasso, 63, of Florham Park, New Jersey, the former vice president of ILA Local 1478 and former ILA representative.” ⁸

2024 Port Strikes

In September 2024, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) demanded a total ban on the automation of cranes, gates, and containers at 36 U.S. ports and threatened to strike when the union’s contract with the ports expired at the end of the month. Union president Harold Daggett threatened to “cripple” the economy ahead of the 2024 election with the strike. The union went on strike in early October 2024 for three days until a partial agreement reopened ports and agreed to a 66% pay raise while other contract items were negotiated before January 2025. ²

1. “ILA History.” International Longshoremen’s Association. Accessed October 6, 2024. https://ilaunion.org/ila-history/#
2. Duncan, Ian and Lynch, David and Gurley, Lauren Kaori. “Dockworkers union suspends strike; ports reopen on East and Gulf coasts.” Washington Post. October 3, 2024. Accessed October 4, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/10/03/port-strike-over/
3.   Cerullo, Megan. “How much do dockworkers make? Here is the pay raise they secured in tentative new deal.” CBS News. October 4, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-do-dock-workers-make-longshoreman-salary/
4. “The ILWU Story.” International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Accessed June 6, 2022. https://www.ilwu.org/history/the-ilwu-story/
5. Ruiz, Michael. “Port strike longshoremen union boss linked to murdered mobster in ‘farce’ racketeering case he beat at trial” Fox News. October 4, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/us/port-strike-longshoremen-union-boss-linked-murdered-mobster-farce-racketeering-case-he-beat-at-trial
6. Zilber, Ariel. “Union boss who threatened to ‘cripple’ economy lives in luxe, 7,000-square-foot mansion.” New York Post. October 2, 2024. https://nypost.com/2024/10/02/business/harold-daggetts-sprawling-nj-mansion-has-bentley-5-car-garage-and-guest-house/
7. Sutherland, Brooke. “Millionaire Union Boss Gets Short-Term Win in Costly Ports Clash. Bloomberg. October 4, 2024. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-04/hardball-tactics-pay-off-as-union-boss-prepares-for-bigger-clash?embedded-checkout=true
8. “Former Union President Sentenced To 18 Months in Prison for Extortion Conspiracy Involving Christmastime Tribute Payments” US Attorneys Office Easter District of New York. October 8, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/former-union-president-sentenced-18-months-prison-extortion-conspiracy-involving