ILA International Executive Vice President Dennis A. Daggett Speaks to the Wage Scale Delegates About the Details of the Tentative Contract Agreement Between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance at the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida
To ILA Members,
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) recently convened our Coast-Wide Wage Scale Meetings, where our International President, Harold J. Daggett, provided a comprehensive explanation of the critical events leading up to the October 1st strike and the days that followed. By painting a vivid picture for the wage scale delegates, he detailed every step of the process—outlining the challenges we faced, the decisions that had to be made, and the pivotal moments that shaped our negotiations. He spoke about his conversations with President Biden and Acting Secretary of Labor, Julie Su, explaining how each phase of the bargaining process unfolded and how Secretary Su played a key role in securing the wage increases with the Ocean Carriers’ Global CEOs.
After we returned to work following a three-day strike, we endured relentless attacks from the mainstream media, personal attacks, and even threats. Yet, despite these obstacles, negotiations pressed forward, and tensions remained high. With wages settled—after USMX conceded to a 62% increase over six years—they shifted their focus to automation and semi-automation, seeking to regain ground in a different battle.
President Daggett then shared details of his meeting with President-Elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Going into the meeting, he was cautiously optimistic but uncertain of what to expect. To our surprise and relief, the President-Elect expressed strong support for the ILA and our members, particularly in our fight against automation. Two key objectives seemed like long shots—having President-Elect Trump publicly voice his support for the ILA on Truth Social, sending a clear message to the ocean carriers and employers, and urging him to personally call USMX’s newly appointed Chief Negotiator, Paul DeMaria, to reinforce that foreign-owned companies would not be allowed to take away great family-sustaining jobs. To our elation, President-Elect Trump did both.
President Daggett and I were both very appreciative of how President-Elect Trump fought for great, family-sustaining American jobs over the interests of foreign-owned companies. His decisive action sent an unmistakable message that the livelihoods of hardworking men and women would not be sacrificed in the name of corporate greed and automation. President Daggett expressed his sincere gratitude for the bold stance in protecting ILA jobs, and it was clear that this moment marked a major turning point in our fight.
Paul DeMaria then addressed the wage scale delegates, acknowledging how President Daggett and the ILA’s negotiating team successfully convinced USMX to invest in ILA members instead of automation. He emphasized the importance of proving that decision right by ensuring that every member remains committed to the job. Habitual absenteeism, he noted, cannot be tolerated. The world is watching, and we must show that our way—investing in people over machines—is the right way.
President Daggett then played a video prepared by the International that broke down every detail of the tentative agreement. The video was well received by the delegates, and following its presentation, I provided a detailed, hour-and-fifteen-minute breakdown of the contract. In the spirit of transparency, I wanted to ensure that every article and section was thoroughly explained, so the wage scale committee could fully understand how and why we reached an agreement on each item. It was important to me that every aspect of this historic contract was laid out clearly, reinforcing our commitment to our members.
President Daggett and I both took a moment to personally thank the entire Wage Scale Committee for their tireless efforts during the local and master contract negotiations. A special acknowledgment was given to the 34-person Wage Scale Committee for their dedication, unity, and hard work in securing one of the greatest contracts in organized labor history—one that equates to $35 billion, even using conservative estimates.
Most importantly, we praised the unwavering strength, determination, and grit of our rank-and-file members. These negotiations were the most contentious since 1977, and there is no doubt that we could not have achieved this historic victory without the full support of our membership. The men and women of the ILA stood strong, and because of that, we won.
At our last Quadrennial Convention, I closed my speech with a simple statement:
Solidarity is the way to victory.
Our members proved me right. This was a war, and we won because of them….
Submitted by:
Dennis A. Daggett
ILA
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