NORTH BERGEN, NJ – (March 2, 2022) Hundreds of ILA women longshore workers and officers will gather in Jacksonville, Florida this week as the Southeastern Dock & Marine Council, ILA hosts the inaugural ILA Women’s Conference, “to salute ILA women workers who have helped build the maritime industry across the country,” according to the organizers of the conference.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who made history last year with her election as the first woman to head the national labor federation, will be a keynote speaker at the conference along with International Executive Vice President Dennis A. Daggett. The three-day conference is scheduled for March 3 – 5, 2022 at the SouthBank Jackson Riverwalk Marriott Hotel.
Last August, the ILA’s Southeastern Dock & Marine Council unanimously approved to convene a Women’s Maritime Conference, “to recognize the rising number of ILA women workers in the Maritime industry and to salute them for the multiple leadership roles and contributions that they made over the years the craft,” said Vince Cameron, President of the ILA’s Southeastern Dock & Marine Council, and an International Vice President.
It didn’t take long for the host hotel, SouthBank Jackson Riverwalk Marriott, to sell out and all available spots for delegates to this inaugural Women’s Conference to be taken by hundreds of ILA Women Longshore workers from all ILA ports.
Two prominent female ILA Longshore workers, Lovette McGill from the Port of Miami, and Linda Wilkins, from the Port of Newark will be featured during the Friday session of the conference. Both strong progressive labor leaders, Sisters McGill and Wilkins, will reflect on their multi-decade careers as ILA women in a predominantly male industry.
Stephanie Whalen, President, Ullico, will address the conference on Friday, March 4, 2022, and will be thanked by the organizers of the conference for Ullico’s substantial financial sponsorship of this inaugural conference.
To view the agenda of the conference, click here.
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