Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As we celebrate Labor Day, I want to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the hardworking men and women of the International Longshoremen’s Association. Labor Day belongs to you. It belongs to the men and women who get up every day, go to work, provide for their families, and help keep this great country moving. It belongs to generations of union members who stood together and fought for fair wages, safe working conditions, decent benefits, and the dignity and respect every working person deserves.
For those of us in the ILA, Labor Day carries a special meaning. Our members work around the clock, in the heat and cold, through good times and difficult times, moving the cargo that keeps America’s economy running. From North Carolina to Texas, the men and women of the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District continue to demonstrate the strength, skill, and determination that have defined our union for generations. I am proud to stand with you, and even prouder to represent you.
This Labor Day is particularly meaningful to me. At our recent District Convention in Galveston, I was deeply honored to be reelected to another four-year term as President of the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District. I am humbled by the confidence you have placed in me, and I promise you that I will continue to work every day to earn that trust.
We have accomplished a great deal together, but our work is not finished. We must continue to protect our jurisdiction, defend our contracts, strengthen our locals, create opportunities for the next generation, and stand united against anyone who would diminish the value of the work our members perform.
The challenges may change, but the principle that has carried organized labor through generations remains the same: When working men and women stand together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. That is the strength of the ILA. It is not found in any one officer or leader. Our strength is our membership. Our strength is our solidarity. Our strength is each other.
As I begin another four-year term as your President, I do so with tremendous gratitude and a renewed commitment to serve every member of this District. I will never forget who I work for—the men and women of the ILA. So, on this Labor Day, please take a moment to be proud of what you do and what you represent. Enjoy this holiday with your family and friends, and remember the generations of union men and women whose courage and sacrifice made so much of what we enjoy today possible.
Barbara and I wish you and your families a happy, safe, and well-deserved Labor Day.
Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for your confidence in me. And most importantly, thank you for standing together as one ILA family.
Happy Labor Day, and God bless the International Longshoremen’s Association!
Fraternally yours,
Alan Robb
President, ILA South Atlantic & Gulf Coast District
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