NORTH BERGEN, NJ (June 27, 2023) – Final preparations are underway as the International Longshoremen’s Association organizes its 56th Quadrennial Convention, to be held July 24th through July 27th, 2023, at the Diplomat Resort Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. The ILA’s Atlantic Coast District will hold its 37th Quadrennial Convention the previous week, July 18 to July 20th, also at the Diplomat Resort Hotel.
International President Harold J. Daggett will serve as Convention Chairman and will deliver the Convention’s keynote address at the opening session of the International Convention on July 24, 2023. From the convention stage, he will look out at over a thousand ILA delegates and guests who have registered for the quadrennial convention.
The ILA leader is expected to make the threat of automation to the longshore workers a central part of his address and a sub-theme on the convention. He will likely touch on expected negotiations with United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) to replace the current six-year Master Contract that expires in 14 months.
“Our Convention Theme “ILA – A Force To Be Reckoned With’ will be reinforced throughout our convention, in speeches and displays, as we show the world the power of our ILA,” said ILA President Daggett.
Election of the ILA’s top Executive Officers and Executive Council will take place on the final day of the convention, July 27th, 2023, and President Daggett has announced that he is running for a fourth term as International President.
This 2023 Convention will welcome new members of the ILA as newly affiliated dockworkers from the Bahamas will join their Sister and Brother longshore workers from the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Representatives of Dockworker Unions from around the world will join with their ILA Sisters and Brothers at this 56th Quadrennial Convention.
On Day Three of the ILA Convention, delegates and guest will hear from Willie Adams, President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU); Paddy Crumlin, President, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and Jordi Aragunde, General Coordinator, International Dockworkers’ Council (IDC).
Dennis A. Daggett, the ILA’s Executive Vice President, who serves a dual role as IDC General Secretary, will address the Convention on Tuesday, and during that session, will introduce the ILA audience to six Zone Coordinators from the IDC, representing dockworkers from Europe; Africa; Asia-Oceania; Latin America and Caribbean; and the East and West Coasts of North America. Two other IDC officers will extend fraternal greetings at the ILA Convention.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will headline an impressive list of invited speakers at the International conclave. Gov. Murphy will address delegates on the second day of the convention, along with former New Jersey State Senate President Stephen Sweeney. Sen. Sweeney currently serves as General Vice President of the Iron Workers.
Prominent Labor leaders Terry O’Sullivan, General President Emeritus of the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA); and Clayola Brown, National President, A. Philip Randolph Institute, and a former AFL-CIO Vice President, will be featured speakers at the Convention’s opening session, along with Stephen Knott, ILA Secretary-Treasurer; John Nardi, President Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey and Labor Attorney, George Daggett, Esq.
With negotiations looming between the ILA and USMX, convention delegates will hear from Dave Adam, USMX Chairman/CEO and F. Paul DeMaria, USMX Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officers, during the convention. Joseph Ragusa, Chairman of the Board and President, Metropolitan Marine Maintenance Contractors’ Association, Inc., will also address the ILA convention.
“Our ILA officers and staff have been working round the clock during the past several months to put together a Quadrennial Convention that is informative, instructional and entertaining,” said ILA President Daggett. “We have a lot of important business to conduct during the four-day International Convention, including the Election of Officers, as we set our sights on the challenges that we face going forward.”
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