NORTH BERGEN, NJ – (October 4, 2024) Harold J. Daggett, President of the International Longshoremen’s Association, expressed gratitude to The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman Kevin J. O’Toole and Port Authority Police for protecting and maintaining a peaceful environment as thousands of ILA members protested at terminals during the three-day strike against United States Maritime Alliance.
“The Port Authority cops were terrific,” said President Daggett. “They respected my ILA members and treated them with dignity and respect while we were on strike this week. They cooperated with our ILA strike captains and maintained peace and safety as the ILA picketed at all our terminals.”
The ILA leader said the Port Authority’s professionalism is a direct reflection of the port authority leader, Chairman Kevin J. O’Toole.
“Chairman O’Toole stayed in close communications with me prior to and during our ILA strike, and offering his assistance in every way” said President Daggett, who also praised Beth Rooney, Port Director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for her daily visits to all terminals during the strike.” The ILA further thanks the Port Authority’s Operations and Maintenance staff who established safe picketing areas, locations for the media and maintained clean sites.
A silver lining to the three-day strike by the ILA in New York and New Jersey was the close bond that developed between the striking ILA members and the Port Authority Police. Handshakes between ILA members and port authority police, and offers of coffee and food by ILA picketers to the Port Authority cops provided clear illustrations of the respect and concern they had for each other.
“It’s natural for emotions to run high during strikes, where confrontations and altercations might be the norm, but the Port Authority Police kept things under control by allowing my ILA members to peacefully protest,” said ILA President Daggett. “To Kevin O’Toole, Beth Rooney and every member of the Port Authority Police Department, the ILA extends a huge thank you.”
