This education link has been set up to keep all ILA members informed of what’s taking place in our industry; past and present. This site will include articles, stories, photographs and videos. At times, some of the videos will include training and be educational. Other times, we will take a look into our past and learn more and more about the history of this union and how it was built into what it is today.
ILA Education/History
OFFICIAL ILA EDUCATION/HISTORY PAGE ENDORSED BY OUR INTERNATIONAL
Never forget the sacrifices ILA members made to build our great union into what it is today
Port Houston, TX
February 9, 1969
ILA International President Thomas “Teddy” Gleason and ILA International Vice President W.H. Hopkins (out of Port Houston) are two of the 23 ILA leaders that met on February 9, 1969 at the Rice Hotel in Houston, TX to plan a strike strategy in the event that the ILA members should hit the streets.
President Gleason said the meeting was to reassess the union’s position on the possibility of a strike but he also refused to announce to management if there were any changes in the union’s demands on a guaranteed annual wage or on the handling of containerized cargo.
President Teddy Gleason remarked using one of his famous quotes at the time:
“Macy’s doesn’t tell Gimbels”
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Teddy was a great leader
I remember them both.
Two giants of the ILA during my time on the docks.
Port of NY/NJ
October 15, 1953
ILA FIGHTS FOR ITS JURISDICTION AS IT TAKES ON UNION RIVAL IBL
Police officers attempt to restore order on the waterfront in New York City after a riot breaks out between the International Longshoremen’s Association and rival union the International Brotherhood of Longshoremen on Brooklyn’s Breakwater Piers during the fall of 1953. A police caravan escorted the rival union to work. However, the ILA blocked the IBL with a barrier of automobiles. The barrage went on until the police broke it up. The ILA didn’t waver and never backed down. ILA leaders promised to return with 10,000 men.
THE INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION TAKES ON THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF LONGSHOREMEN
Tension on the New York piers was mounting daily. ILA loyalists and many other longshormen were becoming intolerant of the IBL, which they viewed as a machine of the Waterfront Commission and a scab union. The cry, “To hell with these scabs, let’s hit the bricks” crippled the Port of New York as gangs of longshoremen walked off the docks in a wildcat strike, which spread like wildfire.
ILA DEFEATS IBL IN 1953, 1954 AND 1956
To combat the spread of the carpetbag IBL, the ILA sent Thomas “Teddy” Gleason, ILA General Organizer, from port to port nationwide.
Meanwhile, 17,000 longshoremen voted in the December 23rd and 24th 1953 National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election to determine representation in the Port of New York and the ILA was victorious.
The ILA won another victory in the May 26, 1954 election, despite aggressive IBL campaigning.
In August 1954, the results were finally approved and certified by NLRB and the ILA was given representational rights in the Port of New York.
The IBL did not go quietly and forced a third representational election in 1956, in which it was once again defeated by the mighty ILA.
For more history on the International Longshoremen’s Association please click on the link below:
ilaunion.org/ila-history/
**ILA HISTORY**
**ILA LEGACY**
**ILA SACRIFICE**
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Port of Charleston
ILA sisters and brothers!!
We hope you are enjoying your weekend!
May God Bless you and your families on this Sunday!
Photo Credit:
Justin Smith, ILA Local 1771
Port of Charleston, SC
Thank you!!
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
What a great shot
Local 1422 Union Strong 👍💪
Beautiful picture!!!!
♥️
Justin Smith 📸 hell yeah
Go Union
Port of NY/NJ
WORKER’S MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE
MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025
12 NOON
STELLA MARIS CHAPEL
170 CORBIN STREET
NEWARK, NJ 07112
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Port Miami
ILA WORKER’S MEMORIAL SERVICE GATHERING WILL TAKE PLACE AT PORT MIAMI ON TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2025
Speaking on behalf of the ILA will be:
Joe Capo, Master of Ceremonies, ILA Local 1922
Eugene “Champ” Dixon, President ILA Local 1416
Stephen Hopkins, Vice President, ILA Local 1416
Felicia Marshall, ILA Local 1416
James Younker, Business Agent, ILA Local 1922
Obel Cruz, Business Agent, ILA Local 1922
May God Bless all of our fallen ILA sisters and brothers🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
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Port Miami
THE INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION ON THIS APRIL EVENING AT PORT MIAMI
The ILA members work 24/7 around the clock on the docks. It’s no different this evening at Port Miami as ILA Local 1416 members are seen here in action working at Port of Miami-South Florida Container Terminal.
Please scroll through the photographs shared to us by:
Larry McKnight, Business Agent, ILA Local 1416
Thank You!!
**ILA 24/7/365**
**ILA AROUND THE CLOCK**
**ILA NO DAYS OFF**
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
That’s right! 🤙🏾⚓️
Boy, I saw alot of that work. All nights all right.
Must be a big B/B you prepare for...
💪🏾⚓️💪🏾
I want in on the ILA action!
No days off 💪🏾
Southampton, England
May 27, 1936
PRODUCTS FROM ENGLAND FOR USA
Dockworkers loading crates onto the Queen Mary at the King George V Graving Dock in Southampton, England during May of 1936.
Notice the crate is labelled:
“PRODUCTS FROM ENGLAND FOR USA”
We can naturally assume that ILA dockworkers were on hand to unload those crates once the Queen Mary arrived at the New York City docks in the United States.
Owned by Cunard-White Star Line, the RMS Queen Mary and her sister ship the RMS Queen Elizabeth made two weekly express service trips from Southampton, England and Cherbourg, France to New York City.
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Port of Baltimore
ILA IS RECOGNIZED AS A NEW RECORD IS SET AT THE PORT OF BALTIMORE
“GREAT JOB INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION!”
The Port of Baltimore and the ILA continue to recover from the Key Bridge Collapse, which took place just over a year ago.
The following is a statement that was shared to us by the Port of Baltimore:
“IT’S A NEW RECORD AT THE PORT OF BALTIMORE!!
167,863 lifts, which is the most ever in any first quarter and surpasses the first quarter record of 161,587 lifts, which took place at the Port of Baltimore in 2023. A lift is the process of safely loading or unloading a container on or off a ship. Great job Ports America Chesapeake and International Longshoremen’s Association!”
Thank you Port of Baltimore
**ILA PERSEVERANCE**
**ILA UNSTOPPABLE**
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Don’t wanna hear shit about our container check this year than. SMH
Stay safe brothers and sisters
Port Saint John
Saint John
New Brunswick, Canada
ILA LOCAL 273 OUT OF NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA GETS IT DONE WORKING THROUGH ANY KIND OF WEATHER TO KEEP THE WORLD’S COMMERCE MOVING
SNOW SHOWERS ON THIS COLD APRIL EVENING ON THE DOCKS OF PORT SAINT JOHN IN CANADA
Photo Credit:
Gregory Boyle
ILA Local 273
Thank You!!
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
Nice to see those pictures from home, and not be out there. I.L . A. 1291,Philly. God Bless 🙏👍👏
I agree, that is definitely a great photo. 👍🏻
Wild weather. Cool picture, thank you for sharing.
Gregory Boyle takes a mean photo! That's an amazing shot
Stay safe brothers and sisters
Fuck that lol, Savannah, Ga got better weather. Hats off to yall doing the damn thing
Port Everglades
Fort Lauderdale, FL
SEAPORT FEDERAL CREDIT UNION INSTALLS ATM AT ILA LOCAL 1526 UNION HALL IN FORT LAUDERDALE
The Seaport Federal Credit Union installed an ATM at the ILA Local 1526 Union Hall in Fort Lauderdale this week.
The Seaport Federal Credit Union is expanding as it plans to meet with other ILA locals in South Florida in the near future.
In photograph, left to right:
Johnnie Dixon, ILA Local 1526 President
Elaine Thompson, President, Seaport Federal Credit Union
Melissa McCann, Chief Operations Officer, Seaport Federal Credit Union
Anthony Gross, ILA Local 1526 Secretary Treasurer
**ILA LEADERS WORKING NON-STOP FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE MEMBERSHIP AND THEIR FAMILIES**
11 CommentsComment on Facebook
That’s right! 🫡⚓️
Yessir
Awsome upgrade. Job well done
Love y’all man
Good move.
Man that's what's up!!
Miami is next!!!!
This is awesome for ILA Local #1526. Let's Keep Advancing Forward
This is Awesome! Thank You! #ILALocal1526
ILA !