NORTH BERGEN, NJ – (September 19, 2025) Leaders from the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and International Dockworkers (IDC) met this week to announce plans for the Global Dockworkers Summit, scheduled for November 5 and 6, 2025 at the Pavilhão Carolos Lopes Convention Center in Lisbon, Portugal.
ILA President Harold J. Daggett revealed that scores of dockworkers and maritime unions will gather for the “Lisbon Summit – People over Profit: Anti-Automation Conference” in Portugal to collectively join in powerful solidarity to confront the threat of automation.
“The threat is real for all maritime workers at ports around the world,” said ILA President Daggett. “Corporations will continue to crush dockworker jobs and careers unless global maritime unions unite to defend our jobs, our families and our future,”
The ILA leader, who as his union’s Chief Negotiator, won strong protections against automation at ILA Eastern and Gulf ports last year, culminating in a new six-year agreement, was joined at the announcement of the November 2025 Lisbon Summit by ILA Executive Vice President Dennis A. Daggett, who also serves as Global Coordinator with the IDC; Stephen Knott, ILA Secretary-Treasurer and Jordi Aragundi, IDC Labor Coordinator. The quartet envision the Lisbon Summit as a historic event bringing global dockworker unions and other maritime unions together to unite and defend the rights of dockworkers and waterfront workers against uncontrolled automation of ports around the world.
“This is a global threat to workers that can only be tackled by a powerful global response can” they said.
It is very important that all attendees register no later than October 10, 2025.
Registration for the Lisbon Summit – People Over Profits: Anti-Automation Conference can be made through this link: https://idcdockers.wufoo.com/forms/slcpf3d1fht8a9/
