ILA President Harold Daggett Applauds Partnership Between Union and Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT) And Pledges ILA Will Exceed Productivity Standards As State-of-the-Art Straddle and Terminal Maintenance Shop Is Unveiled in Port Newark
NEWARK, NJ – (April 29, 2026) ILA President Harold J. Daggett addressed the ribbon-cutting ceremonies today at Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT) where the company’s president, Jim Pelliccio, opened state-of-the-art straddle and terminal maintenance shop at Port Newark. The following are President Daggett’s remarks delivered at today’s event.
Good morning, and thank you to everyone joining us here today.
I want to begin by thanking Jim Pelliccio and his entire management team at Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT).
What you have built here is something special. This new state of the art maintenance facility is not just another investment. It is a project that reflects a true partnership.
It is refreshing to see our ILA officers, and members working side-by-side with management, to design and construct a shop that makes sense for the ILA mechanics who will be working in here every day.
A facility that allows them to work safely, and well and with pride in what they do.
That is how progress should look.
Congratulations on this achievement.
I know my home local, ILA Local 1804-1 is ready and excited to get to work in this new facility.
Today is also about the future. Jim, hearing your vision for the continued expansion of this terminal is truly exciting.
This terminal holds a very special place in my heart. Not too long ago, this is where both of my sons, Dennis and John, got their start in this industry that we all love so much.
To stand here today and see this terminal evolving into one of the premier marine facilities on the East Coast fills me with enormous pride, not just as a father, but as a member of the ILA family.
We also want to applaud you and your team for your commitment to the ILA.
Expansion like this does not just mean more cargo and more volume
It means more opportunity.
More jobs for Longshoremen.
More jobs for Clerks and Checkers.
More opportunities for our Maintenance workforce.
It means stronger families and stronger communities!
Throughout my career, I have always said that I want our employers to grow, but I want them to take us along with them.
Jim, you and your team are doing exactly that.
You have shown your commitment to our workforce, and you have our commitment in return to deliver, to perform, and to exceed the productivity standards we have discussed in bargaining.
The design of this project is a win for the environment. It is a win for the consumers and businesses in our region.
It is a win for our ILA workforce and their families. It is a win for our port. It is a win for the City of Newark.
I also want to thank all the dignitaries for being here today to celebrate this great occasion, and the future growth of our beloved port.
What we are celebrating here today is more than a building, more than expansion, and more than new equipment.
It is the future of this port. A future built on cooperation, shared vision, and the understanding that economic growth and good union jobs go hand in hand.
As long as we continue to move forward together – labor, management, and government – there is no limit to what we can achieve.
Thank you, God bless you all, and God bless the ILA.