NORTH BERGEN, NJ – (October 18, 2024). The Director of the American Labor Museum, in a letter published in “nj.com”, offered powerful support of ILA President Harold Daggett and the ILA, for working “endless hours, spending many days and weeks away from this family, and loses sleep about automation replacing his members” for the benefit of ILA rank and file members. Angelica Santomauro, Director of the highly regarding American Labor Museum, said the ILA leader “earns his salary through working hard on behalf of others”.
The letter was published today and can be seen here:
The Text of the Letter:
Dear Editor:
Jeff Pillets’ article on the ILA President’s salary undoubtedly raised many of your readers‘ eyebrows. I’m certain that many of those who read the “expose” asked themselves “How dare he make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year?! “ After all, he is a man of the people. He negotiates contracts ensuring his members make living wages, have health benefits, job security, workplace safety regulations, a retirement fund and more. He recently prevented a shut down of the docks, which would not have only effected the delivery of products to people who live in the northeast; it would have affected the country and various parts of the world. How dare he? He dares to work endless hours, spending many days and weeks away from his family and when he is home, he loses sleep about automation replacing his members. That, my dear readers, is how he dares to “earn” a salary through working hard on behalf of others.. How dare this journalist question his salary?!
It is the irony that disturbs me. I would bet my bottom dollar that the majority of your readers and Mr. Pillets, himself shop on Amazon and never question Jeff Bezos’ multi million dollar income every single day. I would bet that many of your readers shop in Walmart, despite the Walton family’s low wages paid to their “associates.” I would also bet that many of your readers also drive Tesla’s, never questioning the worth of Elon Musk. After all, they all make their money as employers, who treat their employees like machines, not people. After all, they have destroyed companies who hoped to remain single enterprises with brick and mortar stores and brought mom and pop shops to their demise. After all, they are part of the one percent!
Sorry, Jeff! You’re off the track on this one. When you question the legitimacy of a union leader’s salary instead of those megabucks made by corporate heads off of the blood, sweat and tears of their employees, you lose me!
By the way, Mr. Pillets, are you in a union? You should try it! Power to the People!
Angelica Santomauro, Director
American Labor Museum
North Bergen resident
JJ subscriber