Education

ILA Education/History

13 hours ago

Port of Savannah

**WOMEN OF THE ILA**
**ALETHIA JONES CHEEVER**
**ILA LOCAL 1414**

On Thursday, July 2nd, 2026, TICO revealed its new jockey truck wrapped in the American flag at the Port of Savannah. TICO management reached out to ILA Local 1414 President Paul Mosley, Sr., about having one of the Local 1414 drivers be the first to drive the truck on the port. Mosley chose Mrs. Alethia Jones Cheever.
Sister Cheever has been in the industry for over 20 years and has so much pride being a Longshorewomen as a member of ILA Local 1414. Her dedication to being a jockey truck operator, driving safe, keeping her truck clean and providing knowledge to other ILA members has proven that she is an asset to the local as well as the daily port operations that take place on the waterfront in Savannah, GA.
ILA Local 1414 and 1475 officers, Georgia Ports Authority officers and TICO Management were also on hand to witness the revealing of the new jockey truck.

Congratulations Sister Alethia Jones Cheever!!

Thank you to ILA Local 1414 Recording Secretary Brandon Baxter for contributing to this story.

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ILA Education/History

1 day ago

Shared to us by our International Longshore and Warehouse Union Brothers and Sisters:

We commemorate Bloody Thursday every July 5 to remember the sacrifices of all those killed during the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike that laid the foundations for the ILWU: Nick Bordoise and Howard Sperry, who were shot by police on July 5, 1934, in San Francisco; Dickie Parker and John Knudsen in San Pedro, CA; Shelvy Daffron in Seattle, WA and James Connor in Portland, OR.

Bloody Thursday is also a time to recognize the debt we owe to past generations and reflect on what we will pay forward to those who come after. The benefits we enjoy today came from the sacrifices and struggles of generations of ILWU members who fought contract after contract to improve wages and working conditions, and built a strong union that we continue to benefit from. What does it mean for us to be stewards of this union, and what legacy will we leave behind for future generations?

**ILA**
**ILWU** ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

3 days ago

ILA LOCAL 824 WELCOMES TALL SHIPS AND NAVY VESSELS TO NEW YORK HARBOR FOR THE SAIL4TH 250 PARADE OF TALL SHIPS

The Fourth of July festivities have kicked off with the Sail4th 250 Parade of Tall Ships at New York Harbor on Friday, July 3, 2026.

The proud members of ILA Local 824 had a front row seat for the arrival of the ships as they were on the job at pier 88 and 90 on Manhattan’s West Side Docks. They will be there welcoming in ships all weekend for this history making event.

More than 100 tall ships and navy vessels from around the world have voyaged to New York Harbor to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary and celebrate in historic fashion.

The event features what organizers call “the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships” from 20 countries sailing up the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey.

A parade with dozens of tall ships from fleets around the world sailed down the East River from the Hell Gate Bridge near Randalls Island and Astoria, Queens, to the South Street Seaport to kickoff the celebration on Friday. The ships then anchored in Gravesend, Brooklyn.
There will also be over 200 planes flying overhead in military flyovers.

In photographs, Mike Novak and Dillion, ILA Local 824, stand with a navy officer to get a first look at a military ship docking on Pier 88.
Joe Velez, ILA Local 824, ties up military ship KV Hopen on Pier 88.
Thank you to ILA Local 824 member Ryan Novak for sharing these incredible photos with us!

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ILA Education/History

3 days ago

A FOURTH OF JULY MESSAGE FROM ILA INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT DENNIS A. DAGGETT:

Happy Fourth of July!!

As Americans gather to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, family, and reflection, longshoremen have a unique reason to appreciate what this historic day represents.
Long before the skyscrapers lined our cities and before container ships carried the commerce of the modern world, it was the waterfront that connected America to the world. The docks were the lifeblood of the colonies, and the men who worked them played an important role in supporting the growth and survival of a young nation fighting for its independence.
For generations, longshoremen have continued that tradition of service.
When America goes to war, longshore workers move the cargo that supports our military and our allies overseas. During times of crisis, the women and men of the waterfront keep food, medicine, fuel, and essential goods moving to communities that depend on them. Through hurricanes, pandemics, economic uncertainty, and national emergencies, the work continues because America depends on its waterfront and maritime workers.
Our movement has always stood for more than wages and benefits. It has stood for loyalty, sacrifice, patriotism, and an unwavering commitment to our country and our communities.
The great leaders of the past often reminded us that ILA stood for more than the International Longshoremen’s Association. They proudly said that ILA also meant, “I Love America.”
Those words have endured because they perfectly capture who we are.
For my family, this story is personal.
Before the container terminals and the giant cranes that now define our skyline, there were the finger piers that lined the Hudson and East Rivers waterfront of New York City and New Jersey. Those piers were more than places of work. They were places where families were built, where friendships were forged, and where generations of longshoremen earned an honest living with their hands and their backs.
For my family, this story is personal. Before container terminals and towering cranes, my relatives, especially my great grandfather, and grandfather worked the finger piers along Manhattan’s Hudson River, with Pier 32 holding a special place in our history. Those piers gave our family more than a livelihood; they provided stability, dignity, and the opportunity for future generations to pursue the American Dream.
Personally, I consider it one of the greatest honors of my life to have been born and raised as both an American and an ILA member.
Perhaps that is why I have always been moved by moments when people come together in unity.
We witnessed it in the days following September 11th, when a city and a nation stood shoulder to shoulder like never before. We witness it during moments of celebration as well, when entire communities come together to celebrate something bigger than themselves, reminding us that there is still far more that unites us than divides us.
Whether people are united by adversity or celebration, those moments serve as reminders of hope.
To me, there is no clearer example of the good in people than when they come together in solidarity and camaraderie. In those moments, differences disappear, divisions fade, and we remember that we are stronger together than we could ever be apart.
That same spirit should guide us when there are those who seek to threaten our livelihoods and diminish the opportunities that generations of working families fought to build. Whether the challenge comes from automation, artificial intelligence, or any force that places profits above people, our response should be the same as it has always been: unity, solidarity, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the American Dream for those who come after us.
I also find myself smiling when I see visitors and new Americans during the World Cup posting videos about the things we sometimes take for granted. They marvel at our traditions, our cities, our way of life, and yes, even our food. While I may not be much of a fast food fan myself, I still get a kick out of watching people discover the incredible diversity of American cuisine and fall in love with a slice of great NYC or NJ pizza.
America is not perfect. No country ever has been. But there has never been another nation that has offered more opportunity, inspired more hope, or attracted more people seeking freedom and a better life.
This Fourth of July, we celebrate not only the birth of our nation, but also the generations of working men and women whose labor helped build and sustain it.
We are proud to be longshoremen!
We are proud to be union members!
We are proud that ILA means I Love America!
And above all else, we are proud to be Americans!
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