Education

ILA Education/History

14 hours ago

Chelsea Piers
The Lighthouse
Pier 61
NYC

ILA CHIEF OF STAFF JAMES A. MCNAMARA INDUCTED INTO INTERNATIONAL MARITIME HALL OF FAME

ILA Education/History proudly announces the induction of ILA International Chief of Staff and Director of Public Relations James A. McNamara into the International Maritime Hall of Fame

In a packed ceremony filled with hundreds of guests from the Maritime Industry, ILA International President Harold J. Daggett proudly inducted ILA Chief of Staff James A. McNamara into the International Maritime Hall of Fame on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at The Lighthouse at Pier 61 in New York City.

In a career spanning over 44 years, Jim McNamara has led the ILA’s communications under four ILA International Presidents, Thomas Gleason, John Bowers, Richard Hughes and Harold J. Daggett.

McNamara currently serves as the ILA’s primary spokesperson and also serves the membership as President of ILA Local 512. He has coordinated the ILA Children’s Fund golf outing for 33 years, raising over $20 million for charity. An Iona University graduate with a master’s from Fordham University, he is a veteran member of the IMHOF Executive Board and an “Outstanding Irish-American Labor Leader” honoree by the Irish Echo.

During his emotional speech, Jim McNamara shared the following statement when speaking to the top leaders in the Maritime Industry:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, my family, my friends and my colleagues, God blessed me with an amazing career in the ILA, that’s afforded me a life beyond my wildest dreams. That career has been enriched tonight and made more meaningful with this induction into the International Maritime Hall of Fame.”

James McNamara became the International Longshoremen’s Association Public Relations Director on August 31, 1981.
After a long, distinguished career in that position McNamara was humbled and honored to be named ILA Chief of Staff by International President Harold J. Daggett on May 18, 2021.

Jim McNamara and his wife Alice have been married nearly 50 years and are the proud parents/grandparents to daughter Elizabeth Mueller; Son-in-Law, Daniel Mueller; Grandkids, Gabi, Luke and Lily.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

2 days ago

Port of NY/NJ
Port Houston
April 26, 1956

70 YEARS SINCE THE DAWN OF CONTAINERIZATION; ILA THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AS THEY ENDURE MAJOR CHANGES ON THE WATERFRONT

THE WORLD’S FIRST CONTAINER SHIP INAUGURATION
NEWARK, NJ TO HOUSTON, TX

The World’s First Container Ship Service Inauguration took place on April 26, 1956 via Pan Atlantic Steamship Corporation from Port Newark, NJ to Port Houston, TX

That first successful container ship was the SS Ideal X. This containership was converted from a T2 oil tanker under the initiative of truck driver Malcolm McLean.
Its maiden voyage took five days.
It carried 58 containers, which were all loaded by the International Longshoremen’s Association, and this launched the modern era of global containerized shipping.

This technology would change the way Longshoremen would work on the docks. It would also change the amount of workers that were needed on the waterfront on a daily basis.
Nevertheless, the ILA endured and would go on to become one of the most highly skilled workforces in the world.

MALCOLM MCLEAN’S IDEA BECOMES REALITY:
In 1937, while delivering cotton bales from North Carolina (Lafayette) to New York Harbor, McLean was forced to wait several days while longshoremen manually loaded the cargo. The time- and cost-intensive nature of standard break-bulk cargo operations was an important impediment to trade and shipping. McLean calculated that in 1956, loading a medium-sized ship the conventional way cost $5.83 a ton. By comparison, loading containers (using the Ideal-X as a frame of reference) would cost less than $0.16 per ton. The economic advantages of such a mode of transportation became clear to the shipping business and the industry would be changed forever.

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

2 days ago

Port of NY/NJ

NY/NJ DISTRICT COUNCIL HONORS ILA INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT/ILA LOCAL 1814 PRESIDENT FRANK AGOSTA AS MAN OF THE YEAR

The New York-New Jersey District Council, International Longshoremen’s Association, honored ILA International Vice President/ILA Local 1814 President Frank Agosta as they named him Man of the Year on May 19, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. Frank Agosta is a well respected leader on the waterfront and began his career on the docks in February of 1979.
He has devoted his life as a member and delegate of the ILA since that time.

**CONGRATULATIONS**

In the photograph, International Vice President Frank Agosta (second from left) is surrounded by ILA leaders and delegates out of the Port of NY/NJ at Forno’s of Spain in Newark, NJ.

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

3 days ago

Monroe, NJ

ILA AND MANAGEMENT WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE CHILDREN OF ST. JUDE’S

ILA International President Harold J. Daggett takes the podium and is joined on stage (at right) by The United States Maritime Alliance CEO and Chairman Paul De Maria and (at left) ILA International Chief of Staff/Event Organizer James McNamara as the ILA and USMX come together for their 33rd Annual Golf Outing.
The ILA/USMX raised $150,000 to be donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Last week the International Longshoremen’s Association also donated another $150,000 as St. Jude’s honored President Harold Daggett on his 80th birthday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jersey City, NJ.

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

3 days ago

Monroe, NJ

ILA Sisters Mary Jaeger and Dawn Guerrini take time out to volunteer at the 33rd Annual ILA/USMX Golf Outing at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe, NJ

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

3 days ago

Monroe, NJ

ILA International Chief of Staff James McNamara welcomes golfers to Forsgate Country Club as the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance come together for their annual golf outing benefitting St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
This is the 33rd consecutive year that the ILA and USMX have hosted this event which has raised over $20 million for children.

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

4 days ago

Monroe, NJ

The International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance are proud to come together for their 33rd Annual Children’s Fund Golf Outing benefitting St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
This special event will be dedicated to Harry Hennessey, Jr., Atlantic Coast District Vice President, who recently passed on April 7, 2026. RIP brother Hennessey.

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

5 days ago

INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION 32ND CONVENTION
NEW YORK CITY
JULY 10, 1939

ILA delegates take center stage on the dais as members gather for the 32nd International Longshoremen’s Association Convention at the Hotel Commodore in New York City during the summer of 1939.

WE ARE THE INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION
ESTABLISHED 1892

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less

ILA Education/History

6 days ago

Port of Charleston
August 23, 2012

ARMED FORCES DAY
May 16, 2026

On this Armed Forces Day, the International Longshoremen’s Association honors and salutes all active-duty men and women currently serving across all branches of the U.S. military.

**RESPECT**
———————————————————————

A message from ILA International Executive Vice President Dennis A. Daggett:

On this day, August 23, 2012, my Brother and I were in Delray Beach, Florida during Master Contract negotiations. The negotiations abruptly ended, and my Brother looked at me and said, “What do we do now?”

I said, “Well, one thing we will not do is fly over a picket line.”

Without hesitation, we headed to South Carolina to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Brothers and Sisters from the ILA Charleston Locals, along with a few proud rank-and-file members of ILA Local 1804-1, who were peacefully protesting.

We were there to send a clear message to the United States Government and to the American people that the ILA has always taken great pride in handling U.S. Military Cargo in Charleston and across this nation. Around that time, the bidding process shifted from “best value” to “lowest bidder,” putting good American union jobs and decades of skilled experience at risk.

The ILA stood united, fought back, and in the end, we were successful in preserving that work. To this day, the ILA remains proud to handle almost all U.S. Military Cargo on the East and Gulf Coast.

Another great achievement in the rich history of the International Longshoremen’s Association. A history built on solidarity, sacrifice, patriotism, and the determination of working men and women who never back down when it comes to protecting our jurisdiction and our future.

ILA Strong and Proud!!

In photograph, left to right, are proud ILA Local 1804-1 members protesting our job jurisdiction to handle and move United States military cargo on the East and Gulf coasts:
Wayne List, Josh Hertzberg, John Daggett, Sean Brown, Keith Shaughnessy, Dennis Daggett, Tim Lindsay and Dan DiArchangel

**ILA PROUD**

#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation ... See MoreSee Less