This education link has been set up to keep all ILA members informed of what’s taking place in our industry; past and present. This site will include articles, stories, photographs and videos. At times, some of the videos will include training and be educational. Other times, we will take a look into our past and learn more and more about the history of this union and how it was built into what it is today.
ILA Education/History
OFFICIAL ILA EDUCATION/HISTORY PAGE ENDORSED BY OUR INTERNATIONAL
Never forget the sacrifices ILA members made to build our great union into what it is today
Port of Virginia
Hampton Roads
ILA’S THOMAS LITTLE, OUT OF HAMPTON ROADS, RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
ILA International Vice President Thomas Little (retired) receives The Distinguished Service Award at the Virginia Maritime Association’s 106th Annual Maritime Banquet on October 15, 2026.
The Distinguished Service Award, presented to industry leaders who demonstrate extended involvement and a readiness to assist the maritime industry in promoting, protecting, and encouraging Virginia’s ports, was presented to Thomas M. Little, retired International Vice President, International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA).
Little dedicated decades to organized labor and the ILA workforce. Beginning his career with the ILA in 1969, he held numerous elected leadership positions, including President for the Port of Hampton Roads, representing more than 2,400 dock workers. His service has included leadership roles within the Hampton Roads District Council and participation in the ILA’s Master Contract Committee.
Throughout his career, Little was a strong advocate for maritime workers and an influential leader in labor relations. His decades of service and dedication have made a lasting contribution to the ILA workforce and the Port of Hampton Roads.
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Photo Credit/Contributor:
American Journal of Transportation
Thank You!
Int'l Longshoremen's
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations Brother Tommy Little 👏
Congratulations to an ILA giant !!!!!!
Congratulations
Congratulations!
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations Tommy Little!
Congratulations Tommy Little 🙏🏾
A MESSAGE FROM THE IDC:
THE FUTURE OF DOCKWORKERS WILL BE DECIDED GLOBALLY.
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. THE ROOM IS FULL. THE WORLDWIDE DOCKWORKERS’ MOVEMENT IS READY.
In just 15 days, hundreds of delegates from every continent will come together in Rio de Janeiro.
We cannot wait to see you all, standing shoulder to shoulder, united by our purpose, our principles, and our commitment to the future of our industry.
This is more than an assembly. This is a global movement coming together to shape the future of dockworkers worldwide.
Together, we will strengthen our unity, build our global strategy, and make sure that wherever dockworkers face a challenge, they know they are never alone.
ONE VOICE. ONE MOVEMENT. ONE GLOBAL PURPOSE.
See you in Rio.
If we’re together, it’s impossible to fail.
The future is ours to shape.
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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Solidarity Comrades
Lisbon, Portugal
One year ago…..Anti-Automation Conference in Lisbon, Portugal
In November of 2025, the ILA came together with the IDC as over 1,000 dockworkers from around the world attended the Anti-Automation Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.
In two weeks, during the week of November 14, 2026, these dockworkers will come together again as the IDC will host its 10th General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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ROBOTS DO NOT PAY TAXES!!!
BUT THE 85,000 MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION DO!!!
We need to protect our families, our communities, our schools, our hospitals, our civil servants, law enforcement, firefighters, our playgrounds, our parks, and the infrastructure that keeps our neighborhoods great places to live.
At the top of the list is our children and the generations that will follow!
We are not against technology, as long as it does not replace or take away one single job of the hardworking women and men at ILA ports on the waterfront!
THE ILA SAYS NO TO AUTOMATION AND TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL REPLACE HUMAN BEINGS FROM WORKING AND CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIETY!!
Int'l Longshoremen's ILA South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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I heard APL and Hanjin just signed for automation is this true ????/ why is everyone clocking in like everything is ok
And robots don’t stimulate the economy like Longshoremen do.
Self checkout machines at the store doesn’t pay taxes either
AND VOTE ..we do way more than that ....we all give to our communities..pay taxes..care about our counties future .raise good people . In solidarity we will succeed
Yeah, and quite a freaking bit lol
🔥🔥❤️❤️👏👏
👏
SAY IT ONE More Time
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Money not backed up by human labor is nothing but toilet paper
Protest your work 🤙
And everyone's income taxes will go up to compensate for all industries that are "employing" AI bots. The corporations that are using bots instead of people need to cover the difference and then some. The taxes should not be the burden of the human workers. Make the corporations PAY.
And a lot!! Almost half your pay was gone!
That’s MF right there!!! Say that 💩 with your chest out!!!! Robots don’t pay taxes but Longshoremen do… ILWU local 10
Bots can be hacked. They'll beg for us to come back when all the equipment starts driving itself into the bayou. Go ahead and play yourself "big corporation" game. Bc we gon cheat to win
Pay Higher taxes to the state that can't balance its budget. Another bail out paid by its citizens. At the end of the day everyone one pays more, not only the rich. It just throwing money at a problem with no solutions.
Were are the jobs going to happen with AI it will take jobs off Workers and that will effect the hole Nation and the economy.
I paid my union dues for 23 years. I have 23 years sweated and teared in this union .lve been out of work 6 months. All I hear and see is people with jobs moved around into the port for something better. No one helping me and file a grievance…
Right
It's in LA/LB & west coast also. A few years back mearsk checked in 70 crane ops the day before Thanksgiving, wasn't that f-n nice of them, here ya' go, have a nice holiday. 🖕is what that told us.
Exactly
Port of New Orleans
Gorgeous shot of the Port of New Orleans
10/28/2026
Have a great night ILA Sisters and Brothers!
Photo Credit:
marco rasi
Thank you!!
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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Home of Local 3000
Class act I.L.A. 👍
Beautiful pic #ILA
Nice pic we need them cranes down and working
Home of local 2036
Go Union
Port of NY/NJ
May 17, 1964
ILA CHENANGOS PROTEST THREAT TO JOB SECURITY ON THE WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN
The ILA Chenangos were a group of Longshoremen on the West Side docks of New York City.
“The Chenangos did the hardest work on the docks involving break bulk and everything was done on hand trucks on and off the barges when the tide would go from low to high. They were a group of men that did back breaking work and were well respected on the pier”, remarked ILA President Harold Daggett.
Pictured below is a member of the ILA Chenangos fighting for job security against the American Stevedore Company and other members of the New York Shipping Association.
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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Spenser company was the Chenangos labor.
👏👏
👏
Go Union
Happy Halloween to all of our ILA sisters and brothers!
Be Safe!
God Bless You All!!
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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ILA
A MESSAGE FROM ILA INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT DENNIS A. DAGGETT:
I have been fortunate throughout my career to participate in many important meetings involving the future of our industry. I don’t often use the word historic to describe a meeting, but what took place at the headquarters of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in Geneva, Switzerland, was exactly that.
ILA International President Harold J. Daggett and I, along with two other ILA representatives, and Jordi Aragunde, IDC Labor Coordinator, had the privilege of meeting with MSC founder and Group Chairman Captain Gianluigi Aponte, MSC Group President Diego Aponte, Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) CEO Ammar Kanaan, and MSC CEO Søren Toft.
For more than two hours, we engaged in meaningful and productive discussions about the present state of the shipping and longshore industry and, more importantly, our shared vision for its future.
What made this meeting particularly significant was something the Apontes themselves shared with us. This was the first time they had met with two International Union officials. That alone speaks volumes about the importance of this gathering and the opportunity before us.
President Daggett opened the meeting by sharing his vision for the future of the longshore industry. As he has throughout his career, he spoke passionately, but respectfully, about his strong opposition to automation and job killing technologies that threaten the livelihoods of hardworking men and women. He made it clear that progress and modernization should never come at the expense of the workforce that has helped build this industry.
At the same time, President Daggett expressed his sincere appreciation for MSC and the tremendous work opportunities the company has created for ILA members throughout the years.
Both President Daggett and I expressed our gratitude for MSC’s future plans along the East and Gulf Coasts, particularly its commitment to manned terminal operations. We reinforced that the ILA International is equally committed to ensuring that our highly skilled workforce continues to deliver the highest levels of productivity, efficiency, and safety.
We also discussed MSC and TiL’s significant investments in the United States, including terminal expansion at PNCT in Port Newark, New Jersey, new terminal developments in Baltimore and Louisiana, and potential future opportunities in the South Atlantic region.
For some time, President Daggett and I have watched MSC’s continued growth and investment from afar. We have developed tremendous respect for the Aponte family and their willingness to invest in American ports, American workers, and the future of our industry. These investments represent more than infrastructure and equipment. They represent opportunities for American families, stronger communities, and a more competitive maritime industry.
What I appreciated most about this meeting was the mutual respect displayed by everyone in the room. We may represent different sides of the industry, but that does not mean we cannot share common goals. A successful shipping company needs a productive, skilled, and dependable workforce, and our members need employers who believe in investing in their future.
I have always believed that when employers and labor work together with honesty, trust, and mutual respect, there is very little we cannot accomplish.
We concluded the meeting with a mutual commitment to continue building a strong and trustworthy relationship between MSC, TiL, and the ILA. A relationship based on open communication, respect for one another, and a shared desire to see our industry succeed.
I want to personally thank Captain Gianluigi Aponte, Diego Aponte, Ammar Kanaan, and Søren Toft for their hospitality, their openness, and the respect they extended to our organization and the hardworking men and women we represent.
I left the meeting in Geneva feeling optimistic about what lies ahead. There is tremendous potential for both MSC and the ILA, and I believe this meeting marked the beginning of something very special.
Because when our employers are successful, our members should share in that success. And when our members succeed, our entire industry becomes stronger….
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lLA all the way!!!!!!
👏
I hope the "potential future opportunities in the South Atlantic region" is talking about HLT at N Charleston SC. ILA spent so much time and money on fighting for this terminal. The operators and mechanics that made the switch from state to union to have this terminal running are now out of work, I hope it is all worth it. #solidarity
It must be nice to be down with the Ila 👏🙌
MSC is doing everything they can to eliminate longshore jurisdiction. They have no respect for the ILA, ILWU our jurisdiction or safety. MSC illegally ships hazmat cargo and continuously insists the containers are covered and refuses to supply accurate documentation...ex.: hazardous material is loaded to MSC Daphne and discharges in Singapore...exact same container then loads MSC Irina and discharges in Portland...there's no documentation provided for MSC Irina...MSC swears the vessel MSC Daphne, which never called or discharged cargo in Portland is the correct documentation...meanwhile, hazardous cargo leaks out of the container and the container sits in containment area, awaiting proper documentation and MSC threatens legal action against the port...MSC states this is how they ship hazmat on the east coast & gulf ports with "no issues or problems"...sorry...this isn't the east coast or gulf...we know do our job & know what's required...go back to school MSC!
Geneva, Switzerland
INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT HAROLD J. DAGGETT AND INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT DENNIS A. DAGGETT VISIT THE APONTE FAMILY AT MSC HEADQUARTERS IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
ILA International President Harold J. Daggett and International Executive Vice President Dennis A. Daggett visited with the Aponte family at Mediterranean Shipping Company in Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
President Harold J. Daggett and Executive Vice President Dennis A. Daggett sat with MSC Founder and Group Chairman Gianluigi Aponte and his son, MSC Group President Diego Aponte as they discussed what lies ahead in the shipping industry and committed to building a working relationship with an open dialogue as they look towards the future and the challenges they will face.
This visit to MSC reflects the ILA’s commitment to building relationships in the international maritime community, as well as the importance of maintaining a continued dialogue, with cooperation, and a strong working connection throughout the global shipping industry.
The ILA recognizes the significance of maintaining these relationships and fostering mutual respect and collaboration among the individuals and organizations that play an essential role in international maritime commerce.
The International Longshoremen’s Association remains committed to protecting the interests of its membership while strengthening relationships that support the future of the maritime industry worldwide.
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In photograph, left to right:
-Ammar Kanaan, Chief Executive Officer, Terminal Investment Limited (TIL)
-Jordi Aragunde, IDC Labor Coordinator
-Dennis A. Daggett, ILA International Executive Vice President
-Harold J. Daggett, ILA International President
-Gianluigi Aponte, MSC Founder and Group Chairman
-Diego Aponte, MSC Group President
-Kenny Oelkers, ILA International Education Director
-Brian Porter, ILA Representative/Local 1804-1 Business Agent
-Soren Toft, MSC Chief Executive Officer
Int'l Longshoremen's ILA South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District Local 1804-1 Dennis A. Daggett Harold Daggett Jordi Aragunde Miguens Brian Porter Kenny Oelkers James A. McNamara
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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The BEST of The BEST!!!✊
🙌🔥👏We appreciate our leaders thanks
Global Power!!!Fantastic Leadership!
This is awesome! Thank you!
I.L.A. ALL THE WAY
Hopefully this means good news for HLT
Sincerest thanks and appreciation to our leadership team for all you do for the best interests of the ILA family!!! God bless you and your families and God continued blessings upon the ILA!!! 💯💪🏾❤️🙏🏾
God Bless ILA ,good job Mr president.
Very thankful, proud and blessed to have the ILA leadership that we have. God bless our Leadership and God bless the ILA!!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾👍🏾👍🏾
🌍 🎯💯💪🏼✊🏼
The BEST of The BEST!
The best leadership hands down. ILA All The Way!!!! Thank you for all that you do💪🏻
A strong future starts with strong partnerships. Always grateful to the leadership of the ILA for continuing to move us forward!💪🏼
Amazing 🤩
💯 Solidarity! Global power. Way to show up and stand together! I.L.A leadership at its best as always!
The best leadership God Bless ILA
The BEST AND STRONG ILA 💪
Thank you for all your hard work and leadership. ILA all the way!!!
Historic always thinking about our future ! ILA all the way
Awesome !
Well done! Thank you for your leadership ILA ALL THE WAY 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Good to see our leadership making sure the men and women on the docks have a voice in the future of this industry. Proud to be ILA Local 1804-1 💪
👏👏👏
🔥
Port of NY/NJ
December 1932
Time of the Great Depression
LONGSHOREMEN GATHER DURING THEIR LUNCH HOUR IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
During the Great Depression, which is the most tragic economic collapse in our nation’s history, when more than 15 million Americans lost their jobs, ILA members reported to work and continued to do their part to keep cargo moving in ports around the United States.
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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Aujourd’hui grève 24h internationale des dockers pour la paix en refusant de charger des armes. Les ports sont un lieu de vie pas de mort
Nearly 100 years later, has Government learned its lesson about protecting its citizens. The rise of JOB REPLACING AI & Robotics will lead to our next Great Depression!