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
San Antonio, TX
SAVE THE DATE!!
ILA SOUTH ATLANTIC AND GULF COAST DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE
JANUARY 11-15
SAN ANTÓNIO, TX
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Lisbon, Portugal
11/09/2025
DR. COREY ROBICHEAUX OUT OF ILA LOCAL 1351, PORT HOUSTON, TEXAS SHARES HIS THOUGHTS WITH US ABOUT THE ANTI-AUTOMATION CONFERENCE IN LISBON, PORTUGAL
As vice president of ILA Local 1351, Corey fights on behalf of clerks & checkers from the Port of Houston on a daily basis.
This was also a full circle moment for Corey as he recently became a Doctor of Education focusing on Organizational Leadership. His research at Spalding University uncovered an ever existant human impact to automation as concluded in his defense, titled “Staying Afloat: Perspectives on the Well-Being of Elected Maritime Union Leaders.”
“Automation is a current and serious threat, and the time is now to band together, strategize, and move forward in harmony as a globally connected industry. Beyond the economic impacts lies a tangible human impact intertwined in the mental health and wellbeing of leaders facing this battle. With the direction of fearless leaders like our ILA President Harold Daggett, we are actively overcoming the battles at hand!”, said Dr. Corey Robicheaux.
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ILA/IDC NEWSLETTER #20
NOVEMBER 2025
This special edition of the ILA/IDC Newsletter will be exclusively dedicated to the “People Over Profit: Anti-Automation Conference” that took place in Lisbon, Portugal on November 5-6, 2025.
There were nearly 1,000 delegates and labor leaders in attendance at this historical summit.
Please take a moment to read and scroll through the screenshots to take a look back at dockworkers as they came together from all around the world to fight against automation.
ILA Local President’s, Delegates and Members:
Please distribute throughout your membership at your respective ports.
Thank you.
Thank you Dani Molero, IDC out of Barcelona, Spain, for all your help and assistance in composing this newsletter.
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Take a moment to check out the video shared to us by ILA Local 1814 member John Seery out of Brooklyn/Staten Island, NY.
Brother Seery has shared his work with us many times and has created some great videos and we thank him for that.
He recently shared his thoughts with us about this video piece he put together:
“It took Joe Rogan mentioning us, Longshoreman, to finish this video. He was discussing the potential loss of work to automation.
While our leaders are firing up the troops in Lisbon, let’s not forget where we were one year ago. Let’s not forget that even with a win, we knew it was just a battle. Not the war. We’re just getting started because this isn’t just our problem.
It’s the world’s problem!!
If we have to lead the charge and inspire everyone to stand, we’re happy to wave the flag first, for ALL OF US.”
ILA!!!
ALL THE WAY!!!⚓️💪
THANK YOU BROTHER JOHN SEERY, ILA LOCAL 1814!
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Local 512 Teamster and we fighting everyday !! 💪 💯 we all brotherhood on the waterfront !!
Great Video . Fight Automation ! ILA All the Way !
Automation will NEVER do what we do period!!💪🫶
Worked many times in Red Hook during the 70’s and early 80’s.
We move the world
ILA LOCAL 1402 too hell with automated systems!
Great leaders in the ILA right now and can't even find 1 real leader in the ILWU. We are over here on the Westcoast just quite waiting for it to take us out....
FANTASTIC!!
MAN vs machine
ILA Union Strong Local 1408
Ila Union Strong Local 1422 Fight Automation..... Man over Machine
ILWU local 10 A MAN Reg101870 Fuck automation we are irreplaceable ✊🏻💯 God bless the ILWU and the ILA
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💪🏾
Brian Thorne Ed Thorne
Great video. I feel so proud to be a part of the ILA through my grandfather, father, cousins and mother of two sons. My family is the ILA. NEVER stop fighting for the ILA workers and their family ❤️👏👏👏
Fortunato Lepore gang 💯!💪🏻
LOCAL #20 GALVESTON ALL IN. F#CK A ROBOT
Our hellish AI future promised to us by our oligarchs threatens humanity as a whole
Robots don't pay taxes. Robots don't support the economy. Robots don't have families to take care of. Robots only help the rich get richer. Fuck that. Bad enough they automated cashiers and shit like that. I'll stand in a full line before use self checkout. N the workers are still stupid enough to try and convince you to use self checkout. It's unbelievable the stupidity.
THE INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION HONORS AND RECOGNIZES ALL WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES!
HAPPY VETERANS DAY!
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Lisbon, Portugal
ILA leaders International President Harold J. Daggett and Executive Vice President Dennis A. Daggett take a moment to meet up with Master Sergeant At Arms Bobby Rispoli and his team at the Anti- Automation Conference in Lisbon, Portugal
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Harold Daggett eres tremendo lider laboral al igual que Dennis y el equipo negociador.
Nice
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM ILA INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT DENNIS A. DAGGETT
The Lisbon Summit has been called historic. It was special for so many reasons. These are my true feelings from the heart:
The importance of Solidarity and Internationalism in a Changing World
We work in a unique industry, one unlike any other. Our employers are the same globally. The stevedores and ocean carriers who operate in all parts of the world are interconnected, moving the world’s commerce through every major port on the planet. But what makes our industry truly unique is not just its global reach, it’s the people who make it work: dockworkers, longshoremen, seafarers, marine engineers, master mates and pilots, mechanics, clerks& checkers, and every maritime worker who moves the world’s cargo safely and efficiently, day after day.
Today, that very workforce stands on the front lines of a global struggle, one that transcends borders, cultures, and languages. It’s a fight against the unchecked rise of automation and job killing technology. And if dockworkers and maritime workers take the lead in this fight, maybe other industries manufacturing, transportation, logistics, healthcare, and even so-called white collar sectors will follow.
Because this isn’t just about longshore and maritime jobs. It’s about human jobs. It’s about protecting purpose, dignity, and community in an era where employers are using artificial intelligence to study human behavior with one goal to replace it.
AI isn’t simply a tool anymore, it’s becoming the new master. It’s observing how humans think, move, and solve problems, so that one day it can do it all without us. That’s not progress; that’s erasure. A move towards extinction.
What happens when work disappears? When there are very few workers left? Economies will collapse under the weight of lost wages and broken communities. Will governments respond by taxing the ultra rich and creating a universal basic income to keep people afloat? If so, what kind of future is that?
A generation without purpose, without contribution, without identity? A society that replaces the pride of work with a monthly allowance? A Universal Basic Income? What will the world look like then? So no sense of purpose or trying to explore the world to find your purpose in this life. That’s not advancement, that’s decay. That’s the destruction of real communities and economies. A society that looks more like the Walking Dead.
This is the most critical moment in modern human history to fight back, to fight for purpose, for dignity, and for the right to work. Even if you think automation or AI won’t affect your job, think again. It may not touch you today, but it’s coming tomorrow. And when it does, it won’t discriminate between blue collar and white collar.
That’s why we call on all workers, every trade unionist, every professional, every person who values their role in society, to stand together. Put political differences aside. Join forces. Because division is exactly what the employers want. They bank on it, literally!
You can’t chant solidarity but then not show up when it matters most. That’s the worst form of hypocrisy. You can’t whisper solidarity in the shadows or preach it from a distance but stay home when there’s a rally, meeting, or cause that needs your voice or support.
If you’re afraid to stand up because of internal politics, then you’re not serving the people you were elected to represent. You’re serving yourself, but only in fear.
We all took an oath when we were elected. I take that oath very seriously. That oath isn’t about comfort, convenience, or keeping the peace, it’s about responsibility. It’s about putting the best interests of our members first and foremost, above our personal views, opinions, politics, or internal politics.
We may not all see eye to eye on every political or social issue, and that’s fine. But this movement, this fight against job killing technology, is bigger than any one of us. It’s about representing the men and women who built this industry and defending the generations still to come.
The employers, the governments, and the corporations love to see us divided. They count on it. Division has been their favorite weapon for thousands of years. They know that when we’re fighting each other, we’re not fighting them.
But we have a chance to break that cycle. We have a chance to do something historic, to come together with one voice, one mission, and one purpose. This isn’t about agendas or egos. It’s about protecting work, protecting dignity, and protecting the future of every worker who comes after us.
I truly believe those of us who gathered in Lisbon this past week understand what true solidarity means. It’s not just a slogan, it’s a living, a breathing force. It’s about taking action together. Standing shoulder to shoulder. Refusing to let our value as human beings be written out of the equation.
This movement isn’t just about nostalgia, it’s about survival. It’s about honoring our ancestors who built unions, industries, the ports, and the communities that gave us opportunity. And it’s about protecting our children and grandchildren from a world that risks losing its soul.
We can’t allow technology to rob humanity of its meaning. We can’t allow greed to masquerade as innovation or progress. The fight for the future of work begins here. It begins with us. It has to!!
Our time is now, and it would be a damn shame if we didn’t take advantage of our collective power while we still can!
Some things are worth dying for.
Purpose! Dignity! Solidarity! Especially, our children and grandchildren’s future….
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Well said Boss!!! You hit on several subjects that not only concerns our industry, it concerns every single job in this country! If We the People don’t take a stand, you said it clearly, we are set on destroying the livelihood of our children and grandchildren and many generations after if we as the people, country and world of this generation doesn’t take a stand NOW!!!! It’s our responsibility right now to make a difference or it will be way too late in just a few short years!!!! 💪💪
I want to work for a living not get paid to sit home, and I hope for full careers of the young members behind me.I was one them years ago and my union has provided me with a fruitful carrier so far and I will fight to keep it. Well said my brother Dennis,as always. 👊
This is truly inspiring. The future definitely looks scary for the next generations. It's our time to stand up and protect that future!
These words are articulate, honest, and appreciated. What actions can we take?
Dennis A. Daggett You and your dad Harold Daggett are great leaders — fighting against automation, protecting jobs, and standing up for the future of working families. We need more leaders like you to stand up for workers, especially as companies like Amazon continue to lay off employees and replace them with automation.
What is causing the “slow down”!of things now when we are usually extra busy this time of year? I have my thoughts but would love others input! We are truly blessed to be part of this amazing community! Besides my children, joining the waterfront is one of my greatest accomplishments in my own opinion!! It’s not always easy!! But we are Longshoremen… we are tough and know how to work hard and fight for our work!! Whatever we need to do.. I’m ready! I still have another 20 years to go so I want to make sure we have enough work to feed all our work hungry men and women!
Thank you for all of your hard work!!🙏🙏🙏
Perfectly put!!
Spoken like a true WORLD leader. People don’t seem to understand what is going on in this world rite now. Thank you for leading us and giving us a purpose. A reason to fight. Thank you Dennis for all you and the A team do for not only us but our families and the world to come. God bless you brother.
Thank you for taking time to share real facts
Well done!
Well said Dennis ILA STRONG!🇺🇸
Well said Dennis! Standing with you 💯 for the long hall 💪🏼🇺🇸🙌🏼
Truer words stand for solidarity in the face of automation and our way of life and the future of our profession
That’s Right! Together it’s impossible to fail!
Well said brother!!! Together it’s impossible to fail!!! Let’s get it!!! 💪💪💪
Nice job Dennis well, done
Great job and keep it going My Man!!!!! Never back down!!!!! Lisbon made history again!!!
Dennis while reading this I was so moved it brought tears to my eyes!! So incredibly proud to be a member of ILA 1804-1!! Thank you 🙏
Yes!!
Well Said Brother and I Fully Agree!
Well said!! Let’s go forward locked and loaded!!
He’s got Balls God bless you guys
Well said. We can never be replaced by robots. We stand with you 100%. 💪🇺🇸
Bien dicho ila
Lisbon, Portugal
ILA LOCAL 1588 MEMBER ISAIAS FRANCO IS FRONT AND CENTER ON THE PICKET LINES IN LISBON, PORTUGAL
FRANCO JUST HAPPEN TO BE IN LISBON FOR THE ANTI-AUTOMATION CONFERENCE AND HE DID NOT HESITATE TO JOIN IN ON THE PROTEST FOR BETTER LABOR WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS AS SOON AS HE HAD KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WAS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE
From the Associated Press, November 8, 2025:
Tens of thousands of people in Lisbon took to the streets Saturday to protest labor reforms. The protest was organized by the country’s main labor union and are aimed at improving productivity and flexibility in the job market.
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I freaking love that dude!!
My wife and I joined them for a bit. Amazing! Thousands of people marching for better wages and less hours!! The amount of people who participated was overwhelming!! According to some of the people who I spoke with, more than half of the entire population feels the same way as the protesters!!
Love this stood there for a good part of the parade
Not all hero’s wear capes! And good job brother! We NEVER cross a picket line ESPECIALLY when it’s our family protesting!! THATS showing them SOLIDARITY 💪⚓️🫶💯
Lisbon, Portugal
This is what worldwide solidarity looks like!
The Maritime Union of Australia comes out in a full force as a large delegation of dockworkers traveled half way around the world to fully support the Anti-Automation Conference in Lisbon, Portugal
**ILA**
**MUA**
**IDC**
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Yea for MUA!
ILA 1804 1 💯💪🇺🇸 Strong
Lisbon, Portugal
As the Lisbon Summit…People Over Profit: Anti-Automation Conference comes to a conclusion and dockworker delegates and labor leaders travel back to their home ports from all around the world, the IDC Labor Coordinator Jordi Aragunde leaves us with a powerful closing quote:
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Solidarity!! 🙏🏻💪🏻❤️
Unforgettable week! Thanks for you hard work ILA Education/History!
Solidarity Forever!!!
Portuarios Quintero ventanas 🥰👏🏻👏🏻
Solidarity now and in the future.
I.L.A. ALL THE WAY
👏👏👏👏
🫡✊🏼💪🏼🌎
TRUTH!!
ILA Strong