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
ILA SOUTH ATLANTIC AND GULF COAST DISTRICT 93RD CONVENTION TO TAKE PLACE JULY 27-30, 2026 IN GALVESTON, TX
THE ILA SOUTH ATLANTIC AND GULF COAST DISTRICT
ESTABLISHED 1910
The South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District (SAGCD) is directly linked to the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), which was established in 1892 by delegates from eleven (11) ports.
Originally organized in Detroit, where they adopted the by-laws of the longshoremen’s Chicago local, the ILA use to be called the “National Longshoremen’s Association of The United States.”
By 1895, the name was changed to International Longshoremen’s Association to reflect the growing numbers of Canadian members. Shortly thereafter, the ILA affiliated with the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
In 1910, ILA chartered the South Atlantic Gulf Coast District (SAGCD) to expand and communicate its mission in every port of the South and Gulf Coast.
Today’s SAGCD is a modern union with 30,000 members working in 38 ports along the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast, including all Department of Defense strategic seaports in the region.
During every war in the 20th and 21st Century in which the United States Department of Defense deployed service members and equipment overseas in support of national security interests, Longshoremen were at the forefront of ensuring they departed America safely. It was Longshoremen who loaded tanks, helicopters, artillery howitzers, ammunition, trucks, and equipment on troop carrier and logistics ships headed for Europe and Asia. During our nation’s nearly two-decade fight in the aftermath of the attacks on our homeland on September 11, 2001, Longshoremen continued to support deployments by sea of equipment headed to the Persian Gulf, the Coast of Africa, and Afghanistan. Shaped by this rich history, Longshoremen stand determined, agile, and ready to face the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
ILA South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District Int'l Longshoremen's
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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Please take a moment to watch this video that was shared to us from CraneDaddy out of the West Coast Longshoremen’s Union, ILWU Local 13, Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach, California.
Thank you Lee Dominick
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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It never was about 1 terminal or a dozen. The shipping industry is a well-oiled machine and the push for automation that popped up in Rotterdam in 1993 was a prototype for the entire terminals around the world. It's a chess game and we don't want to be behind the curve on this one. Getting retrained is not an option. This is as big or bigger when we negotiated break bulk and hand stow to container operations in the strikes of 1968 and 1973.
It is time for all dockworkers worldwide to “Rage Against The Machines” !!!
🇺🇸 👊 🪝
Well, the federal government is providing millions of dollars for the port of Savannah and Brunswick to install 56 miles of fiber optics. This is our united states government giving money to help eliminate workers.
We are the ILA... This is going to be a forever fight. United we Stand, Divided we FaLL...
ILA STRONG !!! UNITED WE STAND !! TY MR. DAGGETT !!
United we stand !! Thanks President Daggett for your leadership and dedication!! Blessings
Stand Strong ILA ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾
Port of Tampa, FL
STAY ALERT ILA SISTERS AND BROTHERS!!
Shared to us by Mya Chea, ILA Local 1402/2078, Port of Tampa, who wrote this message:
“Cable off the ships crane snapped in the air at the Port of Tampa.
Nobody was hurt, thank God!
Always be aware of your surroundings & pay attention on the waterfront. They say stay off your phones for a reason & this is one of them.”
Thank you Sister Mya Chea!
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Thanks for Sharing Knowledge
🙏🏽🙏🏽
Cable on crane was it rated for wt and how many rolls of coils of sheet metal was being picked up at a time safety first prayers no one hurt retired local 333 then 1429 balto MD
Safety First Thanks From Local 1416 Miami Florida
Port of Galveston, TX
THE INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION RAILROAD GANG IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS
THE RAILROAD GANG
ILA Local 1504-8 out of Galveston is known as the Railroad Gang!
ILA local 1504-8 was chartered in 1933 in Galveston Texas as the warehouse jurisdiction of the port.
Local 1504-8 were called warehousemen from the 1930s to the mid-1990s.
The warehousemen supplied all deep sea locals with bagged goods. The name “Railroad Gangers” is what the port and the town called the men that would unload the box cars.
One railroad gang consisted of
1 forklift driver & 4 pickup men….
and there were over 100 gangs hired per day!!
During the 1980’s…..Local 1504 merged with 1308 and that’s where the “dash eight” comes in at the end.
Thank you ILA Local 1504-8 President Rodney Priestley
We are the International longshoremen’s association
Established 1892
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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Hard workers guys used to unload those box cars flour. M D Moore my cousin worked with them.
Union strong BLET 776 Galveston BNSF Railway…
Thank you, my brother. You definitely do a great job.
You deserve all your flowers Prez Congratulations
💪🏾💪🏾
🫡
💯✌🏽😎
What a history!
We used to be 1544
ILA local 1814 member Stephen librera raises the colors of our nation and 1814 banner up at the Empire Wind 1 Project in the Brooklyn Marine Terminal
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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ILA Strong 💪 🇺🇸 💪
Go Union
Right on brother 💪🏼⚓️🦅🇺🇸
Galveston, TX
SAGCD CONVENTION TAKES PLACE JULY 27-30 IN GALVESTON, TX
ILA South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District President Alan Robb welcomes delegates, members and guests to the 93rd Quadrennial Convention Scheduled For July 27-30, 2026, In Galveston, Texas;
International ILA President Harold J. Daggett Will Headline Opening Day Speakers
Final preparations are being made by the leaders of the International Longshoremen’s Association South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District who will convene their 93rd Quadrennial Convention to be held at the Galveston Convention Center at The San Luis Resort and Spa in Galveston, Texas from Monday, July 27 through Thursday, July 30, 2026.
Hundreds of delegates and guests are expected to attend the four-day convention at the ILA’s port city of Galveston, Texas, according to Alan A. Robb, the President of the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District and Convention Chairman.
International ILA President Harold J. Daggett will address delegates at the opening session on Monday, July 27th after the J.H. “Buddy” Raspberry Bell, named in honor of the late ILA South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District President, is rung by ILA retirees as the official start of the convention.
The Honorable John Listowski, Mayor of Galveston and Rodge Rees, Galveston Port Director will each welcome convention delegates and guests to the City of Galveston, Texas.
ILA International Officers Dennis A. Daggett (Executive Vice President) and Stephen Knott (Secretary-Treasurer) will address the 93rd Quadrennial Convention opening session along with Paul DeMaria, Charman and CEO, United States Maritime Alliance.
“We are very proud to have our International President Harold Daggett open our convention,” said District President Robb. “ILA District Delegates and guests will be treated to an impressive list of speakers throughout our four days convention. We also have important convention business, including resolutions and the elections of officers.”
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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He resembles Johnny Gindville!
Good luck for your convention Sisters and Brothers of the mighty ILA!
The OG!!
Nice!!!!
Talk about the men in Charleston who are loosing their jobs because of the closing of HLT
🫡💪🏾
ILA Planning To Follow-up Successful 2025 Anti-Automation Summit In Lisbon, Portugal and Bring Global Maritime Unions Together at Conferences in the Fall 2026 and at International Convention in July 2027. International Longshore & Warehouse Union Canada also plans an International Dock Workers Anti-Automation Summit September 21 to 24, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“The threat is real - automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are expanding in too many industries,” said ILA President Harold Daggett. “Maritime unions must unite, to build on the success of our initial Anti-Automation Summit in Lisbon, Portugal and keep automation off our docks.”
Jordi Aragunde Miguens.
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Go Union
Maritime industry Is The key 🔑People Over Profit. Dockers Won't Accept Automation 👎🏾👎🏾United We Stand!!! ✊🏾✊🏾💪🏾
Port of NJ/NJ
Heavy rain dumps down on Maher Terminals as storms roll through at Port Newark, NJ on this Saturday of July 18, 2026.
Stay safe ILA Sisters and Brothers!
Photo Credit:
Steven Cooke
ILA Local 1804-1
Thank You!
Int'l Longshoremen's Stephen Chri#InternationalLongshoremensAssociationssociation
10 CommentsComment on Facebook
Make u Y/Z cards SHAPE!!!
Rain sleet or snow!
Got to keep moving!!!!🤙🇺🇸🤘🍷🍷
Be careful out there
Stay safe
Be safe
I’m in bed all day after yesterday wipe me plain out
Go Union
Be safe
Port of Galveston, TX
Circa early 1900’s
Longshoremen travel by boat to begin their days work at the Port of Galveston, Texas around 1900-1910s.
Photo Credit:
DeGolyer Library
Southern Methodist University.
Thank You!!
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
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port of Galveston... 2022
Pushing these windmill blades outta here.
Port of NY/NJ
WILDFIRE SMOKE FROM CANADA PUSHES AIR QUALITY TO DANGEROUS LEVELS FOR MILLIONS
Dense smoke from Canadian wildfires is choking a vast stretch of the Northeast and Upper Midwest sections of the United States.
Longshoremen have felt the effects of the smoke at several ILA ports up and down the east coast.
In photograph is a smoke-filled APM Terminal at Port Elizabeth, NJ.
**STAY SAFE ILA SISTERS AND BROTHERS**
Photo Credit:
Mike Scheck
ILA Local 1804-1
APM Reefer
Thank You!
Int’l Longshoremen’s Mike Scheck
#InternationalLongshoremensAssociation
7 CommentsComment on Facebook
I was the Forman for Santaniello electric building those reefer racks and 480V outlet boxes. Also installed those high mast lights.
Thanks for the Smoke Canada !
Ciao da Genova..
Go Union
Kanadians are crybabies hope Trump takes every last cent of KorruptKarneys and holds it up in the courts for the next decade! Thank you America DJT and 🙏
Great lakes ports are terrible.