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
LONGSHOREMEN ASSIGNED TO THE HOLD HAD TO ENDURE UNBEARABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON THE WATERFRONT
Longshoremen were assigned to the hold, the deck or the dock.
A Longshoreman once recalled during an interview, “Working in the hold…that was for the dogs….that was the worst. It was freezing cold in the winter and scorching hot in the summer. They thought the men in the hold were the lowest of the low.”
**Let us never forget the sacrifices ILA members made that came before us to build our great union into what it is today”
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I remember back in ‘79 it was 115 degrees so it must have been 125 degrees in the hold of the ship. We were turned to hand stowing 100 lb rice bags. The bosses were in an air condition room and we cried out, “no water no work”. They rationed the water and it was hot. Consequently one of our brothers died of heat exhaustion. If it feels unsafe don’t take another step forward please. Getting yelled at is better than being dead.
I was a wag in the hole
My dad. Pin 47. San francisco. Retired 1971. Has seen and worked all of this. He ran the gear room for years. Hauling tents slings cable. He could logger splice.
I remember them days in that hole throwing sacks
Great job Local 1414 Savannah
Real men
Stevedores in England 🏴
Thank you to some amazing foreman's that take care of their crew
God bless the I.L.A.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Grateful for ILA's past 🙌 i would’nt have what i have today if it wasn’t for ILA LOCAL 1291 retired!!!
Proud member of the ILA, for 26+ years local 1730!!!! Retired in 2001
Port of Virginia
A MESSAGE FROM ILA INTERNATIONAL CHIEF OF STAFF JAMES MCNAMARA:
ILA’s Thomas M. Little Saluted At Retirement Bash Honoring His Amazing 56 Year Waterfront Career
NORFOLK, VA (October 13, 2025) Big Night in Hampton Roads, Virginia as ILA’s Thomas Little was saluted at his retirement dinner, celebrating his remarkable 56-year career as a longshoreman and union officer. Surrounded by his wife Glenda and family in, the retirement bash for Tommy Little featured tributes from many well-wishers, including Congressman Bobby Scott; International ILA President Harold Daggett Norfolk City Mayor Kenneth Alexander.
“I am grateful for your leadership at the Port of Hampton Roads where you served with distinction as International Vice President,” ILA President Daggett said in his tribute. “I relied on your wisdom and fortitude on many committees I appointed you to lead. You have been a trusted and faithful advisor and a powerful figure in your home port area, but also throughout the International. On a personal note, I am glad to have called you a friend for many decades.”
Jeremy Bridges, President and Chief Negotiator, and Roger Giesinger, President Emeritus, Hampton Roads Shipping Association, each paid tribute to Thomas Little.
In the top photo, International and District Officers pay tribute to Brother Little (from left to right, Jim Paylor, ILA Assistant General Organizer; Larry Bachtell, ILA Vice President, Port of Hampton Roads; Wilber Rowell, ILA General Vice President; Thomas M. Little, Jonathan Coley, ILA Atlantic Coast District Vice President, Port of Hampton Roads and Jim McNamara, ILA Chief of Staff. Lower left photo, the honored guest Tommy Little addresses his retirement dinner guests. Lower right photo, (from left to right ) ILA Loca 1248’s Kim Brown; Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander and Congressman Bobby Scott.
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Congratulations Tommy!Thanks so much boss I appreciate your leadership,hard work and dedication! Enjoy your retirement cap! Continued Blessings ✌🏽
Enjoy your retirement Tom
Congratulations
Congratulations Tommy
Congratulations Tommy!!
Congratulations 🎊 👏
Congratulations on your retirement 👍👍
Congratulations!!! Devoting 56 yrs to anything is amazing, but we appreciate is was to our Union. Thank you, Brother!!!
Congratulations!
Congrats Tommy! Great ILA leader and even better mentor! All the best on your retirement!
Congratulations Tommy 🎊 👏
Congratulations 🎉🎊🎈
Congratulations on your retirement Tommy🎉🍾
Port of Auckland, New Zealand
A REMINDER FROM IDC LABOR COORDINATOR JORDI ARAGUNDE OF WHAT TOOK PLACE AT THE PORT OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND LAST YEAR AS THE AUTOMATED STRADDLE CRANES WERE CONVERTED BACK TO MANUAL OPERATION AND WERE DRIVEN BY THE MUNZ LONGSHOREMEN
MARCH 25, 2024
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR BROTHER AND SISTER LONGSHOREMEN FROM THE MARITIME UNION OF NEW ZEALAND
AUTOMATION PROJECTS FAILS AT PORT OF AUCKLAND IN NEW ZEALAND
**Port of Auckland will convert 27 automated straddle cranes to be driven manually.
**The automated cranes would have replaced 50 port workers.
**The straddles were part of a failed automation project.
**The straddles will now to be driven by longshoremen at the port**
The International Longshoremen’s Association has been and always will be against any kind of automation that is a threat to taking away jobs from our great membership.
Anytime a human being is replaced by a robot it is completely unacceptable!!!
International President Harold J. Daggett and the ILA delegation will be out in full force as they welcome maritime labor leaders from around the world to the PEOPLE OVER PROFIT: ANTI-AUTOMATION CONFERENCE in Lisbon, Portugal on November 5-6, 2025.
Please click this link for full story:
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350189426/auckland-port-revives-machines-failed-automation-project
Thank you Erin Johnson
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ONE APUS LOSES 1,816 CONTAINERS IN THE PACIFIC STORM OF 2020;
THE VESSEL WAS SCHEDULED TO CALL THE PORT LONG BEACH, CA, WHERE OUR ILWU SISTERS AND BROTHERS WERE AWAITING ITS ARRIVAL ON THE WEST COAST
On November 30, 2020, the container ship ONE Apus lost approximately 1,816 containers during a severe storm in the North Pacific Ocean while en route from China to Long Beach, about 1,600 nautical miles northwest of Hawaii. This incident became the most significant container loss at sea since the 2013 sinking of MOL Comfort. The vessel later docked in Kobe, Japan, exposing the massive damage. The loss far exceeded the global yearly average of container losses, and the scale underscored the growing risks faced by large vessels amid severe weather and high cargo volumes.
Thank you to the Maritime Buff for sharing this
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This shipping company One, was it something else before becoming One.
Thinking about starting a container salvage company thing of all the merchandise
Having to do claims on those containers was a nightmare. Thankfully only 5 containers were mine on that vessel.
Big corral reefs now
What a nightmare…. Hope nobody was hurt..
Mahsa Yousefi Nick Sellers does this ship look familiar?
Δεν το υπολόγισε σωστά το κύμα 🤔
👀😯🧐
The bottom of our oceans, must look like a landfill by now.
Automatic cones suck...when will the industry understand that.
Port Houston
ILA EDUCATION AND TRAINING
ILA Union Brother Robert Alvarado from Local 24 and trainer for CPTECH is teaching and training Brother Makenly Ibarra, who is also from local 24, how to run and operate the Ship to Shore cranes at Port Houston, TX
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Awesome. Love to give it a go! 😊👍
That looks cool
Louis Alberti said you’re not out running him though Makenly Ibarra
Hell yeah brothers push on be safe and blessed
Buenas soy de Perú me llamo martin y quisiera aprender a manejar esas grúas información
QUESTION DO THE ILA DO PORTERS @ THE CRUISE SHIP ROYAL CARIBBEAN??
AUTOMATION HURTS FAMILIES:
ILA STANDS FOR JOB PROTECTION
THE PEOPLE OVER PROFIT: ANTI-AUTOMATION CONFERENCE IS QUICKLY APPROACHING.
IT WILL TAKE PLACE IN LISBON, PORTUGAL ON NOVEMBER 5-6, 2025
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Don’t fall for the lie of ,”oh, we’ll retrain you” Once a position is lost it is gone forever.
An informed rank and file is a powerful one💪🏻
Cómo puedo hacer para participar
Nathaniel Gethers
✊
Brothers and Sisters: When you have a moment, please click the link and view an interesting update video pertaining to robotics technology in the workplace. How close is this technology? youtu.be/D9Br0hD6jUw?si=T-It6pAGh0H1kV8Q
OCTOBER…BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
This annual campaign is to raise awareness into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.
“Our MILA health plan is one of the best in the country. Use it to your advantage and get your checkup”……remarked ILA President Harold Daggett
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Port of Boston
1931
ILA GOES ON STRIKE AT THE PORT OF BOSTON IN 1931
The amount of weight allowed in a “sling load” became a very contentious issue on the docks at the Port of Boston in 1931.
The steamship lines wanted larger weights to speed up cargo handling.
The International Longshoremen’s Association, citing safety concerns, demanded a top limit of 1,000 pounds.
This led to a nine week strike on the waterfront.
The Governor of Massachusetts brought in scab laborers, which created tension at the Port of Boston. In the end, the ILA came out victorious and reported back to work after two months.
Never forget the sacrifices our ILA brothers and sisters made to bring us to where we are today!!
**ILA HISTORY**
**ILA STRONG**
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In Philly ILA 1291 in the late 70’s were slinging 20 bags of beans 4 high. When I left the beach they started pre -slinging them . Then came up with a spreader bar that handled 10 drafts landing on a truck. How many men did this put out of work????
In the 70’s we started out with 100lb bags of rice per man in an 8 man hold gang. We’d split the time; hour on, hour off so 4 guys unloaded a 36 bag pallet about every 3 1/2 minutes. Fast forward to 1990. A whaleback platform that held 4 pallets at a time where everyone hand stowed and they increased the bag weight to 110lbs. That’s when everyone worth their salt bodies broke down. I did that for 12 years and drove cranes for the next 33 years. The employer can give a rats ass about the health and welfare of Longshoremen. It’s always about some pencil neck paper pusher trying to squeeze out another ton in less time.
Yep, early 70's. Pier 98 south. Used a house fall on the winches to the upper floor. Sneak hooks and salt tablets. Head down to Wildwood on Friday night. Good times!!!
112 was the weights of 50 kilo fiberglass bags with a little glue.
Those were the days
I remember those days 💪!
Bing there did that
I remember those days that when it was hard it's easy now
Shape up to get work !
Eso se llama eslingada 👏👏👏👏
Memories of the good times.
Eran otros tiempos pero fueron importante para el desarrollo de esta industria Marítima Portuaria q saben los inútiles cierto Claudio Ubilla Mujica
🤍
Trabajo de portuarios Veracruz en los años 1970----1975
PEOPLE OVER PROFIT: ANTI AUTOMATION CONFERENCE
LISBON, PORTUGAL
NOVEMBER 5-6, 2025
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ILA/IDC NEWSLETTER #19
This ILA/IDC Newsletter is a special edition that will focus solely on the upcoming PEOPLE OVER PROFIT: ANTI-AUTOMATION CONFERENCE that will be taking place on November 5-6, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal.
This conference will bring Maritime Unions from around the world together to fight for jobs against the on going threat of automation.
To all ILA Local President’s:
Please share this newsletter with your membership.
Much appreciated.
drive.google.com/file/d/18F40WFLJ25L9T7B6yIKisQhvHewmPh3u/view?usp=sharing
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Hell yea