NORTH BERGEN, NJ – (September 26, 2018) The two leaders of the International Longshoremen’s Association and United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd., officially signed the six-year ILA-USMX Master Contract extension, with ILA President Harold J. Daggett calling the agreement the “greatest contract in the history of the ILA.”
Surrounded by ILA officers and USMX board and bargaining committee members at ILA headquarters in North Bergen, New Jersey on Tuesday, September 25th, ILA President Daggett and David F. Adam, USMX Chairman and CEO affixed their signatures to the agreement that features landmark protections for ILA members against automation job losses, maintaining a premier National Health Care Plan (MILA) and generous salary increases throughout the life of the contract. Employers said the contract was fair and equitable and beneficial to both sides to allow companies to expand, grow and flourish.
“I have been a part of this industry for more than 50 years and I have never seen a better agreement for ILA members than this six-year contract,” said ILA President Daggett. “It was an honor for me to serve as chief negotiator for the ILA and I applaud the members of the contract committee and full ILA wage scale delegation for helping me deliver this landmark agreement.”
“This was a long, arduous process to bring home this six-year agreement but both the ILA and USMX recognized and respected what each side needed to be successful and I believe we were tremendously successful with this six-year contract,” said USMX’s Dave Adam.
This new agreement now brings labor peace to Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports until September 30, 2024. ILA members overwhelmingly ratified this agreement on September 6th and USMX did the same later on September 11.
Also at yesterday’s signing ceremony, ILA President Harold Daggett and New York Shipping Association President John Nardi officially signed the ILA-NYSA local agreement and echoed the sentiments of the national agreement by terming it “the best ever.”
For additional information, contact Jim McNamara at ILA 9178-853-0440 or [email protected].