A Labor Day Message from Harold J. Daggett, International President, International Longshoremen’s Association
NORTH BERGEN, NJ (September 1, 2025) As America prepares to celebrate Labor Day 2025, the International Longshoremen’s Association takes its rightful place as one of the strongest unions across the nation with the greatest six-year Master Contract Agreement in place and soon to enter its second year; and globally as the longshore union that successfully defended its members against the ravishes of job-killing automation.
This Labor Day allows the ILA and its members to enjoy the fruits of their labors, in stark contrast to last September when the union was preparing for a strike the following month, as the ILA’s employers were unwilling to meet the union’s demands for higher wages, stronger welfare and pension benefits, and a halt to automated terminals and equipment.
In the end, it did take a three-day coastwide strike and months of protracted contract negotiations to produce a monumental agreement that is now hailed as the gold standard among trade union agreements. In four weeks, the USMX-ILA Master Contract calls for a $5.00 an hour increase in wages that builds on the $6.00 an hour increase ILA members received at the start of the new six-year agreement. The 62 percent increase in wages was monumental, but the new six-year agreement also featured full protection against automation, accelerated wage raises for new ILA workers, full container royalty funds returned to the ILA, raises in contributions to money purchase plans, strengthening the MILA health care plan and resolving the Vacation and Holiday dilemma.
This was an incredible contract package, and its estimated cost is 35 BILLION DOLLARS.
Our collective strength helped produce the richest contract in our history and is a testament to the unwavering strength, determination and grit of our rank-and-file members.
The ILA is determined not to rest on our laurels. In the coming weeks, we will be meeting with all our major ILA cruise port locals to explore producing a Master Contract for ILA cruise work.
In November 2025, the ILA will be joined by the International Dockworkers Council (IDC) hosting a meeting of dockworkers and other maritime unions for a conference in Lisbon, Portugal. As I stressed in my ILA Convention speech two years ago, I want to bring all maritime unions together in Portugal to address – as one Global unified body – the threats posed by automation on our members’ jobs and our unions.
This conference aims to be a turning point in the global dockworkers’ and maritime union crafts’ struggle against labor-replacing automation. Our goal is to reach a global agreement among maritime and port unions to oppose automation – an unprecedented and strategically vital achievement for the international and labor movement.
On this Labor Day 2025, ILA members and their families can collectively hold their heads high, knowing that they are the trailblazers for all U.S. and global workers, as the leaders fighting for justice, fair wages, safe working conditions and the respect of employers.
God bless you and your families, God Bless the ILA and God Bless America!
