On December 4th, the membership of ILA Local 1414 in Savannah Georgia overwhelmingly voted Benjamin Bryan out of office. He had served two terms as the President.
Bryant had testified in federal court, along with management and other top ILA top officials, to enforce the terms of the 2004 contract even though there were serious irregularities […]

After months of protests, grievances, and lobbying efforts by local officials and rank and file members, Baltimore longshoremen achieved their long-sought goal of stopping the unsafe practice of driving through the mobile VACIS machines.
Back in July of 2006, after articles in Pier Pressure and rank and file anger, President Bowers issued a directive that all […]

ILA Local 1422 used its political clout to block the appointment of Charlie Condon to the board of South Carolina State Ports Authority. Condon is the former Attorney General and lead prosecutor who indicted five longshoreman on felony rioting charges during a picket, later known as “The Charleston Five.”
As Attorney General, Mr. Condon personified the […]

The dreaded shape-up has come back in a new form in the Port of NY-NJ. Union members in most ports the world over ended the practice that forced waterfront workers to fight each other for work. But now a series of changes in NY-NJ have brought back the insecurity and corruption of days past.
Other ports […]

The February LWC meeting in Baltimore received strong support from the Port of Baltimore’s rank and file. Members and leaders discussed a wide range of topics including a wage bridge to full pay and one member one vote, direct elections of District and International officers. The LWC has organized an information campaign through its networks […]

After years of corruption and a government trusteeship, a rank and file slate of reformers took leadership of Bayonne ILA Local 1588. The slate ran mostly uncontested.
During its first months in office, the local implemented a mission statement that encourages fighting for strong contracts, democracy, organizing, and education. The new leadership also implemented a code […]

Rickey Henderson, a longshore worker and member of Local 24 in Houston was told by his local president that the 2004 contract was the “best contract ever.” When the membership asked questions he said he would ask the lawyers and get back to them. “Next thing you know we were voting on it without any […]

NY/NJ Coalition member, Eric Hayden, won his seniority rights and back pay after being barred from a company’s permanent list. Hayden, among other LWC members, campaigned hard against the contract and has been a vocal supporter of 1 Member -1 Vote, the campaign to directly elect the ILA officers who negotiate our contracts and run […]

ILA Member in Lake Charles takes a stand
Longshore workers suspect that the ILA is in bed with the employers, but in Lake Charles, LA the officers barely take pains to hide it. For many years, Hollin Chretien, a superintendent for J.J. Flanagan Shipping Corporation held officer positions in two ILA locals - Poll Commissioner in […]

After two years of negotiations Charleston members approved their port-wide contract. The contract includes a $10 increase per year of service in the pension and the elimination of an employer tax on dues collection. The contract is above what the employers had offered as their “last, best and final” proposal.