What is the LWC?
The LWC is a movement of ILA members and retirees organizing to build a stronger and more democratic longshore union.

Who is part of the LWC?
We are crane operators and car drivers, checkers and baggage handlers, lashers, mechanics, hustler drivers, break bulk handlers, tugboat operators and warehouse workers. We are black and white workers, women and men, immigrants and native born. We have members in ports up and down the East and Gulf Coasts: Hampton Roads, NY/NJ, Charleston, Savannah, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Mobile, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Lake Charles, Houston, Canada, Puerto Rico and more.

We encourage every longshore worker who wants a strong and democratic union to join us in this struggle.

What we stand for:
Justice - We stand for social and economic justice in the ILA, on our jobs, and in our communities.

Democracy - We stand for direct election of officers, one member-one vote. The ILA membership should directly elect all union officers by secret ballot vote.

Safety and Health - We work to live, not to die. A safe and healthy work environment is a right. We must win the right to truly refuse unsafe assignments. We have a right to a humane work schedule and safe staffing levels.

Strong Contracts - We must fight to end wage and benefit tiers. The union’s purpose is to expand and preserve what we have, not trade it away. We must have contract campaigns that involve the membership. We need research on our industry to bargain as equals with management.

Hiring free of discrimination and favoritism - All shape-ups, dispatching and hiring should be done in the open with established rules and records posted to the membership.

A fair grievance procedure - Workers should remain on the job until a full hearing and should be considered innocent until proven guilty. We will fight to end the back room deals at the contract boards and dock and marine councils.

End to discrimination on the job and in our union - For years the maritime industry has divided us by age, race, gender, language and nationality, making us compete with one another. We must stop injustice and fight to end discrimination on the job and in our union.

An Organizing Plan - We must help our non-union sisters and brothers organize or watch our bargaining power and numbers decline. It is a matter of survival and solidarity.