ILA South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District Educational Conference 2023 Opens In Nashville With Officers Focusing Remarks On Future Negotiations

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – (Nov. 7, 2023) The ILA’s South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District opened its 2023 Educational Conference opened today in Nashville, Tennessee with ILA leaders focusing remarks on the union’s upcoming wage scale meetings with United States Maritime Alliance.

Alan Robb, President of the host South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District, opened the 2023 Educational Conference by reminding the hundreds of ILA Local officers in attendance at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville that they should pay close attention to all the speakers and subject matters at the four-day conference and take the information back to their ILA Local rank-and-file membership.

International ILA President Harold Daggett charged the conference crowd up by addressing the status and future of ILA Master Contract negotiations with United States Maritime Alliance and declaring that the ILA expects to achieve a landmark agreement. He also warned ILA locals to prepare for a strike if a new agreement is not reached by September 30th of next year. The ILA Leader declared that the union will not extend the current pact if an agreement isn’t reached by the contract’s expiration.

Dennis Daggett, International Executive Vice President, reported on the important work the ILA’s jurisdictional committee is performing bringing all ILA ports’ manning levels is up to the gold standard of the Port of New Jersey and New York. The ILA looks to recapture jobs that historically belonged to the ILA but now are being performed by the companies. Dennis Daggett ended his remarks, repeating his classic July convention warning to management: If it’s a fight you want, it’s a war you are going to get.

Ken Oelkers, ILA Educational Director, reported on the powerful solidarity demonstrated at ports around the country and globally supporting ILA members in the Port of New London, Connecticut, in their jurisdictional battle on handling wind turbine shipments.

Conference delegates also heard from Labor Attorney Stuart Davidson, and Tara Thibodaux, U.S. Department of Labor, OLMS who educated local ILA leaders on important DOL compliance.