Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su Says Giant Shipping Magnates Should Share Their Economic Success With ILA Longshore Workers

NORTH BERGEN, NJ – (October 2, 2024). Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a statement released yesterday calling for parties to get back to the negotiating table that “giant shipping magnates acknowledge that if they can make record profits, their workers should share in that economic success.”

“The 85,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) are grateful for the wisdom, courage and leadership of our Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su,” said ILA President Harold Daggett. “Our ILA rank and file members will continue to strike for fair wages and their share of the Foreign Ocean Carriers record billion-dollar profits and we are grateful to have the support of the U.S. Labor Department.”

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on negotiations between USMX and the International Longshoremen’s Association:

“Over the last week and more, I have spent hours on the phone and in meetings with the parties urging them to find a way to reach a fair contract. This country’s port workers put their health and safety on the line to keep working through the pandemic so we could get the goods we needed as COVID raged and these workers will help communities recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene. As these companies make billions and their CEOs bring in millions of dollars in compensation per year, they have refused to put an offer on the table that reflects workers’ sacrifice and contributions to their employer’s profits.

“The American economy has defied all expectations thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s leadership. There is room for both companies and their workers to prosper. The parties need to get back to the negotiating table, and that must begin with these giant shipping magnates acknowledging that if they can make record profits, their workers should share in that economic success.”

Agency: Office of the Secretary
Date: October 1, 2024
Release Number: 24-2087-NAT