Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA), has faced criticism for his extravagant salary and luxurious way of life.
As the leader of the union that recently went on strike at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts, Daggett’s tenure came to an end on Thursday following the attainment of a tentative agreement.
During the commencement of the strike on Tuesday, he directly questioned the picket line members, asking them, “Who are the ones driven by greed here?”
In an attempt to emphasize his point, he proceeded to mention the indifference displayed by European companies, who, according to him, “don’t give a f— about us.” This reference was made in relation to the shipping lines owned by foreign entities situated across the port where he was addressing the crowd.
In a passionate declaration to the members on the picket line, the ILA president expressed their determination, stating, “We will make them take notice; they will have to care about us because nothing will happen without our involvement.
We are going to come out victorious in this battle. Believe me, they cannot last for too long. We will receive the recognition and rewards we rightfully deserve.” The powerful words resonated with the crowd, who cheered in agreement.
After a few hours, he made his way back to the Port of New York and New Jersey in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with the first rays of dawn casting a warm glow. Accompanied by his son, ILA Executive Vice President Dennis Daggett, and other prominent ILA leaders, he entered the port.
He claimed that if they had to be out there for a month or two months, the world would collapse.
The union viewed the recent period of unprecedented profitability in the shipping industry as a golden opportunity to secure substantial salary hikes.
Profits in the industry surged to $400 billion between 2020 and 2023, as shipping rates experienced a significant increase during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The union had the option to postpone a strike until after the presidential election this year, which would have required Low to work under an extension.
However, the ILA would have compromised its bargaining power by delaying any work action close to the end of the pre-holiday shipping season. Despite the potential political consequences, the union believed that going on strike at this time was a sensible decision.
The union has released a statement indicating that Daggett has been facing escalating scrutiny, resulting in instances of harassment and even death threats.
Daggett earns an impressive salary of approximately $902,000 for his roles with the ILA and one of its locals, significantly surpassing the earnings of many others in similar positions.
Dennis receives a salary of $703,000 from the ILA and the same amount from his local organization.
The ILA responded to the criticism of their president, stating that it was an attempt to make the union yield to their demands.
They expressed their disappointment and disapproval of these efforts to attack his professional achievements as a union leader and undermine the life he has built for himself and his family.
In 2023, unions experienced a successful year, with United Auto Workers securing substantial salary increases from American automakers GM and Stellantis following a strike.