Harold J. Daggett, the fiery president of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), is making it crystal clear: the union won’t budge until they get what they want. And if that means halting imports and exports along the East and Gulf Coasts? So be it.
In a heated interview, Daggett did not mince words. He’s calling out automation, particularly a system in Mobile, Alabama, that he claims is bypassing union workers through tech like Autogate, effectively cutting jobs.
To Daggett, this is a blatant violation of their contract, and the ILA isn’t standing for it. “If we don’t put our foot down now, they would like to run over us, and we’re not going to allow that,” Daggett declared, clearly gearing up for a standoff.
When asked if he was concerned about the strike affecting every day Americans, Dagget dug in.
“Now you start to realize who the longshoremen are, right? Nobody cares about us. People never gave a shit about us until now, when they finally realized that the chain is being broke now,” he said. “Cars won’t come in. Food won’t come in. Clothing won’t come in. You know how many people depend on our jobs? Half the world. It’s time for them, and time for Washington, to put so much pressure on them to take care of us because we took care of them. We’re here 135 years and brought them where they are today, and they don’t want to share.”
When pressed about the potential fallout, Daggett flipped the narrative, saying it’s not the longshoremen grinding the economy to a halt, but the corporations refusing to settle. And here’s the kicker:
Daggett isn’t too concerned about complaints from everyday Americans, farmers, or businesses who might suffer from the supply chain chaos. He’s throwing the harsh truth out there—no one cared about longshoremen until they became the last line of defense keeping food, clothing, and cars flowing into the country. Now? “The chain is being broke,” Daggett said bluntly. “Cars won’t come in. Food won’t come in. Clothing won’t come in.”
With over 135 years of history, Daggett believes it’s time for Washington to recognize the power of the longshoremen. He’s essentially putting the country on notice: the ILA has been keeping the economy afloat, and now they want their slice of the pie. And if they don’t get it? Well, the East Coast ports might just become ghost towns.
Daggett is 100% serious, and he’s sending a message loud and clear—if the union doesn’t get their deal, Americans better brace for impact.
