Information and advice about our legal rights on the job and in the union.
Click on the links below to read more.
Want to know more about our rights on the job or in the union?
Pay scales, seniority, hiring, benefits, discipline, health and safety rules, and more are found in the contracts and side agreements.
Rules governing local and International union elections, officers' responsibilities and powers, ILA conventions, local union meetings, and more are found in the Constitution and Bylaws.
NOTE: many of these documents are in PDF format; some documents are available online only for ILA 1588 Members.
Click on a link below to find the document.
The following documents are accessible only to Local 1588 members who establish an account on the site.
* BMW Contract (PDF)
* BMW Pension Plan and 401(K) Savings Plan Summaries
* Ceres Job Assignment Agreement
* D&L Contract
* Global Seniority Agreement
* NEAT Contract
Follow this link to the pdf file of the Master Agreement between the ILA and the United Maritime Alliance (USMX).
The Portwide Agreement(pdf) between the New York Shipping Association and the ILA addresses many issues and working conditions not covered in the ILA-USMX Master Contract (pdf)
Included in the Portwide Agreement (pdf) are several appendices and other documents like NYSA-ILA Joint Maritime Safety Code (pdf) that affect the working conditions of Longshoremen in the Port of New York and New Jersey.
New: Portwide Agreement available as a booklet from the Local
These include (all in pdf format):
In 1970 NYSA and the ILA adopted a Joint Maritime Safety Code (pdf) that has been incorporated into the Portwide General Cargo Agreement (pdf) since at least 1986. Subsequent agreements have called for a joint NYSA-ILA committee to update the Code but this has yet to be done.
The Code contains specific safety information on most aspects of the longshore operation and equipment including: proper illumination, yard surface, safety equipment, traffic, etc.
As part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Code is enforceable through the grievance procedure.
Click here for the
NYSA-ILA Joint Maritime Safety Code (pdf).
See the VACIS Safety Letter (PDF format) from ILA International President John Bowers.
See the Waterfront Commission ruling here (PDF format).
Click on the links below to read the documents.
See the Constitution of the International Longshoremen's Association (PDF format)
Since January, 2003, Local 1588 has been under a monitorship ordered by a federal court for violating the the terms of a 1992 agreement with the Department of Justice. Below are copies of the original consent decree from 1992, the 2003 court-order, and US Court of Appeals decision upholding the monitorship, the decision and order expelling John J. Angelone from the Local, the settlement agreement with John Timpanaro, charges against Timpanaro for violating the settlement, the Administrator's ruling suspending Timpanaro for an additional year, and a Motion by the U.S. DOJ for an Election to be held in 2007 based on a Declaration of the Local 1588 Administrator.
Union democracy is crucial if we want to have a strong union. The key to a democratic union is our participation. A good starting point is learning about the democratic rights of union members.
Union Member Rights and Officer Responsibilities Under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act
(From the website of the U.S. Department of Labor)
The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) guarantees certain rights to union members and imposes certain responsibilities on union officers. The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) enforces many LMRDA provisions while other provisions, such as the bill of rights, may only be enforced by union members through private suit in federal court. For more information contact the nearest OLMS field office listed on page 2 of this fact sheet.
Union Member Rights
Bill of Rights - Union members have:
* equal rights to participate in union activities
* freedom of speech and assembly
* voice in setting rates of dues, fees, and assessments
* protection of the right to sue
* safeguards against improper discipline
Copies of Collective Bargaining Agreements - Union members and nonunion employees have the right to receive or inspect copies of collective bargaining agreements.
Reports - Unions are required to file an initial information report (Form LM-1), copies of constitutions and bylaws, and an annual financial report (Form LM-2/3/4) with OLMS. Unions must make the reports available to members and permit members to examine supporting records for just cause. The reports are public information and copies are available from the OLMS Internet Public Disclosure Room at www.union-reports.dol.gov.
Officer Elections - Union members have the right to:
* nominate candidates for office
* run for office
* cast a secret ballot
* protest the conduct of an election
Officer Removal- Local union members have the right to an adequate procedure for the removal of an elected officer guilty of serious misconduct.
Trusteeships - Unions may only be placed in trusteeship by a parent body for the reasons specified in the LMRDA.
Prohibition Against Certain Discipline - A union or any of its officials may not fine, expel, or otherwise discipline a member for exercising any LMRDA right.
Prohibition Against Violence - No one may use or threaten to use force or violence to interfere with a union member in the exercise of LMRDA rights.
Union Officer Responsibilities
Financial Safeguards - Union officers have a duty to manage the funds and property of the union solely for the benefit of the union and its members in accordance with the union's constitution and bylaws. Union officers or employees who embezzle or steal union funds or other assets commit a Federal crime punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment.
Bonding - Union officers or employees who handle union funds or property must be bonded to provide protection against losses if their union has property and annual financial receipts which exceed $5,000.
Labor Organization Reports - Union officers must:
* file an initial information report (Form LM-1) and annual financial reports (Forms LM-2/3/4) with OLMS.
* retain the records necessary to verify the reports for at least five years.
Officer Reports - Union officers and employees must file reports concerning any loans and benefits received from, or certain financial interests in, employers whose employees their unions represent and businesses that deal with their unions.
Officer Elections - Unions must:
* hold elections of officers of local unions by secret ballot at least every three years
* conduct regular elections in accordance with their constitution and bylaws and preserve all records for one year
* mail a notice of election to every member at least 15 days prior to the election
* comply with a candidate's request to distribute campaign material
* not use union funds or resources to promote any candidate (nor may employer funds or resources be used)
* permit candidates to have election observers
* allow candidates to inspect the union's membership list once within 30 days prior to the election
Restrictions on Holding Office - A person convicted of certain crimes may not serve as a union officer, employee, or other representative of a union for up to 13 years.
Loans - A union may not have outstanding loans to any one officer or employee that in total exceed $2,000 at any time.
Fines - A union may not pay the fine of any officer or employee convicted of any willful violation of the LMRDA.
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For more information about the democratic rights of union members and how to enforce them, contact the Association for Union Democracy