International Longshoremen's Association Local 1588

A delegation of 17 members of Local 1588 joined up with Longshoremen from five other ports to protest outside an ILA Executive Board meeting in Washington, D.C on August 26. Local 1588 had received reports that the Executive Board was going to vote on a tentative backroom master contract deal that gives away the October 1, 2009 raise in the current contract and fails to address many other serious issues still on the table. In all, 55 longshoremen joined the protest over the course of the morning.

As a result of the protest and an internal fight on the executive board, ILA President Richard Hughes adjourned the Executive Board meeting after 15 minutes. The protest made it clear that Longshoremen will insist that any agreement be properly negotiated and address the concerns of the membership.

Wage scale delegates have been called to an emergency meeting in Orlando on August 31 through September 4.