### Longshoremen’s Strike Puts Ports on Hold, Union Leader Harold Daggett Takes Center Stage

In a dramatic turn of events, the ports along the East and Gulf Coasts have come to a standstill due to a strike led by the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA). Previously lesser-known outside labor and shipping circles, the union's president, Harold Daggett, has become a highly recognized figure.

Daggett, 78, commands nearly 50,000 union members who have halted operations at three dozen port facilities. This strike, the first for the union in 47 years, has effectively stopped the flow of containerized cargo into and out of the United States since early Tuesday. Daggett, who originally joined the union in 1967 after serving in the Navy in Vietnam, participated in the last strike as a rank-and-file worker.

Clad in gold chains and a diamond ring, Daggett uses colorful language to rally the union members, emphasizing their significance to the global supply chain. "Who's the greedy ones here? These companies over in Europe, they don't give a f*** about us," Daggett proclaimed to the picketers, referring to foreign-owned shipping lines. "Nothing is going to move without us!" he assured, vowing to secure what he believes the workers rightfully deserve.

Upon returning to the Port of New York and New Jersey in Elizabeth just after dawn, Daggett, alongside his son Dennis Daggett and other ILA leaders, was welcomed with cheers by hundreds of union members. Using a bullhorn, he bolstered their resolve amid idle shipping containers, warning, "If we have to be out here a month or two months, this world will collapse."

The strike has drawn attention to Daggett, along with harassment and death threats, according to the union. Daggett’s compensation—about $902,000 annually for his roles with the ILA and one of its locals—is significantly higher than many peers, including UAW President Shawn Fain's less than $200,000 annual salary. His son Dennis earns $703,000 from the ILA and the same local.

Criticism against Daggett has surfaced, including federal racketeering charges in 2005 linking him to mob associates. While some charges were dismissed, Daggett denies any mob ties and was acquitted of others. Despite controversy, a statue of Daggett was erected by the union in front of its headquarters in 2022.

Daggett has historically notable connections, including with former President Donald Trump, calling their relationship "long-standing." Last year, he shared a photo from a "productive" meeting at Mar-a-Lago, where they discussed automation's threat to union jobs—a crucial element of the current strike.

The strike's timing, linked to the expiration of the previous six-year contract, comes amid the shipping industry's record profitability. The ILA's demand for a $5-an-hour pay increase each year over six years contrasts with management’s $3-an-hour offer, which led Daggett to emphatically reject the deal.

The union has avoided making presidential endorsements this cycle, although it endorsed Joe Biden in 2020. Its Political Action Committee has largely supported Democrats recently, donating $115,000 in comparison to $5,000 for Republicans, according to OpenSecrets.

Daggett praised the efforts of Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su in attempting to mediate the dispute, although the union had previously rejected federal mediation. The strike, strategic rather than political, aims to seize upon the shipping industry's recent profitability to secure substantial wage increases for its members.