Harold Daggett is the International President of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) having risen through the ranks during his 59 years as a union leader. Daggett has been a strong advocate for the rights of dockworkers since taking office in July 2011, addressing some the most serious labour issues faced by longshoremen in decades. This year, his leadership came under scrutiny after the first strike in nearly half a century by the ILA shut down major U.S. ports from Maine to Texas. In this blog, we cover what he was all about and his journey as a leader and how this tradition has been carried on to achieve what it has.
Table of Contents
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Harold J. Daggett |
| Date of Birth | May 12, 1946, |
| Age | 78 years old |
| Place of Birth | Lower Manhattan, New York, USA |
| Raised In | Queens, New York, USA |
| Current Residence | Sparta, New Jersey, USA |
| Occupation | International President, International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) |
| Year Joined ILA | 1967 |
| Military Service | U.S. Navy (Vietnam War Veteran) |
| ILA President Since | July 2011 |
| Key Achievements | – Negotiated landmark six-year contracts with USMX – Advocated against automation affecting jobs – Led 2024 strike affecting U.S. ports |
| Salary (2023) | $728,000 from ILA, $173,000 from Local 1804-1 |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed (speculated to be in the millions) |
| Notable Assets | Previously owned a 76-foot yacht, Bentley, and a home valued at $1.7 million |
| Family | 3 children (Lisa, Dennis, John), 6 grandchildren, 2 great-grandsons |
| Relationship Status | Reportedly single |
| Political Ties | Long-standing acquaintance with Donald Trump |
| Major Event (2024) | Leading the ILA strike affecting U.S. ports from Maine to Texas |
Early life and career beginnings
Harold Daggett is a native of Lower Manhattan, New York City version; soon after his birth his family moved to Queens. Daggett, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War after coming from a longshore family — his father was an ILA member as well — joined the ILA 1967 as a mechanic for Local 1804-1. Over the years, Daggett rose through the ranks to such sacred posts as foreman and eventually president of Local 1804-1. Throughout his climb through the ranks of the union he pursued a staunch ambition to gain better working conditions for dockworkers and make sure technological progress could not disarticulate the workforce.
Leadership and Major Accomplishments
Throughout his years as ILA President, Daggett has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to extract huge gains for the rank and file by skillfully negotiating contract after contract. He then went on to steer the ILA in landing two historic six-year contracts with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). They advanced job protection, provided for higher levels of pay and benefits and established protections against the growing menace of automation which impinged on historically longshore jobs. With technology being implemented in many aspects of port operations, Daggett has insisted that these developments would not translate to job losses for dockworkers.
In 2023, Lifelong union activist returns to ILA post, became only the ninth person in the history of the 132-year-old union as lifer Daggett re-elected ILA czar for fourth term He has an unwavering conviction to fight on behalf of workers and he refuses to budge his fierce defence for worker rights and entitlements amidst rapid changes in the shipping industry. Daggett has devoted his entire career to securing better jobs for longshoremen, no matter what happens with automation.
A Major Inflection Point: The 2024 Strike
Harold Daggett lead the ILA in a monumental strike on October 1, 2024, the first since 50 years. The strike, which hits major East and Gulf Coasts ports, grow sout of issues that remain unresolved between the ILA and USMX over pay scales, container stacking and automationendencies. Dockworkers led by Daggett are seeking significant wage increases — in excess of 60%, Iliff says — and protections against the automation of port jobs.
Daggett has been bemoaning the gulf between what shipping companies are earning in profits and what dockworkers are taking home in pay, saying the ILA won’t budge until wage increases that count cost-index to 2009 become more attractive compared with current compensation. The strike is economically significant, with closures in U.S. ports causing widespread disruption to supply chains and the potential for shortages of essential goods. And, of course, Daggett repeated his apocalyptic battle cry: “We’re prepared for a long protracted fight as necessary.”
Family Life and Public Image
Because of the amount of salary and lifestyle he used to live Harold Daggett private life also comes in public interest. Daggett made $728,000 from the ILA and an extra $173,000 as president of Local 1804-1 in 2023. Reports have previously highlighted his ownership of luxury items like a 76-foot yacht and Bentley, but the total value of his compensation and assets has been the subject of speculation. His wealth has sparked some criticism as a labor leader fighting for the blue collar.
Daggett hails from Sparta, New Jersey, lives in a 7,136-square-foot, $1.uggingistinancing loan up to +/- 7) home Even as his pocketbook is examined, Daggett’s crusade for workers’ rights in New Jersey continues His family tree goes back to the early days of trade unions. His son, Dennis Daggett, is also executive vice president of the ILA and carries on the family tradition in union leadership.
Connection to Donald Trump
Harold Daggett has had quite a public life but his friendship with former President Donald Trump is one of the more interesting parts. Formally of Queens, New York, the two have known each other for decades. Daggett discusses with Trump working on lengthening the American longshoreman season to mitigate unemployment from automation of shipping industry jobs (Payne The Ocean) — they met at Mar-a-Lago in November 2023. The meeting was described as productive by Daggett, who said Trump assured the ILA of his backing on opposition to automated terminals.
By 2024, it relationship was further analyzed especially following the ILA strike led by Daggett. Trump voiced sympathy for the striking workers last week but did not go as far as endorsing their strike. The ever changing relationship of Daggett’s labor advocacy to Trump’s political platform raises continued questions as to how their interest dovetail in the ongoing disputes.
A Legacy in the Making
There is no mistaking what Harold Daggert has meant to the labor movement. A statue was dedicated to him in 2023 in front of the ILA Local 1804-1 headquarters building in North Bergen, New Jersey. It stands as a testament to Daggett’s call for making the conditions of longshoremen better and fighting back against technological and economic odds that surround workers.
The kinds of decisions Daggett makes during the likely strike in 2024 may define his career. And as the strike continues to drag on, its apparent that Daggett will not stop until his members get their way — even if it means throwing a sizable chunk of U.S. imports and exports into turmoil along the way. His steadfast vow to safeguard dockworker jobs from automation and guarantee a decent wage for those who unload cargo will become his legacy as an union leader.
Harold Daggett’s career shows an intense commitment to the longshore industry and the workers that make it run for generations. Daggett’s will be a voice at the heart of the labor movement — from negotiating critical labor contracts to leading strikes to defend workers’ rights — as the industry progresses in rapid evolution.
Social Accounts
FAQs-
Who is Harold Daggett?
Harold Daggett is the president of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), a position he has held since July 2011. He has been a prominent figure in labor negotiations, recently leading the ILA in its first coast-wide strike in nearly 50 years, which began on October 1, 2024. Daggett has over 60 years of experience in the longshore industry and is known for advocating for workers’ rights, particularly against automation’s impact on jobs. He is recognized for negotiating significant contracts that protect labor interests and has been honored with a statue at the ILA headquarters in New Jersey.
Who is the port union leader?
The current port union leader is Harold J. Daggett, who serves as the president of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). He has been in this position since July 2011 and is currently leading a significant strike affecting major U.S. ports over disputes regarding pay and automation.
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