In the front row are (L-R) Anthony Di Carlo, Gerardo Luis Yanez, Justin Miller and Jose Escobar. Di Carlo and Miller were the first to complete the mentor program thanks to help of their mentors, Yanez and Escobar. Behind them stand other mentors in the program, along with ILWU Local 13 Vice President, Bobby Olvera, Jr.
Learning to navigate the longshore hiring hall and finding your way around the massive Southern California harbor area is a challenging task for anyone just entering the industry. It’s especially difficult for someone entering the industry under the child of the deceased (COD) program. This program provides an entryway for sons and daughters of deceased longshore workers into the industry as Class B longshoremen.
These young men and women, often in the earliest years of adulthood, with little or no knowledge of what it is like to work on the waterfront, have found it difficult to succeed in the industry. Without the adequate guidance and support needed to learn the dispatch process, record keeping and the geographical knowledge of the harbor, many CODs were falling through the cracks with an unacceptably high rate of quitting or being deregistered.
Unlike casuals who are registered as a group and can lean on one another when they get lost or experience difficulties on the job, CODs are often isolated and may not have an adequate support structure when they need help.
In order to address these issues, ILWU Local 13 recently began mentor program for CODs. This program will pair up the COD with an experienced longshoreman who will work with them for at least 60 days to mentor them about the industry, their job and their responsibilities as union longshore workers. This is the first program of its kind on the West Coast.
“In some of the smaller ports, the membership is small enough where they can take care of one another,” explained Bobby Olvera, Jr. Vice President of ILWU Local 13. “In Southern California, we’ve got 10,000 casuals and 7,000 members and it’s very easy for people to fall through the cracks and get lost. There so many people at the halls, so many windows, it can be overwhelming to an 18-year old or someone in their 20s.”
Local 13 member Bob Dillon, knows firsthand what it is like to fall through the cracks. He first entered the industry at the age of 18 in 1969. Without the necessary support and mentoring, Dillon did not last long. Many years later he successfully reentered the industry but says that he never would have left had a program like this been in place in 1969.
“There’s just so much that CODs have to deal with. Let’s not forget the emotional dimension, Dillon said. “You have a situation where someone has lost a parent and is then entering an industry where everybody knew that parent. My dad died when I was 12 but when I entered the industry, I still hadn’t fully processed his death. When I started to work where he worked, all of it came flooding back.You don’t know if you want to be in that environment where everything is reminding you about your father.”
“The program will benefit the COD, the industry and the union,” Olvera said. The goal of the program is to ensure that upon completion, the COD will be comfortable with calculating their hours, checking-in getting their jobs, know where they will be working and know what to expect on the job.
“These mentors may not become best friends for life with their CODs but what they are doing is setting up that person for life. They are setting them up to succeed in this industry,” Olvera said.
The program recently graduated its first two participants, Justin Miller and Anthony DiCarlo. Miller and DiCarlo both said they are now comfortable at the hiring hall, navigating around the harbor area, and both feel comfortable approaching other dockworkers if they have any questions or need assistance.
What motivates the mentors to participate in the program? For some it’s a commitment to their union, others know firsthand what it is like to enter the industry without any support, but they all share a sense of obligation to assist the son or daughter of their fallen brother or sister.
“Our union is a family,” said Gerardo Luis Yanez, who mentored Anthony DiCarlo. “This is a brotherhood and a sisterhood. We are not just a bunch of individuals—if we all had that individualist attitude, the union would be in trouble.”
“This is a beautiful industry that we have and the ILWU is wonderful family,” added Robert Rojas another mentor for the program. “They’ve lost a loved one. They need us to support them. They need pillars in their lives.This is what a strong family does.”
“I became I mentor because I have no family in this industry. I know how hard it is and how cutthroat it can be when you get out on that floor and try and get a job. I know what it’s like and these guys are coming in without knowing anyone and I just wanted to help them,” said Jose Escobar who was the mentor to Justin Miller.
“A loss of a member not only affects the immediate family but also affects the ILWU family,” added Jerry Avila, Health Benefits Officer for Southern California. “Meeting with the surviving family brings up many important questions, in particular the Child of Deceased program and its process. The creation of the mentor program will ensure the Child of Deceased performs all longshore work safely, with knowledge of the industry and will be able to look forward to retirement.”