Stronger Together: ILWU comes together at historic virtual 38th International Convention

The ILWU kicked off its 38th International Convention on June 14th, in San Francisco. The historic convention was the first-ever held virtually.

The decision not to have an in-person convention was made unanimously by the ILWU’s International Executive Board at the December 2020 meeting when the U.S. was experiencing one of the worst surges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The ILWU International Officers and staff explored every available option for safely and effectively holding the ILWU Convention during a pandemic. At this time, only one option allows us to eliminate the risk posed to the health and safety of everyone (delegates, officers, and staff) and ensure that every delegate has a fair chance to participate. For these reasons, we can only guarantee a safe and equal convention experience for all by holding a fully virtual convention,” the IEB statement read. “Delaying this decision is not an option. The officers and staff must move forward with preparations for the 2021 ILWU International Convention and eliminate any remaining financial liability associated with hosting an in-person event.”

Pivoting to an online platform took a tremendous amount of work. The virtual convention format was part television broadcast, part Zoom meeting, and required using a secure and transparent online voting system to conduct the union’s business. It took six months of intensive planning by the ILWU officers and staff and there was a steep learning curve to pull together all of the elements that were necessary to make the event as smooth and seamless as possible.

A team of production technicians, including members of IATSE Local 16 was on hand to help make the broadcast a success. The end product was not the usual in-person convention experience delegates were accustomed to, but the virtual format was the best option available to ensure the union got to conduct its business fairly, openly, and democratically while ensuring the health and safety of delegates, officers, and staff, and also comply with the uncertainty of changing COVID regulations in the city and county of San Francisco that prevented the planning of an in-person event.

Learning curve

The online convention format was a new experience for everyone. In the lead-up to the convention, the ILWU’s Education Department conducted seven trainings over Zoom for registered delegates and guests to walk them through the online platforms and voting system. A total of 185 delegates, 27 fraternal delegates, 11 staff members, and 50 guests attended at least one training session and those who needed extra help attended more than one.

A separate training was conducted specifically for Local 142 delegates. ILWU staff provided tech support via a telephone hotline and chat to answer questions and ensure delegates who were having issues accessing the convention had the assistance that they needed.

Watch parties

Several locals organized watch par[1]ties that allowed small numbers of delegates and observers to attend the convention together, adding an “in-person” component to the virtual event.

Adapt and overcome

“I think this virtual convention shows our tenacity and our ability to overcome difficult situations as an organization,” said ILWU Local 26 President Luisa Gratz. “Everyone knows I am not the most technologically savvy person, but I was able to learn and adapt to this new format.”

“We were all learning this on the fly, but at least we all got to be together and have this convention,” added Local 13 President Ramon Ponce De Leon. Local 10 member Mike Villeggiante said everyone would have preferred an in-person convention, but after several years of hard times, the convention was an opportunity to move forward.

“The working class has gotten beat up the past few years,” Villeggiante said. “We have members who have died, gotten sick, and lost their jobs. The amount of stress happening to our members is something important to confront. The ILWU way is to discuss—not always agree—but once we decide, we move forward. Our role is to come together and make a strong union in the end.”

Welcome to San Francisco

ILWU International President Wil[1]lie Adams called the convention to order on the morning of June 14th. He thanked the host committee and welcomed the delegates and guests with a short, professionally produced video.

Adams then introduced Coast Benefits Specialist and host committee member John Castanho, who recognized Local 10 member, Reverend Richard Strong, to give the invocation.

Following Reverend Strong, the U.S. National Anthem was performed by Local 10 member Janice Smith and the Canadian National Anthem was performed by Emma-Raye Ashton, daughter of ILWU Canada President Rob Ashton.

Delegates were then welcomed with video messages from San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Mayor Breed and Speaker Pelosi both have long histories with the ILWU. Breed’s grandfather was a member of Local 10, and Speaker Pelosi was first elected to Congress with the help of the ILWU Northern California District Council, and her campaign was co-chaired by ILWU icons Jimmy Herman and Leroy King.

President’s keynote

President Adams’s keynote emphasized the convention theme, “Stronger Together.” He opened his speech noting the historic nature of the convention.

“For the first time in our union’s history, we are hosting a virtual convention to ensure that every delegate and local can participate in this great tradition of the ILWU. The theme of this year’s convention is ‘Stronger Together.’ Our past is the key to our future. And I believe that some of the best chapters of ILWU history are yet to be written,” Adams said.

Challenges and opportunities

Adams acknowledged many of the challenges and struggles faced by the union since the last convention but encouraged delegates to embrace the responsibility that history has given them. Employer attacks, tough contract fights, lockouts, jurisdictional battles, lawsuits, the threat of automation, and the ongoing pandemic that has resulted in the deaths and illness of many members of the ILWU family and caused significant economic disruption and loss of employment across every ILWU division.

“The last few years have been some of the most turbulent times in ILWU history. Some struggles you inherit, others you choose, some, they come to you,” Adams said. “We can rejoice at the responsibilities which destiny has honored us. We are guardians of the labor movement in our country when so much is at stake.” Adams expressed the tragic loss felt by the entire ILWU family when International Vice President (Hawaii) passed away in 2020 after a long illness.

“When the death of the late ILWU International Vice President Wesley Furtado was announced, there struck a deep and solemn note in our lives which resounded far and wide. Wesley was the senior officer at the International and that included the Coast Committee,” Adams said, “Wes had the historical knowledge. He also understood the process. Wes was a labor warrior. Wes learned from the best there was in the ILWU. We mourn for our fallen brother. And we continue to fight like hell every day for our members.”

The fight for racial justice

Adams’s keynote demonstrated the union’s support for the emerging movement of civil rights activists who have taken up the fight for racial justice in response to institutional racism, voter suppression that is targeting working-class communities of color, and racist police violence.

In the summer of 2020, demonstrations broke out in an estimated 2,500 cities and towns across the country in protest of the police killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police. Floyd’s murder was caught on a cell phone video and triggered demands for sweeping reform of the criminal legal system. Between 15-26 million people participated in demonstrations against racism and police violence in May and June of 2020, making it the largest protest movement in U.S. history according to the New York Times.

Adams said that the ILWU’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement is a part of the ILWU’s long history of support for anti-racist movements.

“Two cornerstones of the ILWU are social justice and international solidarity. The ILWU has always had a strong and progressive past and present. The ILWU stands vindicated by history for our positions of principle, moral compass, and boldness of spirit,” Adams said. Adams explained that in response to the murder of George Floyd, the ILWU Coast Committee held a meeting with the presidents of all the longshore locals.

“The consensus was unanimous, stronger together. We agreed that on June 19, 2020, on the first shift, all West Coast ports, Canada and Hawaii, and other divisions of the ILWU, whatever they could do, would shut down in honor of Juneteenth, the 155-year-old celebration, marking the emancipation of African Americans from slavery in the U.S., and that we would march, protest and speak out against the unjust killings of black and brown men and women of color.”

In his speech, Adams also urged for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, and spoke out against the rise of racist attacks on Asian Americans.

Committees get to work

On Tuesday morning, the convention heard pre-recorded messages of solidarity from U.S. Senators from Hawaii Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz as well as Alvina Yeh, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. After the short program in the morning’s General Session, the delegates broke out into their assigned committees to do the work of the convention.

The Constitution and Programs Committee, the Resolutions Committee, and the Credentials/ Officers Report Committee worked throughout Tuesday and Wednesday and well into the night on both days.

UFW President Teresa Romero

On Thursday morning, the convention welcomed United Farmworkers (UFW) President Teresa Romero, who joined the convention live via Zoom. President Romero recalled the long history of mutual support and solidarity between the ILWU and UFW.

“You have fulfilled your motto— ‘An injury to one is an injury to all’— ten-fold over the last 56 years when it comes to farmworkers,” Romero said. “Few unions in America have stood by the farmworkers’ side earlier and more consistently than the ILWU. You were among the first unions to deliver practical, invaluable boots on the ground and labor solidarity to the UFW during the earliest days.”

Romero recalled the dedication and hard work of Local 34 member Don Watson who spearheaded much of the solidarity and support efforts in the 1960s and 1970s.

“The ILWU consistently participated in the farmworkers’ rallies, such as the 1975 march in Modesto against Gallo. You visited supermarkets during the boycott. You supported us financially. Your demonstration of selfless commitment and genuine union solidarity over the years are not easily forgotten. We cannot think of a union more worthy of emulation,” Romero said.

To allow for the Committees to finish their work, many of the pre-recorded solidarity messages from elected officials and labor leaders were not played in General Session, but they were uploaded to a cloud server for delegates to view.

Organizing report

Vice President Bobby Olvera, Jr. and Organizing Director Ryan Dowling delivered the ILWU’s Organizing Report. The report began with a video that highlighted recent organizing victories in Southern California, San Francisco, Portland, and Tacoma. The report outlined the Organizing Department’s robust program that has made the department more effective across all divisions and industries.

Over the past three years, the Organizing Department has been fully staffed a new Supply Chain Logistical Transport (SCLT) program has been created, and legal costs have been reduced by recruiting and training staff to bargain first contracts. The Organizing Department has been working closely with local union and division leaders to leverage their knowledge and experience and to take on more of the local organizing work with the creation of the International Organizing Committee (IOC).

The department was also quick to deploy staff to train and prepare for the U.S. Supreme Court’s attack on public sector workers in the wake of the Janus Decision. The report outlined many of the Organizing Department’s organizing campaigns over the past three years, which have been previously reported on in the Dispatcher.

The department took on and won several campaigns and supported locals in contract fights and jurisdictional disputes during an unprecedented era of attacks on workers. The Organizing Department also created a COVID resources website to help workers affected by the pandemic navigate assistance programs available to them.

Honoring ILWU Organizer Agustin Ramirez

After the Organizing Report, Vice President Olvera, Jr. recognized Northern California Lead Organizer Ramirez, who is retiring after nearly a quarter-century of service to the ILWU. Ramirez began his organizing career with United Farmworkers after being hand-picked by Dolores Huerta to become a UFW staff member. Ramirez also worked for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union before joining the ILWU Organizing Department in 1998.

“I can honestly say that where I experienced not in words, nor speeches, but in actual practice, the values of social justice, local, national and international solidarity, rank-and-file involvement, and leadership and above all, unconditional support for unorganized workers has been working for the ILWU,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez recalled several of the most memorable ILWU organizing campaigns that he has worked on. One of the most heartfelt and impactful campaigns was the 2012-2015 Alameda Recycling Industry Campaign that dramatically increased wages and conditions for 300 Local 6 members.

“When the contract was ratified in October of 2014, workers’ wages went from $12.50 an hour to $20.94 per hour at the end of a 5-year contract,” Ramirez said. He said that the campaign also organized 65 new recycling workers from Alameda County Industries (ACI) into Local 6. Ramirez explained that those 65 workers went from being temp-agency employees earning the then California minimum wage of $8.30 per hour with only two paid-days off per year and no other benefits, to becoming full-time, permanent employees with full family medical benefits with no co-pays, sick leave, funeral leave, 12-paid holidays per year, and earning $20.94 per hour at the end of their 5-year contract.

“What stands out in my mind is what one ACI worker told me. He said, ‘Because of the ILWU, for the first time in my life, I was able to buy Christmas toys for my children from a store other than the Dollar Store.’ This is the reason we organize the unorganized.”

Afterward, Ramirez was honored by the Titled Officers with the first-ever Wesley Furtado Award for his years of service to the ILWU and his extraordinary contribution in welcoming new members in the ILWU by organizing the unorganized.

Remembering Wes Furtado

On Friday morning, the convention held a memorial event for ILWU Vice President Hawaii, Wesley Furtado who passed away in 2020. The delegates watched a special video tribute to Furtado’s life and career. MUA National Secretary and ITF President Paddy Crumlin also sent a video paying tribute to Furtado.

The Titled Officers introduced a resolution honoring Furtado that passed unanimously on the Convention Floor. The resolve to the resolution read:

“Resolved: That the 38th Convention of the ILWU goes on record to posthumously thank Wes for his dedication and commitment to the ILWU as thousands of workers are better off as a result of his work. We express our gratitude to Wes’ family and be it further

Resolved: That we acknowledge Wes’s wisdom in which he said, “Discussions are always better than arguments. An argument is to find out who is right. A discussion is to find out what is right.” Rest in Peace Brother Wes.”

Delegates and guests from across the ILWU paid tribute to Furtado and shared their memories and stories about how he impacted their lives and the ILWU. ILWU President Emeritus Bob McEllrath led off the tributes with a heartfelt remembrance of their long career and friendship. McEllrath said that Furtado was the best organizer he ever met.

Terri Mast, Secretary-Treasurer for the Inlandboatmen’s Union said the Furtado was always there for the IBU.

“Sometimes he would just show up at our bargaining tables. It was clear that he was there to point out to our employers that he had our back. We will always appreciate that,” Mast said. “Wesley also really took the time with some of our young workers to make sure that they understood what the unit was about and gave them encouragement to play a leadership role. Wesley, thank you so much for everything that you did for the ILWU.”

Pensioners and Auxiliary

On the final day of the convention, delegates heard from Pacific Coast Pensioner Association (PCPA) President Greg Mitre, followed by Auxiliary President Victoria Sowers.

Mitre gave an overview of the PCPA’s activities over the past three years as well as the impact that the pandemic has had on pensioner clubs. “We held our 2019 Convention in beautiful Vancouver, B.C. in September. Then, five months later COVID19 hit and the world turned upside down. We were forced to cancel the 2020 & 2021 PCPA Conventions in addition to all in-person meetings. Our PCPA Executive Board has met via Zoom online, but other than that we have been shut down,” Mitre said. “The COVID-19 pandemic was especially scary, as pensioners were designated in the dangerous group in terms of contracting the virus. We lost some fine brothers and sisters to COVID-19.

“We have also lost some true iconic leaders in the past three years. Former ILWU International President David Arian, ILWU International Executive Board member and Local 13 officer Tony Salcido, and Washington’s labor historian and honorary ILWU Pensioner Dr. Ron Magden, who was an integral part in the collecting and archiving of the ILWU’s history. This has been a very tough time for all of us.”

Auxiliary President Victoria Sowers presented the report for the Federated Auxiliaries. She said that there are eleven active local auxiliaries and that recent membership gains have stalled this past year because of COVID restrictions that prevented gatherings.

“The Auxiliaries have felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in our inability to meet as a group, promote our auxiliaries’ agendas and execute planned activities. We are hoping that as things start to return to a new normal, we can once again gather and address items postponed over the last year and a half,” Sowers said. The auxiliaries also lost Lidia Lopez, President of ILWU Federated Auxiliary 8 to COVID.

The convention passed a resolution from Southern California Locals 13, 63, and 94 regarding an International and Federated Auxiliaries constitutional change to allow ports to have more than one Federated Auxiliary chapter when warranted.

Nominations for International Office

The process of nominating candidates for International office was next on the agenda. International President Willie Adams, International Vice President (Mainland) Bobby Olvera, Jr., and International Secretary-Treasurer Ed Ferris were nominated without opposition, signaling a vote of confidence in how the Titled Officers have navigated the multiple crises that have impacted the union over the past three years.

Sam Kreutz and George Martin will be the candidates for International Vice President (Hawaii). Candidates were also nominated for the International Executive Board (IEB).

The current IEB’s recommendations for Balloting Committee and Elections Procedures Committee members were approved by the delegates. Candidate statements can be found starting on page 13 of this issue.

At the Coast Longshore Division Caucus, the week of June 21-25, Coast Committeemen Frank Ponce De Leon and Cam Williams were nominated unopposed.

The 39th ILWU Convention will be in Vancouver, B.C., Canada in 2024