International Longshore & Warehouse Union
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International Longshore & Warehouse Union
@ilwu.bsky.social
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The International Longshore and Warehouse Union released the following statement: The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) strongly opposes the escalation and continued use of tariff threats by both the Chinese and United States governments. Trade policies based on chaotic and unpredictable tariffs have led to unnecessary inflation and financial uncertainty in our communities, at our jobsites and at the dinner tables of working-class families in America. The announcements by both governments of yet more change to international trade and tariff policy will create additional instability across our supply chain and economy, harming workers and businesses alike. We urge the leadership of the United States government to resolve these issues while keeping in mind the real life impact their decisions have on Americans.
October 13, 2025 at 2:28 PM
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At their meeting last week, the ILWU International Executive Board unanimously passed the following Statement of Policy Condemning Attacks on Migrants

www.ilwu.org/ilwu-stateme...
Graphic with ILWU Logo and text: ILWU Statement of Policy Condemning Attacks on Migrants
August 19, 2025 at 8:30 PM
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On June 19th, 2020, ILWU dockworkers stopped work for 8 hours in observance of Juneteenth & in solidarity with the movements for racial & social justice that erupted following the murder of George Floyd. Wishing every worker a Happy Freedom Day.
Photo by @movementphotog
June 19, 2025 at 3:54 PM
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"The deployment of the National Guard in the streets of Los Angeles by the Trump Administration is a dangerous provocation by the federal government that escalates the conflict and endangers lives. The ILWU stands in opposition to this abuse of power."
The International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) representing 44,000 workers on the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada, released the following statement: “The deployment of the National Guard in the streets of Los Angeles by the Trump Administration is a dangerous provocation by the federal government that escalates the conflict and endangers lives. The ILWU stands in opposition to this abuse of power. “The use of tear gas and flashbang grenades against protesters is an unnecessary and disproportionate use of violence against thousands of Angelenos who are standing up to protect their friends, neighbors, family members, and fellow workers from the unjust raids by ICE. The escalation of violence by the federal government is not to enforce ‘law and order’; it is an attempt to silence dissent. “The ILWU stands in solidarity with Angelenos and millions of workers across the country in defense of our civil liberties and in opposition to this authoritarian overreach.”
June 9, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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The International Longshore and Warehouse Union released the following statement: The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), representing 44,000 workers on the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada, condemns the detention of David Huerta, President of SEIU California, and the violent raids conducted today by masked ICE agents across Los Angeles. These raids were not about the fair enforcement of immigration policy or protecting the public; they served no purpose except to create fear in immigrant communities. These cruel and unjust actions by ICE and the detention of Brother Huerta are an attack on all workers. The ILWU joins our siblings in the labor movement calling for the immediate release of Brother Huerta and an end to destructive ICE raids targeting hard-working members of our community.
June 7, 2025 at 5:21 AM
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ILWU members, pensioners, & supporters attended the First Blood memorial in San Pedro yesterday. The First Blood ceremony recalls the violent clash between dockworkers and scabs on May 15, 1934. Dickie Parker was killed by police. John Knudsen died on June 5 from injuries sustained on the same day.
Speaker at the podium gestures to the crowd at the ILWU's First Blood event in San Pedro, CA. Behind the speaker is a bust of ILWU co-founder Harry Bridges. ILWU pensioner Jerry Brady stands at the podium and reads his poem about the May 15, 1934 clash between strikers and police that led to the killing of two longshore workers.
May 16, 2025 at 5:56 PM
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Background: Photo of 2008 MayDay demonstration when the ILWU stopped work at West Coast ports to protest the Iraq War. Test: Happy May Day to workers everywhere. Honor our history; fight for our future
May 1, 2025 at 5:33 PM
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April 28, 2025 at 8:37 PM
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On April 24, the ILWU International Executive Board unanimously passed a Statement of Policy in Support of all Workers to Collectively Bargain

(Link to the full statement in the comments)
ILWU Statement of Policy in Support of all Workers to Collectively Bargain
April 28, 2025 at 5:54 PM
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On April 24, the ILWU International Executive unanimously passed a Statement of Policy Opposing Tariffs

(Link to the full statement in the comments)
ILWU Statement of Policy Opposing Tarriffs
April 28, 2025 at 5:51 PM
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Message from the ILWU Titled Officers:  Last June, we held our 39th Convention in Vancouver, British Columbia. We opened the proceedings with the Canadian and U.S. national anthems because we are an international union. While there may be a border between our U.S. and Canadian members, that border does not divide us. Regardless of the country we may live in, we are all the ILWU–united by a shared history, struggle, values, and commitment to uplifting all workers.  We reject the divisive and alarming political rhetoric coming out of Washington, DC, aimed at the people of Canada. Sowing these divisions between workers benefits only employers and politicians to the detriment of the working class. Solidarity has been and will remain a core value of the ILWU. Our internationalism is a source of strength and power that will not be broken or abandoned. Bobby Olvera, Jr. International President Ryan Whitman International Vice President (Mainland) Brandon Wolff  International Vice President (Hawai’i) Edwin Ferris  International Secretary-Treasurer
April 14, 2025 at 2:08 PM
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Photo collage of women from the ILWU. Text at the bottom reads Happy International Women’s Day. Thank you to all of the ILWU women across every division. You hold up half of our union.
March 8, 2025 at 6:23 PM
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Happy Black History Month. The founders of the ILWU recognized that diversity and inclusion are sources of strength to our union and are essential to building worker power. Discrimination is a weapon of the boss that serves no purpose but to pit workers against workers to their destruction
Black and white photo of the ILWU hiring hall in San Francisco depicting Black and white workers waiting to be dispatched for work. The caption reads ILWU Local 10 hiring hall, San Francisco, c. 1946.
February 3, 2025 at 6:53 PM
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INTERNATIONAL LONGSHORE AND WAREHOUSE UNION LOCALS SET UP WILDFIRE RELIEF FUND AND COLLECT DONATIONS FOR IMPACTED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS San Pedro, CA. (January 13, 2025)—The ILWU has released the following statement today regarding the Southern California Wildfires. The ILWU will be setting up a monetary Los Angeles Wildfire Relief Fund through the ILWU Credit Union. These funds will be used to provide the basic essentials that will serve as building blocks to help those individuals restore a sense of normalcy. Please click on the link to make a financial donation: https://square.link/u/ZkOUgbTi In addition, the ILWU is ready to accept donations of goods that will be distributed to those union members who work for the UFCW and have lost their jobs and homes. Please view the link for items needed: https://ilwu13.com/.../01-13-25-Bulletin-06-25-ILWU... Donations are being accepted at the ILWU Local 56 Hall, 316 W. 7th St, San Pedro, CA 90731 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Wednesday, January 15th, and Thursday, January 16th, 2025. The ILWU is ready to answer the call to serve and once again, we’re ready to help.The ILWU dispatches longshore, marine clerk, foremen, and others at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, day and night, 365 days a year, to move the nation’s cargo and provide fluidity to the global supply chain. “An Injury To One Is An Injury To All” ###
January 13, 2025 at 11:24 PM
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ILWU statement of the passing of President Jimmy Carter
Image of the ILWU's statement on Jimmy Carter dated 12/30/24 that reads: The ILWU mourns the passing of President Jimmy Carter The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) joins the nation and the world in mourning the passing of President Jimmy Carter, the 38th President of the United States and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner. President Carter possessed devotion, integrity, decency, kindness, and grace. He exemplified those traits in everything he endeavored in his 100 years, from serving as a U.S. Naval Officer to teaching Sunday school in his hometown, to his volunteer work building homes with Habitat for Humanity, and the establishment of The Carter Center where he assisted in advancing democracy and promoting peace and human rights in over 80 countries. President Jimmy Carter dedicated his life to the service of others and the world is a better place because of it. The ILWU and our members extend our deepest condolences to the Carter family and join the nation and the world in honoring his legacy.
December 30, 2024 at 5:39 PM
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Wishing the working class a happy Christmas.
Dec. 16, 1969 cover of our union's newspaper.
December 24, 2024 at 9:58 PM
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Looking for a union bookstore near you? Checkout this map from ILWU Local 5.

www.bit.ly/UnionBookstoreMap

If you are shopping online, use the link below and a portion of the sale will go to the Local 5 strike fund.

www.ilwulocal5.com/support
Meme consisting of two photos. The top photo shows someone whispering into another person's ear, "that local bookstore you love is unionized." The bottom photo is a close-up of a forearm getting goose bumps.
December 23, 2024 at 9:01 PM
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Happy Birthday to The ILWU Dispatcher!

The first issue of our union’s newspaper was published December 18, 1942.

The digital archives of every issue of The Dispatcher since 1942, and its predecessor publications can be found on the ILWU's Library & Archive website: archive.ilwu.org
December 18, 2024 at 11:21 PM