Daggett dynasty at International Longshoremen’s Association?

Harold Daggett was elected for a second term as ILA president, while his son, Dennis Daggett, was elected executive vice president of the East Coast dockworkers’ union.    Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association on Thursday re-elected Harold J. Daggett for a second term as president of the union and his son, Dennis Daggett, as executive vice president. Dennis Daggett had previously served as president of the union’s Atlantic Coast District.
   Stephen Knott was elected secretary-treasurer of the union, which represents dockworkers who work on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts, as well as the Great Lakes.
   In addition, Jerry Owens was elected civil rights chair; Benny Holland, executive vice president emeritus; John D. Baker, Jr., general organizer; Jim Paylor, assistant general organizer; and Wilbert Rowell, general vice president.
   The vote came on the fourth day of the ILA’s quadrennial convention, which was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
   “We are the most highly respected union in the world, we have not had a strike since 1977, and I’m looking to take this into the future, and I’m not looking to lose one man,” said Harold Daggett. “I want the protection of automation. If they can do that they will wind up with one hell of a contract and we will get this productivity moving.”
   Video highlights of the meeting and last week’s meeting of the ACD are available on the union’s website and Facebook page.
   ACD members voted to elect Michael J. Vigneron, secretary-treasurer of Local 1804-1, the same local that both Harold and Dennis Daggett have headed, to succeed Dennis Daggett as ACD president. James Stolpinski was re-elected secretary treasurer of the district, and W. Bernard Dudley was elected as general vice president.