ILA Local 1475 Weekly Recap
Brothers & Sisters,
I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Independence Day holiday with your families.
Although production has been down recently, it has been almost entirely due to weather-related standby time not a slowdown in cargo. The conditions on the waterfront have been about as undesirable as they can be between the heat and weather delays. To everyone who has continued covering the jobs and getting the work done despite those conditions, I sincerely appreciate your dedication and professionalism.
Despite the weather, our overall outlook remains very strong. Our current vessel schedule is as follows:
- Current Week: 41 vessel calls – 75,835 lifts
- Week of July 13: 42 vessel calls – 62,858 lifts
- Week of July 20: 40 vessel calls – 62,516 lifts
- Week of July 27: 40 vessel calls – 65,645 lifts
Looking back over the first half of the year, Quarter 1 finished with 782,381 lifts at a working production rate of 29.47 GMPH. Quarter 2 improved even further with 804,176 lifts at 30.19 GMPH, bringing our first-half total to an impressive 1,586,557 lifts with an overall working production rate of 29.83 GMPH.
Those numbers don’t happen by accident. They are the result of hard work, teamwork, and the culture we continue to build throughout ILA Local 1475. We are well positioned for a very strong third quarter, and I truly believe our best days are still ahead of us.
New Union Hall Update
I’m happy to report that progress continues on our new union hall. The required erosion testing has officially begun on the property, and we’ve met with South State Bank and received approval for our construction-to-permanent loan.
At this month’s membership meeting, a motion under New Business was submitted to move forward with the construction process. In accordance with our By-Laws, that motion will then be voted on by the membership at next month’s meeting. This is another important step toward building a hall that our membership can be proud of for generations to come.
Waterfront Updates
I also had a productive conversation with Metro Ports this week. Breakbulk operations are scheduled to return to the Port of Savannah in September. Since Metro Ports is already a signatory to our agreement, this work will be performed by union labor, creating additional opportunities for our membership.
Over the coming weeks, Gateway has requested a meeting to discuss a new gate agreement along with the possibility of adding additional vessel start times. As always, I’ll keep everyone informed as those discussions progress.
We are also still waiting to hear back from Port City Logistics regarding the new night gate operation. The latest information I’ve received is that the anticipated startup has potentially been pushed back until the middle to late part of August.
Dispatch
Our dispatchers have officially begun training on the new MIS dispatch system. During this transition, dispatch may occasionally take a little longer than everyone is accustomed to. I ask for your patience while they become comfortable with the new software. Once everything is up and running, I believe it will greatly improve our overall dispatch process. While I do believe that receiving your job assignment @ 2330 for the following day is unacceptable, again I do ask that everyone bear with us while we continue training.
VCC Training
I also want to remind everyone to continue utilizing our VCC Trainers. These individuals know the VCC system inside and out and are there to help you learn every aspect of working vessels through the VCC during operations. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, their knowledge is one of the best resources we have.
Sponsorship Application Process
The application process has CLOSED! I spoke with Baker Tilly yesterday and they have already received over 100 applicatons. Remember, for an application to be accepted, it needed to be postmarked by yesterday July 10th.
Heat Safety
The summer heat continues to intensify, and I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay hydrated.
Remember, hydration starts the day before your shift, not when you arrive at work.
Please continue looking out for one another during these extreme temperatures. If you see a Brother or Sister struggling with the heat, don’t ignore it. Take care of each other.
Vice President Joseph Powers, Executive Board Officers, Ship Foremen and myself will continue making rounds throughout the terminal distributing cold drinks, water, Gatorade, and Liquid I.V. hydration packets. We currently have a hydration trailer stationed in the car pin stocked with coolers, and we’ll soon have an enclosed trailer on the terminal fully stocked with our hydration inventory to better support our membership throughout the summer.
Closing
That’s about all I have for everyone this week.
I continue to spend time walking the docks and talking with Ship Foremen, Walking Bosses, Clerks, and our members. The message continues to be the same, we’ve made tremendous progress, but we all know there is still room to grow. That mindset is exactly what will continue to move this Local forward.
Thank you all for your continued hard work, your professionalism, and your commitment to one another. Please continue working safely, stay hydrated, utilize your training resources, and keep pushing forward as one team.
Together, we’re proving every day what ILA Local 1475 is capable of accomplishing.
Have a safe week, and God bless each of you and your families.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18
Safety – Strength – Solidarity
“The right to form and join labor unions is an essential element of freedom.” Eleanor Roosevelt
In Solidarity,
Josh & Team