The ILWU Coast Longshore Division is comprised of 30 autonomous locals representing more than 20,000 working men and women who load and unload cargo ships in 29 U.S. West Coast ports in California, Oregon, and Washington.

The ILWU formed in the 1930s as an independent affiliation of West Coast longshore unions.  Over time, the ILWU expanded to include many industries beyond its base in longshoring, including inland warehousing on the West Coast, tourism industry workers in Hawaii, and seafood processing workers in Alaska, among others.  The ILWU Coast Longshore Division was organized as an autonomous entity in 1952.  The ILWU Coast Longshore Division handles the negotiation and administration of the longshore contract, known as the Pacific Coast Longshore and Clerks’ Agreement (PCL&CA), which covers longshore workers up and down the West Coast.

We’re proud that our hard work fuels the nation’s economy by moving more than 40 percent of our nation’s goods such as food, merchandise, and natural resources from ship to shore. And, our hard-won collective bargaining agreement ensures that the multi-billion dollar international shipping industry pays American workers fair wages and benefits that help sustain our local port communities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our members risked their lives to keep the economy going and to ensure the movement of essential goods needed to fight the pandemic. Every day, we unloaded PPE and medical supplies at West Coast ports that traveled on rail and trucks across the country to help fight COVID-19.

Today, more than ever, it’s important that we protect and maintain good American jobs – jobs that provide workers with the wages and benefits they deserve.  The ILWU Coast Longshore Division remains committed to making sure that future generations of workers have the opportunity to work hard at a good union job and that we continue the ILWU tradition of excellence on the waterfront.