The ILWU’s 37th Convention met in Portland, Oregon on June 4-8. A total of 349 delegates and 40 fraternal delegates attended, along with up to 100 observers who witnessed the triannual meeting. The ILWU convention is the union’s highest decisionmaking body that meets every three years to democratically set policy, program, and consider changes to the ILWU Constitution.

McEllrath’s final keynote ILWU International President Robert McEllrath delivered the keynote address on the Convention’s opening day. It was his final convention as an officer and member; he will step down as President by the end of this year, having reached the maximum age of 65 for holding a top office in the ILWU. McEllrath also announced his plans to retire and spend time with his family, instead of returning to the waterfront where he started working 49 years ago. ILWU members elected him to serve four terms as International President, starting in 2006. Before that, McEllrath served nine years as ILWU Vice President for the Mainland.

ILWU International SecretaryTreasurer Willie Adams introduced McEllrath, thanking him for a lifetime of service to the ILWU and calling McEllrath a “tireless crusader” who has been “unwavering” and constantly tested by challenging events.

“Your name will be etched in stone along with the other past Presidents of the ILWU,” said Adams.

McEllrath started his address on a lighter note by poking fun at his aversion to technology, explaining, “many of you know that I’m not into Facebook or Twitter, but the Marine Clerks have been encouraging me to be more open-minded about new technology, so I’m learning.” McEllrath then surprised the crowd by pulling out a selfie stick and snapping a photo of himself with hundreds of convention delegates in the background who burst into laughter.

His speech began by recognizing the hard work of the other titled officers: Vice President (Mainland) Ray Familathe, Vice President (Hawaii) Wesley Furtado, and SecretaryTreasurer Willie Adams, as well as Coast Committeemen Frank Ponce De Leon and Cameron Williams, and Coast Benefits Director John Castanho.

Castanho. McEllrath then reviewed the many challenges, contract fights and organizing victories that occurred during his term as President. He celebrated the good work done in the community by local members up and down the coast, and highlighted initiatives by ILWU members who sent delegations to Standing Rock, Puerto Rico and other places that needed assistance.

He noted that all the speakers at this year’s convention were labor leaders from international locations, and urged delegates to hold onto that spirit of international solidarity as the union moves forward. “There is no other union like the ILWU,” McEllrath said, “And we are going to keep moving forward with solidarity within the organization, and union solidarity around the world.”

Committee work
 After the President’s keynote address, delegates went to work in committees. The two largest were Resolutions and Constitution & Programs. Both bodies heard and debated a variety of proposals for new policies and procedures. In order to be eligible for a vote by delegates

Scenes from the 37th: ILWU delegates from the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada and Panama joined fraternal delegates from all over the world in Portland at the ILWU convention. This year’s theme, “The Next Chapter Begins,” marked the retirement of President Robert McEllrath, who will “hang up his hook” later this year when his term expires.