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Who is Harold Daggett, the port union boss with alleged Mafia ties?



Furious union boss Harold Daggett has long presented himself as a staunch supporter of blue-collar workers, despite his luxury living, owning a yacht and driving a Bentley – and alleged ties to the Mafia. Have fought against.

Daggett, 78, president of the International Longshoremen’s Association, wearing a polo shirt with a heavy gold medal around his neck. Led port strikes spanning from Maine to TexasIn a September interview the dramatic development seemed likely as he prepared to strike.

“They’re going to be like that,” Daggett said, clutching his neck in a choking motion. “I will paralyze you. I’ll paralyze you and you won’t even know what it means. Nobody does.”

Harold Daggett warned that port strikes would “cripple” the American economy if the longshoremen’s demands were not met. AFP via Getty Images

Over the past year, Daggett has threatened to close the 36 ports covered by his union if this is done “Money Crazy” Shipping Companies The industry refused to issue wage increases and protections for workers against automation.

“Who will support [workers’] Family? machines? Machines have no families,” he had said earlier.

Meanwhile, Daggett — who has worked at the ILA for 57 years and took over as president in 2011 — received $728,000 in compensation from the ILA last year.

He collected another $173,000 as honorary president of a local union branch, According to Labor Department filings.

He lives in a 7,136-square-foot home worth $1.7 million on 10 acres of land in Sparta, New Jersey. according to district And NJ Property Records.

By comparison, their fellow union bosses in the AFL-CIO, Teamsters and Autoworkers unions earn less than $300,000 a year, according to a report by Politico.

According to The New York Times, Daggett previously owned Obsession – a 76-foot yacht – and his family reportedly saw him driving around in a Bentley.

“Dude had more boats than me!” billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk wrote in a post on X on Tuesday.

In 2005, the Justice Department accused Daggett of being an “associate” of the Genovese crime family – one of the “Five Families” of the American Mafia.

Dockworkers are demanding a wage increase and protection against industry automation in a new contract. AP

Daggett took the witness stand that year after being charged with fraud by federal prosecutors.

He described himself as a target of the mob – although a defected Mafia member testified that Daggett was subordinate to the mob, New York Times reported,

During the trial, one of Daggett’s co-defendants – Lawrence Ricci, an alleged major mob figure – disappeared. A few weeks later his body was found decomposing in the trunk of a car outside a New Jersey restaurant.

Ricci’s death remained unsolved, although there was speculation that he was murdered after refusing to plead guilty to avoid news reports of the trial.

In 2005, Daggett was accused of being a Mafia “associate”. AP

Daggett was acquitted on two counts – even though the famous black-and-white mob film “On the Waterfront” was inspired by his longshoremen’s union.

Over the years, Daggett has badgered the Waterfront Commission – a regulatory agency that was inspired by the film and was created to prevent corruption between the New York and New Jersey ports.

Daggett called the commission’s allegations of mob ties “complete nonsense” and a “deep, ugly attack on Italian Americans.”

Daggett said in 2022, “For the Waterfront Commission to independently single out and target Italian Americans as part of its historic anti-labor campaign is an enormous tragedy.” The Waterfront Commission has claimed for decades that good jobs only go to people with so-called ‘mob ties.'”

Daggett’s sons – Dennis and John – reportedly earn equally good salaries in their roles at the union.

Dennis, ILA’s executive vice president, earned $250,156 in the fiscal year ending December 2022. According to ProPublicaJohn, general vice president of the Atlantic Coast District ILA, reportedly earned $264,228 in the same period.

Now, according to JPMorgan, he is using his trademark aggression to fight suppliers, government agencies and even President Biden over a strike — which would disrupt supply chains and cost the economy billions every day. There may be loss.

Retailers, auto suppliers and product importers had expected Biden to invoke the federal Taft-Hartley Act, which allows U.S. presidents to impose an 80-day cooling-off period that allows employees to return to work during certain labor disputes. forces for.

Daggett has vilified the Waterfront Commission, a regulatory agency that tries to prevent corruption. AFP via Getty Images

But when Biden said this on Monday, these hopes ended He doesn’t “believe” in Taft-Hartley,

Daggett joked about the idea during an interview in early September.

“Do you think those people will go to work on that pier when I go back for 90 days?” Daggett said.

He painted a picture of the effects of the attacks over time – indicating that he was prepared to bow out for the long haul.

President Joe Biden said he does not “believe” in the Taft-Hartley Act, which would force workers to return to work for 80 days. AFP via Getty Images

“Everything comes on a ship in the United States,” Daggett said during a September interview.

He predicted that, during the first week of the strike, media outlets would cover the protests.

Daggett said that during the second week, car salesmen would struggle to keep their jobs due to the halt in automotive shipments. Malls will start closing during the third week.

Subsequently, the jobs of construction workers will be at risk, as shipments of steel and lumber will be delayed.

“Everyone is hating on longshoremen now because they realize how important our jobs are,” the union head warned.

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