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Meet Harold Daggett, the man who ‘owns more yachts’ than Elon Musk
Harold Daggett is leading the ILA in a strike across US ports while facing criticism for his own affluent lifestyle.
Union leader Harold Daggett has consistently positioned himself as a fierce defender of blue-collar workers. As president of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), Daggett has been a strong advocate for labour protections and has been vocal about demanding a share of the profits that port companies made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently, he has come in the spotlight for leading the International Longshoreman's Association’s strike at ports across the United States. The ILA launched the strike on Tuesday, following the expiration of the union’s six-year contract with the US Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents port employers.
“I’ll cripple you. I will cripple you and you have no idea what that means,” Daggett said in an interview, explaining the detrimental effect that the ports strike could have on the US economy.
However, Harold Daggett’s union boss persona is at odds with his own luxurious lifestyle, with critics pointing out that he drives a Bentley and once owned a 76-foot yacht.
The news of Daggett’s lavish lifestyle gained wider attention after Tesla boss Elon Musk joked that the union boss owns more yachts than him. It is worth noting that Musk has been openly critical of workers' unions, suggesting that they can slow down progress and increase bureaucracy.
Meet Harold Daggett, the man who ‘owns more yachts’ than Elon Musk
Harold Daggett is the 78-year-old president and chief negotiator of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA).
He was first elected to this role in July 2011 and has since served four terms as the leader of the 85,000-member international union.
According to the ILA website, he has spent more than 60 years in the industry and is a third generation ILA member.
Union filings from the US Department of Labor indicate that Daggett was paid a salary of $728,000 by the ILA last year. He also earned another $173,000 from ILA Local 1804-1.
Daggett lives in Sparta, New Jersey. His 7,136 square-foot house valued at $1.7 million, according to the New York Post.
Daggett formerly owned the Obsession – a 76-foot yacht. Critics have used the yacht and his Bentley to contrast between his lifestyle and his role as an advocate for blue-collar workers.
