Commending the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 1248.

Commending the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 1248.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 11, 2026
WHEREAS, the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 1248, chartered in 1928, has faithfully served the Commonwealth's maritime industry, economy, and communities for 98 years; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248 traces its origins to organizing efforts in the early 20th century by Black dockworkers in Norfolk, including the Coal Trimmers Union, which merged with the International Longshoremen's Association to address racial discrimination, low pay, and hazardous conditions; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248, headquartered at 3300 East Princess Anne Road in Norfolk, has been a cornerstone of the Port of Virginia, handling significant cargo volume and supporting global trade; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248's members, many of whom are from multi-generational longshoremen families, have demonstrated skill, professionalism, and resilience in loading, unloading, and operating equipment, while advancing multiracial organizing and equal opportunity; and
WHEREAS, under leaders such as George William Millner, Local 1248 improved wages, hours, hazardous duty pay, overtime, and site conditions for workers in the early 20th century, challenging racial biases and economic exploitation in the Commonwealth's ports; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248 prioritizes safety and training, including hazardous materials training, at its union hall and the Virginia International Gateway; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248's affiliation with the Hampton Roads Shipping Association and the International Longshoremen's Association has fostered fair wages, benefits, safe conditions, and labor rights; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248 promotes education and community service, including programs such as the Make a Kid Smile Christmas Bike Drive and the Vinson Covington and David D. Alston scholarship funds; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248 has contributed to Norfolk's and Hampton Roads' cultural and economic fabric, including by providing essential Black labor on the region's docks during World War II; and
WHEREAS, the 98th anniversary of Local 1248 provides an opportunity to recognize the organization's resilience, unity, advocacy, and vital contributions to the Commonwealth's maritime heritage and economy; and
WHEREAS, with the support of the Local 1248, the Port of Virginia achieved its most productive year in its 2021 fiscal year, with more than 3.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units processed from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, which generated significant economic impacts and growth, including 437,000 full-time jobs and $2.7 billion in state and local taxes and fees through cargo movement, Virginia exports, and import distribution; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248's members have been pivotal in these achievements by providing skilled labor, upholding safety standards, and delivering comprehensive training to bolster the Commonwealth's maritime economy; and
WHEREAS, the dedicated service of Local 1248's members to Virginia's maritime industry, economy, and communities has advanced labor rights, economic prosperity, and social progress in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Local 1248's efforts to strengthen collaboration between labor and industry advances opportunity, dignity of work, safety, and economic prosperity for all Virginians, in alignment with the core values of equity, safety, and shared prosperity; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 1248, hereby be commended on the occasion of its 98th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the leadership of the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 1248, as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration and gratitude for its 98 years of service.