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The Port of Baltimore
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November/December 2013
PORT
TRIBUTE
W
hile the seat at the negotiating table
may be filled, Richard “Richie” P.
Hughes, Jr. left an empty space in
the hearts of many members of the
Port of Baltimore community with
his passing in September.
Hughes, who began his career on the Baltimore
docks in 1954, was involved in union leadership
positions for five decades. He served as the eighth
president of the International Longshoremen’s
Association (ILA) from July 2007 to July 2011 and
then was President Emeritus. He died at the age of 79.
Gov. Martin O’Malley remembered Hughes as “both
a fierce negotiator and caring friend.”
“Richie was fearless, but his legendary toughness
was always moderated by a classic Irish-American
wit,” Gov. O’Malley said.
Hughes hailed from a family of longshoremen that
included his grandfather, a coal trimmer; his father, a
grain trimmer, clerk and checker; and his uncle Mickey
Hughes, who was President of Baltimore ILA Local 953
from 1920 through the 1940s.
At his funeral, the Honorable Helen Delich Bentley
recalled in her eulogy that it was “Uncle Mickey”
who helped Hughes on his way in the ILA. “A Navy
veteran, Richie already was a member of Mickey’s
953,” Bentley said. “Union election night was coming
around. As Mickey walked down a Port Covington
dock, he saw coming from the opposite direction
nephew Richie. Mickey’s terse words were, ‘Richie,
tonight is the union’s election night. You are running
for sergeant at arms.’ Run he did, win he did, and the
rest is history.”
Maryland Port Administration (MPA) Executive
Director James J. White said of Hughes, “As his
career advanced within the ILA, he always had the
best interests of the rank and file longshore workers
at heart. He had a tremendous amount of industry
RICHIE HUGHES
REMEMBERED FOR ILA IMPACT
‘Legendary
Labor Leader’
BY NANCY MENEFEE JACKSON
COURTESY OF MPA
