November/December 2013
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The Port of Baltimore
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21
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Mobile Full Service Ship Repair Yard
Riding Crews To Service Vessels While Under Way
Emergency/Maintenance | Field & Shop Repairs | Machine Shop/Fabrications
Serving Baltimore,Wilmington & Philadelphia
Around-The-Clock Service
Floating Equipment To Service Vessels At Cargo Piers
Dry Dock & Wet Berth Services
1449 Key Highway, Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: 410/752-7620 | Fax: 410/752-4650
The General Ship Repair Corp.
“A Baltimore Tradition With Over Seventy-Five Years
In The Same Location”
Commercial & Industrial Repairs | Structural & Mechanical
Machining & Fabrications
Industrial Division of The General Ship Repair Corporation
knowledge and always wanted to get the
best deal for the longshore worker without
hurting the business.”
Michael Angelos, President of the
Steamship Trade Association, remembered
Hughes as “a notorious negotiator. There
weren’t many people who were better. He
was witty, intelligent and he knew how to
get his way.” Angelos added that Hughes
provided stability to the local ILA “and he
took the same capabilities to the national
level.”
Current ILA President Harold J. Daggett
said, “Rich Hughes’ accomplishments
throughout his long career with the ILA
were vast and his memory will endure.”
Maryland State Delegate Brian K.
McHale, who represents the 46th District
and is a second cousin of Hughes, recalled
the man’s Irish wit. “He had lots of funny
sayings he would rely on to add a bit of
levity to a serious situation. He really was a
legendary labor leader; he was recognized
and admired.”
McHale said that even after Hughes was
an international union president, “it would
not be unusual to find Richie in his back
office at 1345 Hull Street, sitting behind
his desk, reading the mail and watching
golf. He was very generous with his time; I
would walk up and we would have a cup of
coffee and talk about anything.”
In 1988, then-Gov. William Schaefer
feuded with Hughes, having become
convinced that he needed to evict the union
from the Port. “All Richie kept saying was,
‘Don’t worry, Brian, we’ve got him right
where we want him,’” McHale recalled.
“Now, some 25 years later, largely through
his efforts, things are much better, not only
in the perception of the legislature of the
union but of the nation.”
In 1990, Hughes led a strike that
protested the layoffs of dozens of checkers;
some of those jobs were then restored.
“I think it’s going to be hard to duplicate
some of the things he brought to the table,”
Angelos said, recalling that with Hughes
he negotiated opening the Seagirt Marine
Terminal and started a flexible meal hour
for the first time. “Here was a guy I was
negotiating against, and I had complete
admiration for him. I couldn’t help but
admire him. He was a friend.”
