Short answer: It's up to the local's bylaws. The ILWU Constitution (amended as of June 2024) names no voting method for local elections. Locals send their bylaws to the International, and no approval step is stated.
| Verdict | Method left to local bylaws |
| Ratification / strike votes | Leaves the method to local bylaws (Art. XIII, Sec. 1 says only which locals vote on proposed agreements and strikes; it names no voting method) |
| Confidence | High |
| Last verified | 21 October 2026 |
What the text says
How local officer elections are run
"Delegates to the International Convention shall be elected either by secret referendum ballot of the entire membership or by ballot at a regular meeting of the local, or where for geographical reasons meetings of the entire membership are not practical, by ballot at regular meetings of its subdivisions. Nominating procedures shall be established by the local."
Electronic, internet, phone or remote voting
"In the event the International President does institute changes in the administration or administrative affairs of the local, such changes must be submitted to a secret referendum vote of the local conducted under the supervision of the International Union within two weeks of such changes being put into effect."
"International elections shall be conducted by mail ballot in accordance with the ILWU Election Rules and Procedures, incorporated herein by reference."
"Wherever possible, the listing shall be submitted on computer diskette in a format acceptable to the International Secretary-Treasurer."
International approval of local bylaws or election rules
"Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, all local unions may adopt and enforce all necessary laws for local government which do not conflict with this Constitution nor with the decisions adopted by the Convention of this International, nor with the decisions reached through any International referendum."
"[It shall be the duty of all locals:] To forward to the International Secretary-Treasurer copies of all local Constitutions and by-laws and any changes made therein, and upon request of a Titled Officer, shall forward a copy of any agreement entered into by the local;"
Contract ratification and strike votes
"Only those locals that are directly involved shall vote on questions of proposed agreements, strikes or boycotts."
International election manual or guidelines
"These rules shall apply to all locals, divisions, and other labor organizations affiliated with the ILWU (hereinafter called “affiliates”) and all ILWU members and candidates in the conduct of all International Elections."
"All ILWU referendum elections shall be conducted by mail ballot with the assistance of an outside impartial, certified and licensed professional elections agency hired by the Titled Officers."
Open questions
The constitution prescribes no method for local officer elections and requires locals only to forward their constitutions/by-laws (no International approval step is stated); the mail-ballot rules in the Appendix are expressly limited to International elections, and the closed list for convention-delegate elections (referendum ballot or ballot at a meeting) does not govern local officer elections.
Context
- Geographic jurisdiction is the United States and Canada (Art. IV, Sec. 1); LMRDA reaches only U.S. locals, and charters in Canada are an ILWU Canada prerogative (Art. XII, Sec. 5).
The federal rules still apply
Federal law sits on top of every constitution. For unions covered by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), officer elections must meet Title IV's secret-ballot, notice and observer requirements however members vote. The Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) addresses remote electronic voting in its Compliance Tip Electing Union Officers Using Remote Electronic Voting Systems (updated December 10, 2024). The Tip describes safeguards for secrecy, observation and records, says it "does not offer unions safe harbor," and says each system is evaluated case by case. Federal-sector unions follow 29 CFR Part 458, which applies the same standards; postal unions are covered by the LMRDA. Locals made up entirely of state or local government employees are generally outside Title IV and follow state law and their own rules. OLMS Compliance Tip
Sources
- Constitution of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (with Appendix: Election Rules and Procedures) — Amended as of June 2024 (filed with OLMS by ILWU national HQ, file no. 000-202, attachment for FY2024, received 2025-03-26). https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=71034&rptForm=attachment (accessed 2026-10-21)
- How Our Union Works (ILWU International, descriptive booklet; not the constitution) — June 2025. https://www.ilwu.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HowOurUnionWorks.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
Not verified: No standalone current constitution is posted on ilwu.org (site search and 'How our union works' page checked; that page links only a descriptive booklet). Text used is the June 2024 constitution filed with DOL OLMS. No International local-election manual found. Individual local by-laws were not reviewed. Searched full text for electron, internet, online, telephon, remote, digital, computer, web, machine, mail ballot, referendum: no mention of electronic/internet/telephone voting; 'computer' and 'electronic format' appear only in membership-list provisions.
This page summarizes the published text of a union's governing documents. It is not legal advice and not an official interpretation by the union. Constitutions change at conventions, and locals' own bylaws matter. Confirm with your International and your counsel before changing how members vote. Spotted an error or a newer edition? Tell us at info@votem.com and we'll correct it.
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