NORTH BERGEN, NJ – The horrible COVID-19 Pandemic has claimed the lives of two ILA members from the Port of New Orleans, Louisiana. Wendell Lacour and Robert Givens, members of ILA 3000, passed away on March 31, 2020, from the Coronavirus.
“We prayed the ILA would be spared any of our members succumbing to this horrendous COVID-19 Pandemic,” said International President Harold J. Daggett. “Now we direct our collective prayers to the families of Brothers Lacour and Givens. As the numbers of reported cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the nation and around the world as well as the death toll, we hope that our union does not suffer any more losses.”
Brother Lecour is a second-generation ILA member who followed his father as an ILA member into Local 3000 for more than 20 years. He worked as a senior Crane Operator at Ports America. Brother Givens also has worked as an ILA member at the Port of New Orleans for more than two decades. He was a Gang Foreman at Ports America Container Operations.
Davide Magee, President of ILA Local 3000, said his entire local is devastated by the loss of two Brothers. He had been with both of them when they fell ill and went to the hospital. “Right now, we are all speechless, said Magee. “One minute we heard they were recovering and the next minute we heard they passed. They were young guys.”
Magee said about a dozen ILA members have become sick and are being tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting results.
