US Dockworkers Strike to Stop Automation Already Seen at Other Ports.

Longshoremen at US East and Gulf coast docks have gone on strike for the first time since 1977 due to concerns over automation. The International Longshoreman's Association (ILA) halted negotiations with the US Maritime Alliance in June, citing a violation of their existing contract by an Alabama port operator's use of new gate technology. The ILA is pressing for higher wages and is opposed to further automation, while other major US unions have taken a more nuanced approach. The strike has halted ports with the capacity to handle up to half of all US shipments and could cost the economy billions of dollars. ILA President Harold Daggett plans to organize port workers worldwide against automation. [Extracted from the article]