East and Gulf Coast Dockworkers Prepare to Strike, Threatening US Economy

Published: 01 October 2024 at 00:13

Politics

Dockworkers along the East and Gulf Coasts are poised to strike, impacting 36 ports that account for about half of US ocean imports, potentially reducing economic activity by $4.5 billion to $7.5 billion weekly. The International Longshoremen's Association demands a ban on automation and increased wages amid stalled contract negotiations with the United States Maritime Alliance. Experts predict that a prolonged strike could contribute to inflation and shortages, particularly affecting consumer goods and the upcoming holiday shopping season.

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Longshoremen at key US ports threatening to strike over automation and pay

Determined to thwart the automating of their jobs, about 45,000 dockworkers along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts are threatening to strike on Oct. 1, a move that would shut down ports that handle about half the nations cargo from ships Determined to thwart the automating of their jobs, about 45,000 dockworkers along the U.S.

Potential Dockworker Strikes Threaten US Supply Chains Amid Automation Dispute

Jeff Van Drew warns of impending port strikes affecting supply chains as dockworkers demand higher wages and a ban on automation at ports. The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) plans to strike across all Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports if negotiations fail. Business leaders argue that automation is essential for global competitiveness. Meetings have taken place between the White House and affected parties to push for negotiations amidst concerns over wage issues and operational efficiency.

2024 International Longshoremen's Association strike (Wikipedia)

On October 1, 2024, the International Longshoremen's Association initiated a strike at ports across the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico.

International Longshore and Warehouse Union (Wikipedia)

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is a labor union which primarily represents dock workers on the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii, and in British Columbia, Canada; on the East Coast, the dominant union is the International Longshoremen's Association. The union was established in 1937 after the 1934 West Coast Waterfront Strike, a three-month-long strike that culminated in a four-day general strike in San Francisco, California, and the Bay Area. It disaffiliated from the AFL–CIO on August 30, 2013. The union, which still uses hiring halls, has a single labor contract with the Pacific Maritime Association which covers all 29 seaports on the west coast of the US, from Bellingham, Washington, to San Diego; its 15,000 dockworkers were paid an average of $171,000 in 2019. The union has been described as "the aristocrat of the working class" and their members "lords of the docks" for their high pay and power over a choke point of the global economy.

Dockworker (Wikipedia)

A dockworker (also called a longshoreman, stevedore, or docker) is a waterfront manual laborer who loads and unloads ships.As a result of the intermodal shipping container revolution, the required number of dockworkers declined by over 90% since the 1960s.

1895 New Orleans dockworkers massacre (Wikipedia)

The 1895 New Orleans dockworkers massacre was an attack against black, non-union dockworkers by unionized white workers on March 11 and 12, 1895. The mob killed six black workers. The incident had its roots in both economic pressure and racial hatred. The riot marked the end of fifteen years of racially unified unions in New Orleans, for example in the successful 1892 New Orleans general strike just three years before.In the economic slowdown following the Panic of 1893, the Harrison Line of Liverpool led a number of other shippers in announcing, in February 1895, that they were letting 300 organized white workers go, and replacing them with unskilled non-union black workers. Union workers had just displayed racial unity in the general strike, even in the face of provocations and harassment from the strongly anti-union New Orleans Times-Democrat, for one example. But this time, under pressure, a "race to the bottom" bidding war between white and black groups developed into violence. Gangs of white screwmen and longshoremen began organized assaults in March. On the 11th, a black dock worker named Philip Fisher was wounded by gunfire. The next dawn, a mob of several hundred whites descended on an ocean-going ship being loaded and started firing on black longshoremen. Between this site and a coordinated attack on another cotton vessel upriver, six were killed. The men killed in the massacre were Henry James, Jules Calise Carrebe, Leonard Mallard, William Campbell and two unknown men. Governor Murphy J. Foster called in the state militia to reinstate order. Despite continuing tensions and the race riot of 1900, in the 20th Century New Orleans black and white dockworkers would implement racially cooperative work rules, for example 50/50 representation on jobs.

International Longshoremen's Association (Wikipedia)

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) is a North American labor union representing longshore workers along the East Coast of the United States and Canada, the Gulf Coast, the Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, and inland waterways; on the West Coast, the dominant union is the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. The ILA has approximately 200 local affiliates in port cities in these areas.

Maritime and Dockworkers' Union (Wikipedia)

The Maritime and Dockworkers' Union (MDU) is a trade union representing workers in seaports in Ghana.The union was founded in 1956, with the merger of six unions:Cooks' and Stewards' Union of Western ProvinceEastern Province Cooks' and Stewards' UnionElder Dempster Lines Dockworkers' UnionElder Dempster Lines Workers' UnionGhana Maritime Workers' UnionNational Seamen and Dock Workers' UnionThe union affiliated to the Ghana Trades Union Congress, and by 1977, it had 22,250 members. In 1979/80, its section representing sailors split away, joining the National Union of Seamen. In 1988, its leadership was removed from office, arrested, and held in custody for 24 hours.The union's port workers were originally employed by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority. After the privatisation of most of their work, their roles became casualised. The MDU worked with some private companies to form the Ghana Dock Labour Company, to provide its members with regular work. This employed around 4,800 workers in the early 2000s, but increased mechanisation reduced this figure. By 2018, the union's membership stood at 10,000.

All Japan Dockworkers' Union (Wikipedia)

The All Japan Dockworkers' Union (JDU; Japanese: 全日本港湾労働組合, Zenkowan) is a trade union representing port workers in Japan.The union was established in 1946, and was affiliated with Sanbetsu. However, in 1950 it switched to the new General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (Sohyo). Its membership reached 28,214 by 1970, then fell to 22,124 in 1985. In 1989, Sohyo merged with the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, but Zenkowan instead opted to become independent.

International Dockworkers Council (Wikipedia)

The International Dockworkers Council (IDC) is an association formed by organizations of dockworkers from around the world.The IDC was officially founded on 27 June 2000, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands.