On Oct. 1, longshoremen from the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) went on strike for the first time in nearly 50 years, affecting 36 ports across the US. The main issue was wages, with the ILA seeking a 77 percent wage increase over the six-year term of their contract, while the United States Maritime Alliance, the employers group, offered raises of nearly 50 percent. Despite this, the union suspended the strike three days later and extended their current contract until 2025. The union is now returning to the bargaining table to address all other outstanding issues, including the use of automation in ports. Automation can take in various forms of use, including driverless vehicles, cranes, and automated gates to process trucks. Supporters argue that technology improves traffic flow, decreases congestion, and reduces emissions from idling vehicles. However, both sides argue that the technology reduces the need for gate clerks. New research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggests that workers have a more optimistic, nuanced perspective on automation, and more likely to see it as beneficial.
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