Automation is the chief issue in negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance.
“No automation means no automation,” says the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), the union representing 85,000 dock and maritime workers.
ILA officials reached a tentative wage agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) on Oct. 3. This move effectively suspended the three-day job action and extended the existing Master Contract until Jan. 15. The new deal allows both sides about 100 days to negotiate a new agreement, with automation being the primary sticking point.
While ILA confirmed that USMX agreed to raise pay for thousands of port workers, they are now focusing their discussions on using technology to complete tasks with less human intervention. The union is seeking to ban the automation of container-moving trucks, cranes, and gates.
Union negotiators are now seeking greater protections from the possibility of jobs being replaced by automation and semi-automation, which might be a substantial stumbling block to preventing another round of work stoppages in the new year.
“Automation will continue to be an issue that will be worked out and is being worked out in this contract,” said ILA President Harold Daggett in a statement.
“The ILA negotiated restrictions on automation and semi-automation in the last contract. The ILA just wants to tighten the language that no automation means no automation.”
State of Automation at Ports
In 1977, the last time the union went on strike, technological advancement was a top subject for officials and workers.
Port work had been a manual-intensive process in the years leading up to the labor action nearly 50 years ago. As time went by, the industry shifted to containerized shipping involving the use of cranes and other equipment. This made the container process more effective and increased volumes, said Paul Brashier, the vice president of global supply chain at ITS Logistics.
Brashier said the computerization of the supply chain—at home and abroad—has become common, such as the digitalization of customs clearance documents to enter and exit terminals.
By Andrew Moran
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