Dockworkers strike
- Thread starter vraiblonde
- Start date
Clem72
Well-Known Member
There's room for compromise. Wouldn't be the first time they just snapped a chalk line and said everyone with more than x years (10, 15, whatever) gets an early retirement or gets slowly phased out during the process of automating. Everyone else gets to look for a new job.
black dog
Free America
My step mother did the same at the same time coming from Page, WV.
They went from manual typewriters to IBM Selectric typewriters. All of those in the pools went to being office secretary's either in the government or the private sector.
After 20 some years with the Federal Government as a secretary she took a job in Bethesda as a Legal Secretary for an attorney as to be closer to home.
I mean come on, it's not like those that went to work in the early and middle 1950's ended up being out of work in the government by computers. I believe it was Reagan in the 80's that brought word processors to the White House.
It's even worse than you think.
The ILA has never served the interest of the workers. Never. I had direct knowledge of this 30 years ago when I had to deal with the ILA. Not sure if the system is the same, but I suspect it is. They use a backward system of picking labor every week. Each union header picks his gang. If a worker fails to do what his header asks (e.g. I need two of those dish washers on a that container). If the worker does not perform he is never picked by any header.
Union extorts its membership fees. Those at the top of each port earn half a million dollars a year. The workers not so much.
The ILA timed their strike for October. Why? October inflicts maximum pain because Christmas imports arrive in October. Further, the ILA rejected a 50% pay increase from the USMX. Their demands are a 70% increase and zero port automation. The cargo loads at all of our nation's ports has increased substantially in the past decade. Most modern ports are capable of discharging vessels. Our ports are antiquated and ships are frequently anchored off port waiting their turn.
Meanwhile the ILA boss drives a Bentley and lives in a mansion. Workers who are working during a strike lose their membership which means their livelihood. It is a form of labor monopoly.
And, while I have no basis to insert politics as this is just conjecture on my part, but the DNC wants chaos pre-election. It will come in many forms over next 60 days. Organized labor has been an appendage of the DNC turn out the vote efforts which introduces the possibility that there is some coordination. This seems more plausible considering that the strikes of this stature usually get averted by negotiation by NLRB, which has been AWOL. The administration could also invoke Taft-Hartley to allow a negotiated settlement aided by the federal government, but zero effort has been made to do so.
Finally, one more dimension to this which most do not realize. This weekend the largest IV Fluid manufacturing facility in the country was taken out of commission. Baxter's North Cove facility is likely closed for up to a year due to flooding and mud slides in western North Carolina. This was 60% of our nations sterile IV fluids. The mitigation strategy would be to bring supply in from Europe to east coast ports. Water is heavy and cannot be air freighted. But if ports are closed, hospitals will be screaming for IV fluids in about 30 days.
At this point, we are in a national supply chain crisis that imperils delivery of healthcare. Federal government should break the strike, impose Taft-Hartley and allow the adults in a Republican administration to fix the world.
Well my point was at some point these jobs went away, yeah nobody was just fired or laid off ....
Desk Set
Rumor is his two sons also work for the Union administration making very high salaries.
What are you looking for ?
About USMX
The United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. (USMX) represents employers of the East and Gulf Coast longshore industry. Membership consists of Container Carriers, including the largest carriers and carrier alliances worldwide, all major Marine Terminal Operators, and Port Associations representing each port on the East and Gulf Coasts. USMX’s members are responsible for the transportation and handling of cargo shipped to and from the United States. While serving as the representative of the Management groups in Master Contract bargaining, the Alliance also articulates industry positions on regulatory and safety issues; oversees coastwide training, retraining, certification, and recertification programs; and is responsible for administering coastwide fringe benefit funds and programs. The non-profit, incorporated membership association headquartered in Lyndhurst, New Jersey is led by Chairman and CEO, David F. Adam.
Since 1977, USMX and its predecessor organizations have successfully negotiated 10 contracts with the International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO (ILA) without any coastwide disruptions to service. On September 25, 2018, USMX and the ILA signed a new 6-year agreement covering 14,500 port workers on the East and Gulf Coasts. The new Master Contract commenced October 1, 2018 and will run through September 30, 2024.
Watch the 1st 10 min of the video I just posted, Sal talks about who makes up USMX
Bottom line is this, employers do not owe anyone a job other than ones they chose to owe a job. They pay what they need to pay to fill the position at their own discretion. If you really had any idea what the percentage of union employees that are basically worthless you would be appalled!
Sneakers
Just sneakin' around....
They all become George Jetsons, pushing a single button all day complaining about the murderous 3 hour work week.
Sec. Buttigieg on Port Strike: They Want Their Share of Record Profits Companies Are Making
"What you won't see the President do is reach for the Taft-Hartley Act because he believes the right outcome will come from the collective bargaining process.
"Over about a 10-year period, we've seen the ocean carriers, who really control the business side, so to speak, of this negotiation, see their profitability go up by about 350%. Over that same period, we've also seen the wages go up by about 15%, so the workers are seeking to participate in that."
A JPMorgan analysis projected that the strike could cost the U.S. economy $5 billion a day.
I'm not sure if that's true because we have more poor and underemployed in this country than we've ever had (not counting, say, the Great Depression). That's just a sense, I don't have hard data to back it up. In other words, I'm talking out my ass. But I think it to be true unless someone wants to run the numbers and show me that I'm wrong. I'm willing to concede that I'm influenced by news reports and everything is peachy.
Sure, for the same reason you'd pay a little extra to buy local or American made products - it keeps your neighbors in business.
I already said that automation is always going to be cheaper because people are funny about wanting to eat and have a home. But there's a human cost to that and I just feel like with all the money we spend on illegal aliens and foreign countries, that money could be put to better use to benefit Americans.
SamSpade
Well-Known Member
You know, every time a new bit of technology comes along - like the old comparison of makers of buggy whips - SOME jobs will be made obsolete.
That's life. We've seen it - how many of you STILL have a typewriter around? Maybe a few. Still have VHS tapes? That's just - life.
EXCEPT THAT - being behind the times regarding automation at ports COSTS the nation overall because this is an international competition - and we are pulling last. When it comes to the world's busiest container ports - we have a handful in the top 25. When it's by tonnage, we don't make the list at all.
When it comes to efficiiency - us, and Canada rank last. Ours have the least automation. Sorry. It needs to be done. Phased in, but sorry - the jobs these guys hold is fading away.
That's life. We've seen it - how many of you STILL have a typewriter around? Maybe a few. Still have VHS tapes? That's just - life.
EXCEPT THAT - being behind the times regarding automation at ports COSTS the nation overall because this is an international competition - and we are pulling last. When it comes to the world's busiest container ports - we have a handful in the top 25. When it's by tonnage, we don't make the list at all.
When it comes to efficiiency - us, and Canada rank last. Ours have the least automation. Sorry. It needs to be done. Phased in, but sorry - the jobs these guys hold is fading away.
Having been a scab back in 79 in PA, it took a bunch of High School kids one week to out produce the union people making small electric motors and armatures. After that week, the union settled.
I made great $ when they needed a welder as I was the only scab with welding experience!
SamSpade
Well-Known Member
All of the shows in the 60's, especially sitcoms, were all over this - you would be replaced by a machine - except the machines were idiots and sometimes malevolent.
The REASON why they created more jobs is - more STUFF was able to be DONE by them.
I remember when they used to report the DOW nightly on the news - and the volume of trading. They don't report on that much, but suffice it to say, it has grown by several orders of magnitude. Whole industries have completely transformed, because of automation and integration of computers. It's not just easier for people - they can do more and serve more people.
Shame they didn't do that with the railroad workers two years ago.
*He* has that, but I'm willing to bet the actual workers don't. Remember, this isn't him we're talking about - it's the people who work on the docks. I don't feel like they should be punished because their union leader is a douchebag. Or maybe they should - vote better next time.
