Ports Shut Down from Maine to Texas as Dockworkers Launch Strike over Pay & Automation
www.democracynow.org
Dockworkers from Maine to Texas have walked out on the job at all East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, launching the first strike of its kind in almost 50 years. The International Longshoremen’s Association represents some 45,000 workers at 36 ports who are demanding higher wages and guarantees that jobs won’t be automated. “This is a time of labor mobilization in this country,” says Peter Goodman, New York Times global economics correspondent, who explains President Biden is caught between union pressure to back the strike and the threat of consumer prices rising while shipping is disrupted. “We’re only weeks away from a presidential election that could very well hinge on economic sentiments and unhappiness over inflation.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/20998907

October 01, 2024

Guest - Peter Goodman
NewYorkTimes global economics correspondent

[a surprisingly pro-worker viewpoint from a writer from the NYT -PL]

      • Jesus@lemmy.world
        2·
        5 hours ago

        Although January’s stage wont be nearly as big as one month before a general election. An election where the price of goods is a major campaign issue.

    • UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world
      306·
      8 hours ago

      I support unions but these port workers make a shit ton of money (1 in 3 make 200k per year). They turned down a 50% pay increase plus continued automation avoidance and more employer retirement contributions because they know they can fuck over the US economy during an election year. Downvote me if you want but this is a hostage negotiation.

      Edit: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/10/02/port-strike-dockworkers-wages/75485424007/

      I actually disagree with my post. According to the article I just read, I was correct about how much some of them make (1/3 make $200k or more), but the starting pay does suck ($20 an hour). The average salary was $59k a year. I was wrong and ill informed. Alright, I’ll stand with the union on this one. I agree with their demand.

    • NJSpradlin@lemmy.world
      9·
      9 hours ago

      But, I want my Charmin Extra Soft toilet paper! Don’t you remember the bad days during the pandemic! Where Osama Kamala Biden didn’t protect us from price gouging and store runs!!

    • BlitzoTheOisSilent@lemmy.world
      18·
      8 hours ago

      Nixon did this when the Postal Service went on strike in 1970. He brought in 23,000 national guard troops to New York to deliver the mail.

      They failed, miserably, because they didn’t know how to do the job. There’s clips of interviews with some of them at the time, I remember one, the soldier was trying to sort the mail and laughing about how he didn’t understand how the regular guy could do in a couple hours what took him almost all day.

      Good luck to him, but he’s gonna find out quick that soldiers aren’t longshoremen.

  • kmartburrito@lemmy.world
    2·
    8 hours ago

    Dammit, toilet paper and paper towels are made in the fucking USA, and this is only affecting the East coast dockworkers, and I still can’t get a single pack of TP to wipe my ass in Colorado. Mofos