Dock workers at ports along the U.S. East and Gulf coasts have gone on strike for the first time since 1977, as the union takes a tough stance against the automation found at other ports around the world.
The International Longshoreman’s Association in June halted negotiations with the US Maritime Alliance, a group representing port operators and maritime carriers.
The union said an Alabama port operator’s use of new gate technology, which scans and processes containers without employee intervention, violates their existing contract. The ILA said it would not return to the negotiating table until the “issue is resolved”, leaving some 45,000 port workers unemployed, who are also pushing for higher wages.
