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]

  • protistEnglish
    4·
    3 months ago

    There are so many differences between this strike and the railroad strike you seem blissfully ignorant about. E g., a railroad strike would’ve halted all domestic and international trade within the US at the height of this last inflationary period, immediately having a negative impact on literally every American’s life, whereas this dockworkers’ strike only affected overseas imports/exports, leaving all domestic and North American trade intact and not immediately disrupting literally every American’s life.

    Either way, the Biden Admin kept pressure on railroad owners for a contract in line with the railroad workers’ demands, and they won it.

    • jimmydoreisalefty@lemmy.world
      15·
      3 months ago

      Well, the government forced the rail road unions to agree to the watered-down negotiations instead of their original demands due to the laws passed.

      Instead of siding with the working class and forcing corporations to meet the Uninos demands, they help the corporations and once again betray the working class.

      I agree though; in this case, they did nothing to help make it worse or better for the unions, but alleged pressure was added as always.

      Again, Harris is not doing as well as before, Muslim support for Dr. Jill Stein and other groups is at an all-time high, and the support Trump is receiving from the working class is increasing, so intervening in a strike would lessen support of the Democrats even more than it already is at.

      I don’t think we will agree on this, due to my views on the intentional systematic problems our society has:

      The duopoly likes to play political theater; both act like they are for the working class, but in reality, policy helps the owner-class much more, while crumbs are offered to the working class to keep us quiet.

      The settlement pushes the strike and any potential shortages past the November presidential election, eliminating a potential liability for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. It’s also a big plus for the Biden-Harris administration, which has billed itself as the most union-friendly in American history. Shortages could have driven up prices and reignited inflation.

      Thursday’s deal came after administration officials met with foreign-owned shipping companies before dawn on Zoom, according to a person briefed on the day’s events who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. The White House wanted to increase pressure to settle, emphasizing the responsibility to reopen the ports to help with recovery from Hurricane Helene, the person said.[1]

      1. [1] https://apnews.com/article/longshoremen-strike-ports-dockworkers-agreement-86fac07d1189e11ca4816b2cbf37affb ↩︎