Thousands of workers take a stand as automation and pay cuts threaten their livelihoods.

Strike Impact on U.S. Ports

Nearly 45,000 East and Gulf Coast dock workers are on strike over pay and robots taking their jobs. The strike means more than half of overseas goods will not be unloaded at U.S. ports. West Coast and Bahamian dock workers are expected to join in solidarity, refusing to unload or load ships.

Jacksonville Protest Leads the Way

Jacksonville, Florida’s International Longshoremen Association (ILA) President Warren Smith assembled hundreds of protesters at port entrances as soon as the contract ended on October 1. Smith emphasized that workers will not return without a fair contract. “Having a fair contract is the difference between minimum wage and the middle class. Without it, employers can pay you whatever they want, not what you agree to,” he said.

During his two years as president of Local 1408, Smith has supported community programs that provide scholarships and social services—made possible by fair contracts.

The ILA has shut down 37 ports with workers not reporting to their jobs.

Veteran Workers Demand Change

Keith Peabody Hopkins, a dock worker at ILA Local 1408 in Jacksonville, Florida, is confident the strike will secure a six-year wage adjustment and prevent robots from taking jobs. Hopkins has been loading and unloading ships for 47 years, without pausing during the pandemic or bad weather.

“During COVID, while everyone else was quarantined at home, we kept working. We lost 50 union members, and many of us got sick,” Hopkins said.

When a passerby gave picketers the finger, Hopkins responded, “We are not ashamed. We didn’t get a raise. Americans went on strike and got raises at home. The media didn’t call it a strike, but to get people back to work, they had to raise pay.”

Regarding automation, Hopkins added, “We worked that line during COVID, and now they want to replace us with robots.”

Wage and Profit Disparities

The media has reported that workers are demanding a 70 percent wage increase. However, Hopkins clarified that the ILA is fighting to recover wages lost during the pandemic and the inflationary period since, spread over six years.

Several national outlets have covered Harold Daggett, who spoke about two shipping companies’ massive profits. One owner gave himself a $4 billion bonus, while another company gave workers a 15-month Christmas bonus last year.

The White House released data showing that some shipping lines made obscene profits of more than 800 percent since the pandemic began.

“If the CEO can give himself a $4 billion raise, we should get our little pennies,” Hopkins said.

Biden’s Position and Potential Economic Impact

President Joe Biden refused to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act, which allows U.S. presidents to force workers back to work when the nation’s economy is threatened.

Instead, Biden urged shipping companies to negotiate a “fair contract.”

The United States Maritime Alliance, which represents ports, is facing pressure from the White House. Biden “urged them to resolve this in a way that accounts for the companies’ recent successes and the invaluable contributions of dock workers.”

A prolonged strike could cripple both the U.S. and global economies, especially as inflation and high interest rates continue to slow recovery. Voter reaction to the strike will likely depend on its impact on supply chains and prices.

Strong Community Support for Dock Workers

Community support for the dock workers appears strong, with local leaders joining the picket lines. Former Florida Senator Tony Hill, an ILA retiree, walked the line alongside other community leaders, all showing their solidarity with the strikers. Voter reaction to the strike remains uncertain, likely depending on how it affects supply chains and prices. A prolonged strike could severely impact both the U.S. and global economies, especially as recovery from inflation and high interest rates remains slow. President Biden has urged shipping companies to negotiate a fair contract, while rejecting the use of the Taft-Hartley Act to force workers back to their jobs.

By Pat Bryant, Southern Journalist covering civil and human rights

2 thoughts on “East and Gulf Coast Dock Workers Strike Over Pay and Automation”
  1. Though this strike may effect the outcome of the election, I support the strike..Those of us who have watched the rich get insanely richer and the poor get unforgivably poorer we cast our lot with those who do the work but are not given fair conditions and appropriate pay increases. We as a nation can not continue to pay exorbitant prices for food and goods in concert with the greed of the rich. We must endeavor to love mercy, and do justice in order to walk humbly with God and these workers. If we base our voting on the lies of Trump and Vance who will surely blame Harris/ Walz for this strike we may deserve the mess that will accompany a Trump presidency. Biden is taking the right stand and I hope he will hold on his principles.

  2. Great informative article but someone actually gave themselves a $4 billion bonus? …… The Longshoremen worked through Covid and their reward is now machines?….. A strike is a necessity to be treated fairly but not good for the Community but l support it.

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