President-elect Donald Trump has publicly thrown his support behind the leadership of the International Longshoremen’s Association in its battle against automation in U.S. ports. He expressed his support in a posting on his Truth Social media platform late yesterday after meeting with ILA President Harold Daggett, and Executive VP Dennis Daggett. He also released a photo with the union leaders.
Mr. Trump declared: ”I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it. The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen.”
He further affirmed: “Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt. They’ve got record profits, and I’d rather these foreign companies spend it on the great men and women on our docks, than machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced. In the end, there’s no gain for them, and I hope that they will understand how important an issue this is for me. For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries. It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”
There is one month to go (January 15, 2025) until a new deadline expires for extending the contract between the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) and the union representing 45,000 dockers on the East and Gulf coasts. The maritime employers want to expand the use of semi-automated rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMSs) as part of a new master contract. The union has threatened to go on strike for the second time if there is no agreement before the January 15.
USMX responds
USMX has responded to Mr. Trump’s posting, declaring: “This contract goes beyond our ports – it is about supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers to manufacturers, to small businesses and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.
“To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains. ILA members’ compensation increases with the more goods they move – the greater capacity our ports have and goods that are moved means more money in their pockets.”