They are trying to cash out before the company shits on them. I don't blame them.
Historically, every safety advancement came after the death of the workers. Companies will ignore safety in leiw of productivity. Same corporate attitude that caused Deepwater Horizon and other tragic events.
But the workers/union are the ones fighting against safety and automation!! The last death I could find was in 2022 when a straddle carrier toppled over
I get it corporations are greedy and all that...... but how does a straddle carrier just topple over?
Thus union is trying to bend the corporations and the country over a barrel.
A 70+% pay increase over 7 years is a lot, considering they just got 50% over the last 6 yr contract. These dudes are making damn near $40/hr and they are intentionally slow footing jobs to increase OT,
"The union is demanding a 77% raise over six years, or the equivalent of a $5 increase per hour for each year of the contract. Under the union's proposal, workers would make $44 for the first year of the contract, $49 for the second and up to $69 in its final year." -Per
Thousands of East and Gulf Coast dockworkers went on strike demanding higher pay. Here are the wage increases they secured.
www.cbsnews.com
Now by all means get lobbyists to make these companies pay, no more 7 figure bonuses to C suites and etc.....
But shit like this is going to affect "the common folk," not the big wigs that can afford to take a loss.
The union chief already made $900K/yr, union dues are a percentage of each employees earnings..... this contract will see that dude make damn near $1.25 million/year......
Somethings gotta give. If/when the companies agree to this there will be cuts, just like at UPS, after they got their raise. And there will be higher performance standards to cover the deficit.
Automation is coming to dock work. It's unavoidable. They are trying to hold off the inevitable. If they were really smart they would demand free training/job transitioning into programming/ maintenance of the forthcoming automated machinery......
Mfkrs can easily be 59 yrs old updating the programming of a robot or changing some wires on a powered down machine, versus having to load/unload containers on a tow motor.