There is another potential port attack on the horizon.

Remember the short-lived port workers’ strike? Could this cripple eastern ports and the Gulf Coast in October?

The strike lasted only three days. But it has cost the American economy billions in lost revenue. The strike was temporarily resolved when the association The Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) agreed to a 61.5% wage increase over the next six years. The ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance addressed other issues. The most important is the automation of the port.

The negotiated contract extension expires on January 15, 2025 – five days before President Donald Trump takes office for a second term.

DOCKWORKERS union walks out to negotiate with Eastern and Gulf Coast employers

However, there was a major glitch that was underreported by the corporate media: The two sides halted all negotiations in mid-November, with the ILA walking away from the negotiating table, stating that “USMX introduced language in their proposal for semi -Automated equipment to be used at ILA ports, which this union categorically denies. ILA recognizes this as a new attempt by USMX to eliminate ILA jobs through automation and ends negotiations.”

ILA President Harold J. Daggett is adamant that no automated systems enter American ports under his control. Mr. Daggett opposes the use of almost any type of technology. He also opposes the use of EZ cards on the country’s tolls. They lamented the loss of union jobs for toll booth employees. This is because the EZ card allows “motorists to pass like it was nothing. Then you will be charged by post… Those union jobs are gone,” he claimed in a post on the ILA’s YouTube channel in September.

Maybe Mr. Daggett should read some books. According to a recent survey by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, U.S. ports are the least efficient ports in the world. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are ranked as the two least efficient ports in the world, losing out to ports such as Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. and Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo.

Yes, ports in the United States are less efficient than ports in third world countries. No American port is anywhere near the top 10 most efficient ports in the world. The culprit – lack of automation. Container loading and unloading in the United States takes approximately one to three days. When compared A port in Japan would take 0.36 days to unload a ship of a similar size.

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Mr. Daggett is focused on the wrong fight. Instead of fighting automation He should accept it. Instead of walking away from the bargaining table to protect outdated union jobs, He should push USMX to make automation faster. At the same time, it protects jobs.

An easy place to embrace automation. But it guarantees that any union member who loses their job to automation will be hired by USMX with the same salary and benefits package. Strikes will be avoided. And it will help the United States transform its port into a world-class, taking us out of the 19th century and into the 21st.

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Sean Duffy, newly-nominated Minister for Transport This challenge must be addressed in the first days of the Trump administration. Secretary Duffy needs to show that he will reverse DOT’s focus on equity on roads and bridges. and increase efficiency in driving which will make the United States Return to its rightful place as the most advanced country in the world.

The answer is not difficult. Just dare to do it.