For the first time since 1977, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) went on strike. ~45,000 dockworkers have started picketing at 36 US East and Gulf ports - from Houston to Miami to New Jersey. This comes at a very intense time with escalating geopolitical tensions, a presidential election in about a month, and a hurricane that devastated the lives of millions of people.
This strike represents about half of all US trade volumes. It puts $2 billion at risk per day in trade, and the economic loss could be as high as $5 billion a day. A strike that lasts only a week could take a month to clear. Some might say that’s mere pennies compared to the size of the US economy ($29T), but this is about more than just dollar signs.1
Because strike is about more than just money- it’s about the democracy of automation.2
The Longshoremen Strikes
Many peo…
