Im a longshoreman working out of the NY area. I love the Free press and been a subscriber for about a year now. Ok, so much to unpack. I don't believe this strike was about higher wages as much as it was a fight against automation. We want people operating machines, not machines operating machines. It's a real problem we all face with AI…
Im a longshoreman working out of the NY area. I love the Free press and been a subscriber for about a year now. Ok, so much to unpack. I don't believe this strike was about higher wages as much as it was a fight against automation. We want people operating machines, not machines operating machines. It's a real problem we all face with AI. There is so much unknown about its roll in the future, it's simply a safer bet to stop all future forms of automation (for now). As we have a new contract every 6 years. Port owners have broken agreements in the past. for one example, they installed automated gate counters for trucks leaving the port. So if we give an inch they will take a mile. As for now only wages have been settled. USMX and the ILA have 90 days to hash out the automation issues. Personally Im for some forms of automation, It will make a better safer life for everyone if executed correctly.
Salvatore, thanks for weighing in on this and giving some clarity. I’m trying to understand this too. Seems like technology is inevitable- as michael said in the comment- but there has to be some sort of concessions, stability, and fairness for workers affected by all this.
Salvatore, I appreciate your measured response. Automation and what AI will do are inevitable for you and every one of us in some way or another. However, if we keep putting off the inevitable, there will be a major series of changes that are just waiting to be unleashed. We either accept it and start adapting now or be left twisting in the wind.
Im a longshoreman working out of the NY area. I love the Free press and been a subscriber for about a year now. Ok, so much to unpack. I don't believe this strike was about higher wages as much as it was a fight against automation. We want people operating machines, not machines operating machines. It's a real problem we all face with AI. There is so much unknown about its roll in the future, it's simply a safer bet to stop all future forms of automation (for now). As we have a new contract every 6 years. Port owners have broken agreements in the past. for one example, they installed automated gate counters for trucks leaving the port. So if we give an inch they will take a mile. As for now only wages have been settled. USMX and the ILA have 90 days to hash out the automation issues. Personally Im for some forms of automation, It will make a better safer life for everyone if executed correctly.
Salvatore, thanks for weighing in on this and giving some clarity. I’m trying to understand this too. Seems like technology is inevitable- as michael said in the comment- but there has to be some sort of concessions, stability, and fairness for workers affected by all this.
Salvatore, I appreciate your measured response. Automation and what AI will do are inevitable for you and every one of us in some way or another. However, if we keep putting off the inevitable, there will be a major series of changes that are just waiting to be unleashed. We either accept it and start adapting now or be left twisting in the wind.
Agreed, thanks for the reply.