Political observers and experts are raising alarms about the International Longshoreman's Association union strike, which has seen dockworkers suspend their duties unloading cargo at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts — speculating whether the head of the union is attempting economic sabotage in f...

Political observers and experts are raising alarms about the International Longshoreman’s Association union strike, which has seen dockworkers suspend their duties unloading cargo at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts — speculating whether the head of the union is attempting economic sabotage in favor of former President Donald Trump.

USMX, the key guild of maritime employers, offered the ILA upwards of 60 percent salary increases in their new contracts. The ILA, however, is demanding even higher increases, as well as the continuation of exorbitant fees to handle shipping containers — a practice so expensive, according to maritime journalist John Konrad, that U.S. ports frequently ship freight over roads hundreds of miles at ten times the expense to consumers rather than transport containers onto secondary barges at a fraction of the price to consumers — as well as a total ban on any new technology to automate ports, which industry experts have warned could destroy the competitiveness of U.S. shipping.

The extreme nature of the demands has caused speculation among observers that the whole thing might be a ploy to get Trump elected.

    • pelespiritOPMEnglish
      1·
      5 hours ago

      Could be? It’s hard to say. (no sarcasm, it really is)

      There is no evidence that Daggett’s labor demands are meant to influence the presidential election; the ILA has not endorsed a candidate for president, although Daggett was photographed with Trump shortly after the former president survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

      • TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        2·
        4 hours ago

        I think the whole point of a union is that it’s controlled by far more people than just the head of the union…

        Like I don’t have to respect every political opinion of a massive group of diverse workers but by God do I think they’re entitled to the fruits of their labor more than the wealthy business owners and shareholders. They’re the ones that make it possible to receive goods in those ports and we need them far more than any of the people denying their demands.

        And I know for a fact the powers that be will do anything in their abilities to convince the common person otherwise, including pitching the workers as the enemy when I know for a fact I have far more in common with them than I do the business owners.