I think one of the best solutions for this is to offer some sort of retraining for the workers who will be displaced by automation. As with any technological progress, I am sure new jobs will arise. As the article states, we don’t really have a consensus on whether port automation will actually decrease jobs. I think the benefits of port automation (environment, worker safety, the end consumer, efficiency, etc) with some sort of worker retraining here really outweighs the cons.
This is tough because alternatively, not progressing on automation at the ports benefits a select group of wealthy individuals as well. The ILA’s president, Harold Daggett, brings in nearly $1 million a year ($902,000) in salary, and his son Dennis which is the vice president, salary is $703,000. At the United Auto Workers union, with more than four times as many members, UAW President Shawn Fain received just under $200,000 for his eight months on the job last year. . None of the dock workers get paid close to as much.
I think one of the best solutions for this is to offer some sort of retraining for the workers who will be displaced by automation. As with any technological progress, I am sure new jobs will arise. As the article states, we don’t really have a consensus on whether port automation will actually decrease jobs. I think the benefits of port automation (environment, worker safety, the end consumer, efficiency, etc) with some sort of worker retraining here really outweighs the cons.