Without many details in the story it’s hard to understand what they are asking for but I suspect much of it is around delaying the automation that modern ports are moving to implement globally to reduce the risk of workplace hazards.
This has been a common theme with the ILWA pushing back on modernization to retain jobs at the cost of enormous expense due to accidents, injury and cargo loss due to human error.
Like any other industry that gets automated, there needs to be a transition and I hope that’s part of these negotiations.
The world is coasting through a post-pandemic global cargo slowdown so terminal operators are trying to save money, so the timing for this makes it extra hard to just start handing out raises.
Without many details in the story it’s hard to understand what they are asking for but I suspect much of it is around delaying the automation that modern ports are moving to implement globally to reduce the risk of workplace hazards.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/port-vancouver-rating-1.6873992
This has been a common theme with the ILWA pushing back on modernization to retain jobs at the cost of enormous expense due to accidents, injury and cargo loss due to human error. Like any other industry that gets automated, there needs to be a transition and I hope that’s part of these negotiations.
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/06/14/news/unions-and-environmentalists-team-sink-bc-port-expansion-project
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/unions-team-up-with-environmentalists-to-oppose-port-expansion-project-at-roberts-bank
The world is coasting through a post-pandemic global cargo slowdown so terminal operators are trying to save money, so the timing for this makes it extra hard to just start handing out raises.
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/global-container-freight-stuck-in-doldrums/