Dock Workers Heighten Demands Against AI Takeover of Job Market

Dockworkers return to work at Port Miami, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Miami, after the union representing 45,000 striking U.S. dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports has reached a deal to suspend a three-day strike until Jan. 15 to provide time to negotiate a new contract. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The East Coast dock worker strike beginning early October, debating over automation labor replacement and wages, has once again put concerns over AI disrupting job markets back in the limelight.

Skilled workers such as crane operators, dock workers, in the manufacturing and distribution sectors share worries about their employers’ increasing reliance on AI to replace human labor for maximum profitability. Although the strike ended with a generous pay raise of 62% over six years, up from the initial 50% deal, union leaders like Harold Daggett, reported by the Wall Street Journal remain relentless in averting the demise of major layoffs over the AI boom. “They say that’s the future,” said Daggett, “Over my dead body.”

Many companies are enticed to implement high-tech systems to speed up supply chains for productivity, as well as reaping profits on lower production costs, labor predictability, and less human-related disruptions. The dock worker strike only raises questions about America’s willingness to adopt technology as the main labor source. America’s shipping efficiency today is lagging far behind competitors in Asian and European docks, making a strong case for companies to make substitutes in two key jobs human workers currently occupy; operating cranes and moving containers around, with automation. 

Automation helps alleviate company concerns over shipment handling efficiency, offering a more reliable alternative to the unpredictability of human factors, such as wage negotiations, which is the main objective of the current strike. This leaves only supervising tasks needed from human workers, potentially signaling a future hire freeze which the union strongly objects to.

Picketers carry signs outside Fox studios on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. The Hollywood writers strike passed the 100-day mark as the film and television industries remain paralyzed by dual actors and screenwriters strikes. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Though, the AI takeover phenomenon extends beyond the distribution industry. Office workers also face the inevitable reality that automation will take over certain aspects of their jobs. A survey reported by CNN said that over 60% of companies have used softwares that replaced employees who previously completed the same tasks, with many expressing that AI has helped eliminate human-made errors. The outcome is already exemplified in the software development hire drought reported by the Wall Street Journal, as well as last year’s 4-month long Hollywood writer strike.

The automation debate particularly pertains to the Hollywood strike. In the age of a rapidly evolving media landscape, streaming has revolutionized media profit models. Companies now rely on speedy and trend-centric content strategies as a revenue source, which puts the often artful and long-haul work of show writers at jeopardy. Bare minimum pay, low royalties contributed to SAG-AFTRA’s greater demands for fair pay, citing their employers’ gray area usage of their creative properties to train AI models to develop future profitable work without compensation. The deal ended with compromises of writers’ right to sue if companies used their work to train AI models, but the gray area remains on company usage of AI models in show development. 

This less than ideal outcome for strikers signifies an imbalance between conglomerate profitability, and the shifts in consumer interests and business. The inciting cause for concern in the Hollywood strike was the evolving climate in media where the traditional broadcasting profits are no longer sufficient, which companies are in a pandemonium about switching to streaming which is also costly, thereby they are responding with massive shedding of human resources in hopes to reduce costs. Nevertheless, companies have not shown efforts to make compromises and adjustments suited for current writers, as SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher said in a press conference last year, “You cannot change the business model as much as it has changed and not expect the contract to change, too”. 

Both the Hollywood and dock worker strike highlight the lack of commitment from companies to compromise with workers over concerns with automation replacing human jobs. The rapid advancements in software and technology is directly shaping todays’ industries in more than one way. The same concerns around AI replacement of creative properties also affect physically laborious sectors like the shipping industry. It is especially imminent for them due to their involvement in trade and primary consumer needs. Declining productivity in contrast to competitors outside of America can put the country’s economic prowess at risk of a downfall. 

With their essential skills in trade, dock workers held a strategic advantage over shipping companies, leveraging their role to secure a long-term employment contract with guaranteed pay raises. Aware that the federal government is unlikely to intervene, they have pushed for a settlement to avoid further trade disruptions that could impact the economy. On the other hand, the media companies involved in last year’s writer strike did not promise writers better regulation over usage of AI in writing, leaving much room for interpretation towards its controversial use that increases worries around people losing jobs. 

The continuation of this AI-dock strike saga forwarded from the west coast docks’ agreement with their employers in June only signifies a larger problem to be dealt with globally. How willing are we to allow automation to enhance our welfare, and how willing are we to sacrifice temporary feats for the better development of technology in our lifestyle uses?