Posts tagged Supply chain
Port strike threatens another supply chain crisis: CEI analysis
October 3, 2024 // The ILA wants no automation of any kind at the ports. The union’s opposition to any change is a major reason why US ports lag far behind in efficiency compared to those of other countries, according to World Bank rankings. Should the union get what it wants, US consumers will suffer the effects of an outdated, inefficient supply chain for years to come.
The long-haul harms of an East Coast port strike and automation ban
October 1, 2024 // But the problem with banning automation is that just as automated tollways enable cars and trucks to move more efficiently across the roadways, automated gates and other port operations enable goods to move more efficiently into, out of, and throughout the U.S. The lack of automation is a primary reason that U.S. ports rank near the bottom of global port efficiency ratings. According to the World Bank’s 2022 Port Performance Index, the average North American port ranking is three times lower than East Asian ports, almost twice as bad as Central American, South American, and Caribbean ports, and not far ahead of sub-Saharan African ports. One of the most efficient ports in the U.S., ranked No. 44 out of 348, is Virginia Beach. It’s likely not a coincidence that the Virginia Beach port is one of the only ones that includes some automation, which Daggett said the ILA was forced to inherit. The Mobile port ranks No. 238, and five other East Coast ports rank No. 300 or worse, with Savannah, Georgia’s port ranked dead last in the world.
WATCH: Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo Says She’s ‘Not Very Focused’ On Dock Worker Strike
September 30, 2024 // "I have not been very focused on that," Biden commerce secretary Gina Raimondo says about the upcoming dock worker strike that will choke off half of U.S. imports tomorrow
Largest port on U.S. East Coast, New York/New Jersey, begins prepping for what could be first union strike since 1977
September 20, 2024 // The ILA represents over 85,000 port workers, and a strike would shut down five of the 10 busiest ports in North America, and a total of 36 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts. Close to half (43%-49%) of all monthly U.S. imports would be impacted, representing billions of dollars in trade, and logistics firms are preparing contingency plans last used during Covid and 2018 tariffs. Currently, there is an estimated $34 billion in freight in route to these ports on 147 ocean vessels.
The Accidental Success of the NLRA: How a Law about Unions Achieved Its Goals by Giving Us Fewer Unions
August 30, 2024 // The Wagner Act was passed to promote labor peace. It aimed to keep commerce flowing by promoting collective bargaining, and thus unionism. Taft-Hartley reversed one part of that policy: it helped make unionism, and thus collective bargaining, less common. But by doing so, it finally achieved labor law’s original goal. The labor market today is more peaceful than at any time in the last century. And that peace owes in large part to the relative scarcity of unions. That lesson is worth keeping in mind in contemporary debates. Today, voices on both sides of the aisle laud the benefits of unionism. They speak of unions as vehicles of workplace democracy—a productive way for workers to express their collective discontent. But unions have not always funneled discontent through peaceful channels: when given too much power, they have disrupted the avenues of commerce.
As Canada braces for rail stoppage, truckers scramble to meet demand
August 20, 2024 // Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City plan to halt operations on Thursday Trucking sector sees increased demand it struggles to meet 85% of U.S.-Canada cross-border road freight handled by Canadian carriers Higher trucking demand leads to rising costs and longer lead times CN and CPKC begin phased network shutdowns
J. D. Vance’s One-Track Mind for Railroad Regulation
August 17, 2024 // Ohio senator and GOP vice-presidential nominee J. D. Vance has something of a soft spot for unions, as evidenced by his co-sponsorship of the 2023 version of the Railway Safety Act. The legislation would mandate minimum two-member crews on freight trains, a requirement unions have long sought. Such a mandate wouldn’t make trains any safer but would damage the ability of the rail industry to pursue automation.
ILA Starts Preparations for East and Gulf Coast Port Strike on October 1
August 6, 2024 // Bloomberg in its report highlights that that a strike would impact six of the 10 busiest U.S. ports. Trade groups presenting retailers and manufacturers have already called for government involvement to oversee the negotiations while many commentators point out the strike would come just weeks before the U.S. presidential election. “With less than 30 days to go before the end of our current Master Contract when these meetings are held, we must prepare our locals and our ILA membership for a strike on October 1, 2024. Two generations of ILA members have come into the industry since our last strike in 1977,” said Harold J. Daggett, the president of the ILA. The union has repeatedly said it would seek to oppose any future efforts at port automation and cargo handling and would also seek to roll back its past allowances.
ILA: Threat of Strike at US East and Gulf Coast Ports “Growing More Likely”
July 17, 2024 // The ILA has a firm stance against increased port automation and singled out the auto gate system to highlight its position. They contend that APM introduced the system that makes it possible to process trucks without ILA labor. Further, they allege that they have observed “an increasing number of IT personnel on marine terminals,” with concern that APM Terminals is encroaching on the union’s jurisdiction. They also questioned if the system is being used in other ports. Economists and the made trade organizations for retailers and apparel manufacturing have all warned of the potential impact a strike could have on already fragile supply chains. There have been repeated calls for the Biden administration to step in to bring the two sides to the negotiating table and guide the process. The Department of Labor helped to resolve the 2023 issues with the West Coast ports which had spent a year negotiating their dockworkers contract.
VIDEO: Protecting Trucking’s Independent Contractors
March 21, 2024 // A new rule from the U.S. Department of Labor undermines the livelihood of 350,000 truckers across the U.S. who choose to operate as independent contractors. In this episode, we explore the rule's impact on small trucking business owners and how ATA is fighting back in the courts and through the legislative process.