Why US Port Workers Are Threatening to Strike, Again

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Ever since metal boxes big enough to hold 50 refrigerators revolutionized shipping nearly 70 years ago, dockworkers have fought to defend the importance of skilled labor in global commerce. Yet technological advances in robotics and automation continue to threaten their roles, especially in US ports. The International Longshoremen’s Association, or ILA — the 47,000-member union that represents cargo handlers at every major Eastern US and Gulf Coast port — is threatening to walk off the job on Jan. 15 as its leaders seek new protections from automation. A strike would pose economic risks for the country and a political dilemma for President-elect Donald Trump just days before his inauguration.