That reminds me of the Post Office workers that were picketing in front of the Post Office the other day. An old dude with a MAGA Hat walked by them and asked, "Are ya'll voting for Trump?" Of course they started yelling at him, "No way, Kamala". He replied, "You realize that is who you are picketing against, right?" Geniuses.

Over 45 Container Ships Stalled Outside U.S. Ports As ILA Strike Enters Third Day

Quote:At least 45 container vessels were anchored outside U.S. ports on Thursday as a massive strike by dockworkers stretching from Maine all the way to Texas entered its third day.

Container ships continued to be backed up along the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports on Wednesday evening, being unable to unload goods due to picketing dockworkers, according to Everstream Analytics.

Prior to the strike on Sunday, only three container ships were anchored.

The outlet also expects the backup to double by the end of the week if strikes persist, and that the logjam could take months to clear.

“Many seem to have decided to wait it out, possibly in hopes of a prompt resolution to the strike action, rather than taking the proactive decision to divert,” Everstream’s Jean Santoro said in a video presentation seen by Reuters.

Meanwhile, over 45,000 port workers have demanded higher wages and additional protections in their next contract.

Analysts warn that the strike could cost the economy billions of dollars a day, as essential products such as food, automobiles, car parts, pharmaceuticals, and other goods shipments stall.

“I think we’re making progress,” President Joe Biden claimed on Thursday. “We’ll find out soon!”

However, there were still no negotiations scheduled on Thursday between the International Longshoremen’s Association and employers. Nevertheless, port owners issued a statement late on Wednesday indicating that they were open to new discussions.

“Reaching an agreement will require negotiating,” the United States Maritime Alliance said late Wednesday. “We cannot agree to preconditions to return to bargaining, but we remain committed to bargaining in good faith to address the ILA’s demands and USMX’s concerns.”

Harold Daggett, the union boss leading the strike, personally made $728,000 last year from the ILA. He stated that the union is looking for a $5 per hour raise for each year of the six-year contract, and a promise to prohibit automation.

Companies who have been negatively affected are hoping that Biden would impose the federal Taft-Hartley Act, which gives U.S. presidents the power to force employees to return to work for an 80-day cooling-off period during labor disputes.

However, those hopes went down the drain when Biden said on Monday that he does not “believe” in Taft-Hartley.

On Wednesday, the National Retail Federation and almost 300 other trade associations called on the Biden administration to take a firmer stance on the massive strike and to force employees back to work.

Yet, Daggett is still pushing back, asserting that the ILA is in it for the long haul.

“We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve,” Daggett said on Tuesday.

Furthermore, the strike comes after the tragic Hurricane Helene caused massive destruction across the Southeastern states, ahead of the holiday season.

About half of U.S. imports arrive via water and on these container ships, according to Morgan Stanley.

The strike will not “immediately” affect prices, but the backups at the ports could lead to major shortages and price hikes.

“From a consumer standpoint if the strike goes a couple of weeks, you’ll start to see impacts on the grocery side,” Larry Gross, a supply chain analyst and president of Gross Transportation Consulting said, according to the New York Post.

(10-03-2024 08:11 AM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote:  

(10-03-2024 07:18 AM)BlueDragon Wrote:  

(10-01-2024 11:27 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  I should go buy some TP

Why?

The shortages I saw in Charlotte are likely bulk purchases by charity groups taking relief supplies to flood ravaged western NC. Toilet paper isn't something folks think about providing to those impacted, but if your home was destroyed and you're staying in a shelter chances are Toilet paper is in short supply.

LMAO

Just went into that crap hole Target and saw where Charmin XL mega rolls 12 count was buy 3 and get a $10 gift card.

Talk about piling on!!

And, they were well supplied!!!

(10-03-2024 04:01 PM)Eagleaidaholic Wrote:  

(10-03-2024 03:09 PM)BlueDragon Wrote:  

(10-03-2024 12:33 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  So---what daily use items might we need to be concerned about if the strike drags on too long?

Off the top of my head Coffee, Tea, and chocolate all 100% imports

Not Hershey's

Hershey’s and Mars had better start figuring out how to get the chocolate here if these guys persist.

(10-03-2024 06:04 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

Until after the election

(10-02-2024 01:42 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-02-2024 07:08 AM)miko33 Wrote:  

(10-02-2024 06:57 AM)Eldonabe Wrote:  I am no fan of unions....but there are times and places for them.

These people are being a little greedy here with what they want for pay, but that said, I can see where they are trying to avoid becoming extinct in the labor workforce.

Then they go overboard as the pay ask is basically begging the higherups to find automated replacements for these people and that is where they are over playing their hand. These people think by getting the concession of no automation, that will mean they cannot possibly be replaced by automation.

Um, ya... ok sure. They are negotiating their way out of a job even more quickly and they are too dumb to see it.

This is where the central limit theorem applies. In isolation, this may very well be a case of greedy dockworkers trying to get massive pay increases while the rest of us struggle. Others will see it as people trying to carve out their place to remain in the middle class. However, as more data rolls in we're going to see a picture develop of Billionaires trying to accumulate more wealth vs the middle class working Americans trying to avoid slipping into poverty. This is where we are heading right now. You can see it with real estate being priced out of more peoples budgets, limited choices with purchasing vehicles where base models are full of features that were considered as premium options in the past and thus significantly outpacing inflation for years. There are other examples, but look at the data enough and you can see what's coming in the future.

I suspect the automation is the sticking point. The dockworkers may be using the ridiculous wage increases to "compromise."

Automation is the REAL CRUX here. The money is a side show

Unfortunately, you can’t stop progress.

My Grand dad told me progress will always win out.

He remembered when men dug ditches until the excavator arrived.

He said do you know how many jobs were lost to that machine? I can still hear him asking that.

The money is a side show or distraction from the real issue of folks losing their jobs.

I like what Miko said. We are moving closer each day to NO MIDDLE CLASS. Democrats are bought and paid for and don’t care about every day Americans. They continue to do things in the interest of world politics not American politics. They simply don’t care unless a vote is on the line.

The inevitable

In 20 years 50%-60% of the jobs currently don't exist. The big question is in America which folks will be left behind and who will be in those jobs. If the Democrats have their way NONE of those jobs will be filled by ANYONE currently residing in America. Let that sink in.

(10-03-2024 05:20 PM)BlueDragon Wrote:  

(10-03-2024 08:11 AM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote:  

(10-03-2024 07:18 AM)BlueDragon Wrote:  

(10-01-2024 11:27 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  I should go buy some TP

Why?

The shortages I saw in Charlotte are likely bulk purchases by charity groups taking relief supplies to flood ravaged western NC. Toilet paper isn't something folks think about providing to those impacted, but if your home was destroyed and you're staying in a shelter chances are Toilet paper is in short supply.

LMAO

Just went into that crap hole Target and saw where Charmin XL mega rolls 12 count was buy 3 and get a $10 gift card.

Talk about piling on!!

And, they were well supplied!!!

Actually, it turns out there's more a-holes in this country than we thought there were.

(10-03-2024 06:17 PM)Eagleaidaholic Wrote:  In 20 years 50%-60% of the jobs currently don't exist. The big question is in America which folks will be left behind and who will be in those jobs. If the Democrats have their way NONE of those jobs will be filled by ANYONE currently residing in America. Let that sink in.

Look no further than what has happened in the UK the last 30 years.

They already have a blueprint.

Strike postponed until Trump takes office.

(10-03-2024 10:58 PM)Claw Wrote:  Strike postponed until Trump takes office.

So they’re never going back to work? ?

One thing it will have amajor impact on in NC is residential building. Most of the spruce that hones are framed with comes from Europe. SYP isn't as prevalent as most people think. At least this delay will allow us to source more SYP and find more domestic lumber supplies from Canada.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

(10-04-2024 12:21 AM)Niner National Wrote:  

(10-03-2024 10:58 PM)Claw Wrote:  Strike postponed until Trump takes office.

So they’re never going back to work? ?

@>270EVsBlueBakedInn(695) or moo-moo-chelle (aka big mike) if all else fails by Aug. 22, 2024 ... (AM) … #7*states30counties

(10-04-2024 05:38 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  One thing it will have amajor impact on in NC is residential building. Most of the spruce that hones are framed with comes from Europe. SYP isn't as prevalent as most people think. At least this delay will allow us to source more SYP and find more domestic lumber supplies from Canada.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

That's shocking to me. You'd figure with the sheer volume of trees in the U.S. and Canada there'd be no reason to import lumber from Europe - a continent that consumed most of their forests during the industrial revolution.

(10-04-2024 12:21 AM)Niner National Wrote:  

(10-03-2024 10:58 PM)Claw Wrote:  Strike postponed until Trump takes office.

So they’re never going back to work? ?

Nope because Trump will use his trademark line You're FIRED! End of story.

So much for all that big talk from the NY union boss. They end up doing what "The Party" tells them to do. The dock owners need to bring in the automation now through Jan 15 since no contract is in place.

Well, I guess all those idiots hoarding domestically produced toilet paper can go do something else stupid for a while.