Longshoreman Union Strike Could Affect EU/UK Games Shipping To USA

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has threatened to strike if no deal can be secured before their current contract expires at midnight, September 30. Fourteen major ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast from Texas to Massachusetts would be affected by the walkout with 45,000 workers going on strike. This would be the first East Coast dock strike since 1944.

Previous disruptions in shipping in the United States had a profound impact on the tabletop gaming industry as costs skyrocketed from 2020 to 2022. While much of the shipping for the tabletop industry comes through the West Coast as manufacturing in Asia is most common, the lack of available ports on the East Coast and Gulf Coast will move traffic to the West Coast, causing similar delays and issues with container availability seen during the previous shipping crisis.

Additionally, any European and UK publishers who print books in Europe and then ship to the US across the Atlantic could potentially be affected.

The affected ports would include Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Charleston, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Miami, Florida; Houston, Texas; Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York/New Jersey; Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Savannah, Georgia; Tampa, Florida; and Wilmington, Delaware.

Negotiations came to a halt in June after the ILA accused the United States Maritime Alliance, the organization representing the ports, of violating the current work contract by using automation at ports including at Mobile, Alabama. The technology, including auto-gate systems that automated the process of allowing trucks into the ports, was allegedly used to replace union labor.

The main sticking point of negotiations is salary as East Coast longshoremen earn a base wage of $39/hour, which is far less than their peers on the West Coast who earn $54.85 and will receive an increase to $60.85 in 2027. The ILA is also demanding healthcare improvements and a ban on automation replacing union labor.

A strike could impact more than 65% of all exports and over 55% of all imports in the United States, causing massive delays in product shipments with JP Morgan analysts estimating an economic impact of $5 billion per day.

More information is available via coverage from these links from Associated Press, The Guardian, CBS News, and ICv2.

 

[Abstruse]

One of the major points is that the West Coast union workers are paid 77% more for doing the exact same job as the East/Gulf Coast union workers. The union stance is that if companies can afford to pay those wages in Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, and Seattle, there's no reason why they can't pay those same wages in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Miami. All eight of those cities have huge costs of living that are about on par with one another.

 

[The Soloist]

In the coming days, we could also see a strike at the port of Montreal (Canada, East Coast). They will target a company that controls one-third of the port activity. Seems like the employer is not respecting a clause of the contract.

Two weeks ago there was a train strike which the government put an end to quickly with a forced return to work order and appointing a forced mediation.

After Covid losses of businesses, politicians who are about to be reelected don’t want the onus on them.

 

[MGibster]

It's hard to get behind someone making 80k a year being "underpaid". That's why the headline points out the strike and not the pay disparity.

$80k a year isn’t bad in Arkansas but not so great in New York and many other places on the east coast. What bothers me is the union is stopping automation. This is good for the union but bad for consumers. Lowering the cost of labor helps keep the price of shipping low.

I don’t know a whole lot about the situation, but when workers go on strike I’m inclined to give them the benefit of any doubt. If I order anything from overseas I won’t be mad if it’s late.

 

[Scribe]

What bothers me is the union is stopping automation.

I'd rather a human be able to afford to house and feed a family, than an executive pocket the profit, because no the savings wont 'trickle down'.

 

[Morrus]

Also I learned a new word! Americans call dockworkers “longshoremen”! That’s so colourful! Who says you don’t learn things as TTRPG fans?

 

[Abstruse]

My understanding is that the automation that they're objecting to isn't just Luddite "automation bad, don't replace workers", but specifically it's automating the gates at the ports and a lot of the machine operation. So it's stuff like gate access to the facilities being completely automated, or cranes that load/unload containers via automatic controls with no human involved. Both of which can be incredibly dangerous for the workers - the automatic crane software doesn't "see" the people standing under a container as it lowers it on top of them, the automated system being spoofed so thieves/smugglers/terrorists/etc. have access to the ports. So it's more than just automation replacing workers.

 

[Queer Venger]

thankfully this won't affect me

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

Also I learned a new word! Americans call dockworkers “longshoremen”! That’s so colourful! Who says you don’t learn things as TTRPG fans?

We also use stevedore and dockworker pretty interchangeably, although the official name of the union means you're not going to hear them very often during this mess.

Stevedore used to be a separate profession in the US (I had a great-uncle who was one), referring to crane operators on board ship rather than actual dockworkers. I believe they're part of the same union now as a result of the rise of container shipping and increased number of dockside cranes. The word itself comes from the Spanish "estibador" whose literal translation is the mildly amusing "man who stuffs".

My favorite more-or-less synonym for the job is "wharfies" from Australia.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

One of the major points is that the West Coast union workers are paid 77% more for doing the exact same job as the East/Gulf Coast union workers. The union stance is that if companies can afford to pay those wages in Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, and Seattle, there's no reason why they can't pay those same wages in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Miami. All eight of those cities have huge costs of living that are about on par with one another.

The union workers are also arguing against increased automation. Maybe the reason the west coast ports can pay higher wages is that they have automated away a lot of the low-value jobs?

 

[Morrus]

thankfully this won't affect me

If you use any commodity which comes from the UK or Europe it will. But I respect an 'only imported via the west coast' lifestyle--more hardcore than vegans, but if you can stick to it, good for you! The benefits, I'm sure, are immeasurable. Literally.