Workers

Dirt Diggers Digest -  Numerous media outlets are running unflattering stories about the union that called the strike against East and Gulf Coast ports, but little attention is being focused on the employers. Data from the soon-to-be-released Violation Tracker Global shows that many of those shipping companies have engaged in anti-competitive practices around the world. See The Corporate Lawbreakers Involved in the Port Labor Dispute

CNN -  US job growth accelerated much more than anticipated last month, providing some further reassurance for the ongoing stability of the labor market. Employers added an estimated 254,000 jobs in September, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s a higher tally than August’s monthly total (which was upwardly revised to 159,000) and blows economists’ expectations for a 140,000-job gain out of the water. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.1% from 4.2%, the BLS report showed.

NPR - Thousands of dockworkers have called off the strike that shut down East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. The International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance ended the three-day standoff with both sides agreeing to a 62% wage increase over six years. The union had wanted a 77% increase over six years. Both parties agreed to extend the existing contract until Jan. 15, 2025, so they can continue negotiations.

The biggest sticking point in the ongoing negotiations is now automation... The union seeks language that guarantees humans, not machines, will handle the task of moving shipping containers. In general, they’re opposed to any technology that eliminates the need for union labor. Union President Harold Daggett says that even partially automated equipment poses a threat, as it could lead to job losses. For now, the U.S. has avoided an economic crisis, and it will take some days for things to go back to normal, Hsu says.