A conference being held in Sydney today will probe the future of port automation and examine how trade unions should be best involved in the practice.
160 representatives from 11 maritime unions on 10 countries will meet in Sydney today to discuss how set the union agenda on port automation.
The ITF say that dockers have long experiences in adapting to new technologies onsite and that their technological skills make them an essential part of the automation debate.
ITF president and dockers’ section chair Paddy Crumlin said workers’ interests were paramount in any automation discussions.
“We are united in the view that automation will not be imposed, it will come through negotiation,” he said.
“We are building the widest possible alliance to ensure workers’ interests are represented, and employers would be well advised to understand that a global network is solidifying and strengthening its resolve to respond decisively to unilaterally imposed automation.”
Crumlin said the unions would come down hard on companies trying to force automation on their workforce without proper process.
“Unions are committed to dialogue with employers which is open and fair. However, the others, the employers who try to use automation as a means to try and destroy unions, impose excessive job cuts and remove conditions of work should know that we will take action against them,” he said.
Ray Familathe, vice president mainland of the US International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), and ITF dockers’ section second vice chair said workers played an important role in ports.
“Our goal is to protect permanent employment for all registered dockworkers throughout the world, whether it’s in traditional cargo-handling terminals or fully automated container terminals,” he stated.