President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his assist for the dockworkers union earlier than their contract expires subsequent month at Jap and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any additional “automation” of the ports would hurt employees.

The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the Worldwide Longshoreman’s Affiliation, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s government vice chairman.

“I’ve studied automation, and know nearly every little thing there’s to learn about it,” Trump posted. “The sum of money saved is nowhere close to the misery, harm, and hurt it causes for American Staff, on this case, our Longshoremen. International firms have made a fortune within the U.S. by giving them entry to our markets. They shouldn’t be on the lookout for each final penny understanding what number of households are harm.”

The Worldwide Longshoremen’s Affiliation has till Jan. 15 to barter a brand new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and transport firms.

On the coronary heart of the dispute is whether or not ports can set up automated gates, cranes and container-moving vehicles that would make it quicker to unload and cargo ships. The union argues that automation would result in fewer jobs, regardless that increased ranges of productiveness might do extra to spice up the salaries of remaining employees.

The Maritime Alliance stated in a press release that the contract goes past ports to “supporting American customers and giving American companies entry to the worldwide market – from farmers, to producers, to small companies, and progressive start-ups on the lookout for new markets to promote their merchandise.”

“To attain this, we want fashionable expertise that’s confirmed to enhance employee security, increase port effectivity, improve port capability, and strengthen our provide chains,” stated the alliance, including that it appears to be like ahead to working with Trump.

In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for 3 days, elevating the chance {that a} extended shutdown might push up inflation by making it troublesome to unload container ships and export American merchandise abroad.

The difficulty pits an incoming president who received November’s election on the promise of bringing down costs towards commitments to assist blue-collar employees together with the sorts of superior expertise that drew him assist from Silicon Valley elite equivalent to billionaire Elon Musk.

Trump sought to painting the dispute as being between U.S. employees and overseas firms, however superior ports are additionally key for staying globally aggressive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that would accommodate ships too giant for the Panama Canal.

There’s a threat that shippers might transfer to different ports, which might additionally result in job losses. Mexico is establishing a port that’s extremely automated, whereas Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam have already got extra superior ports.

As a substitute, Trump stated that ports and transport firms ought to eschew “equipment, which is dear, and which is able to continuously have to get replaced.”

“For the good privilege of accessing our markets, these overseas firms ought to rent our unimaginable American Staff, as an alternative of laying them off, and sending these earnings again to overseas international locations,” Trump posted. “It’s time to put AMERICA FIRST!”

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