46th President infrastructure law gave billions to upgrade ports, now striking unions want to stop automation

Does this headline capture some salient facts of the ongoing strikes at east and gulf coast ports? You bet!

Higher wages usually accelerate more automation!

Long-term wage contracts (last one in 2018, I believe) like the ones underlying these strikes, are very hard to cope with during times of high price inflation.

These strikes also appears to highlight some of the contradictions, the Dimocratic Party wants to straddle. That these strikes blow up just before the November elections is revealing!

"... the bipartisan infrastructure bill, his White House showcased $17 billion in funding set aside for upgrades in U.S. port infrastructure for strengthening supply chains and boosting competitiveness. ...

Some of the $17 billion was specifically earmarked for upgrades to America’s aging port equipment, specifically targeting zero-emission updates [???]. However, other laws passed during the Biden administration defines such upgrades in a way that excludes automated technologies and caters to the union. ..."

Biden infrastructure law gave billions to upgrade ports, now striking unions want to stop automation | Just The News "The discrepancy between the priorities of Biden’s infrastructure spending and his support for the labor union leading the strikes raises concerns about the benefits of pouring money into infrastructure while real upgrades are being blocked by union allies."