oh i dont doubt it for a second. We should have long moved to automation port side.
But- as you can see here, the reason we havent....a small group of unionized Americans are holding a large chunk of commerce and trade "hostage" to bleed as much money out the system before THEY retire. They arent worried about the next generation of dock workers- they know what is coming.
This is a power-play - coordinated at the precise moment that gives them as much leverage as they can garner ( ie public support by politicians running for office, public support for the "little guy" etc etc ). Gotta hand it to them, they could have done this 8 months ago. This was calculated.