America’s Ports, America’s Backbone: The Urgent Need to Support Port Workers

America’s ports have long been the lifeblood of the nation’s economy. They are the critical junctures through which goods flow into and out of the country, ensuring that store shelves are stocked, factories remain supplied, and consumers receive the needed products. Yet behind the cranes, containers, and constant churn of logistics lies a workforce increasingly strained by systemic neglect, policy volatility, and the relentless pressure of global trade dynamics. The port workers who keep this immense system functioning are facing challenges that are unsustainable and unjust, highlighting the crucial need for systemic changes in the industry.

In recent years, port congestion has grown into a chronic and destabilizing issue, significantly affecting both the efficiency of supply chains and the quality of life for workers. The reasons are complex but deeply interconnected. The rise of e-commerce has created unprecedented demand for imported goods, while infrastructure at many major ports has failed to keep pace with these shifting patterns. This mismatch has created severe bottlenecks, particularly at crucial nodes such as the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where containers have sometimes waited weeks to be unloaded. These delays ripple outward, affecting not only the workers but also the economy at large. The longer ships wait, the more overtime is required. The more strained the system becomes, the more it demands from those responsible for keeping it operational.

The recent surge in shipping volume brought on by shifts in U.S. trade policy has only exacerbated this pressure. In May 2025, the temporary rollback of tariffs on Chinese imports, reducing them from an average of 145 percent to 30 percent, sparked a rush of container traffic into American ports. In theory, this should have been good news for commerce. In practice, it overwhelmed already stretched facilities and created unpredictable and often unmanageable workloads for port laborers. Workers had little notice and even less control over the sudden spike in activity. Despite their essential role in absorbing this demand, they were offered little support or accommodation. The ports were asked to do more with the same outdated infrastructure, and the workers were asked to carry the burden.

It is essential to recognize the scale and intensity of this labor. Port work is not simply about moving boxes from ships to trucks. It involves operating heavy machinery under hazardous conditions, managing high-value inventory under tight deadlines, and coordinating with a complex web of logistics providers, customs agents, and security personnel. These workers are required to be adaptable, skilled, and resilient. They must endure physically demanding shifts that can stretch to twelve hours or more, often with little certainty about when they will be called in next. This unpredictability makes it difficult for workers to plan their lives, to spend time with their families, or to attend to their health. It is a level of precarity that belies the essential nature of their contribution to the national economy.

Earlier in 2025, a significant development brought these issues into sharper focus. The International Longshoremen’s Association, representing some 25,000 dockworkers, reached a groundbreaking six-year agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance after tense negotiations. The contract, ratified by nearly 99 percent of voting union members, includes a substantial 62 percent wage increase, lifting the base hourly wage from $39 to $63. This was a significant victory and an explicit acknowledgment of these workers' value to the shipping industry. Equally important were the provisions aimed at curbing the unchecked spread of automation. The contract explicitly prohibits the complete automation of port facilities and mandates that any introduction of new technologies must not result in job losses. These protections were hard-won and long overdue, underscoring the urgent need to prioritize labor rights in the shipping industry.

But while this agreement represents progress, it is not a panacea. Many of the challenges port workers face are structural and embedded in the broader political and economic systems that shape global trade. Chief among these is the state of port infrastructure. Decades of underinvestment have left many American ports operating with outdated equipment, limited capacity, and inefficient layouts. These deficiencies slow operations and burden workers, who must make up for mechanical shortcomings with physical labor. In the face of surging demand, it is neither sustainable nor fair to expect human effort to substitute for capital investment.

Recognizing these limitations, the federal government has attempted to respond through initiatives such as the Port Infrastructure Development Program, which allocated over $653 million to fund improvements at 41 port sites nationwide in its most recent round. These investments are meant to expand capacity, modernize facilities, and reduce congestion. However, even well-intentioned funding can fall short if it fails to include workers in the planning process. No one understands the operational realities of the ports better than the people who work there. Their insights should be at the center of any modernization effort. Technological upgrades must be implemented with efficiency in mind and with a deep respect for labor rights, workplace safety, and the future livelihoods of those affected.

The long-term stability of the shipping industry will also depend on a more consistent and worker-conscious trade policy. As seen with the temporary tariff rollbacks on Chinese goods, abrupt policy shifts can have immediate and destabilizing effects on port operations. When such decisions are made without adequate planning or communication with labor representatives, the workers pay the price. Their schedules become chaotic, their workloads spike and their stress levels rise. A more measured, transparent approach to trade policy that considers the implications for logistics and labor and actively involves labor representatives in the decision-making process would go a long way in fostering a healthier and more resilient supply chain.

It is often said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In the case of America’s ports, the workers have never been the weak link. They have consistently shown up, adapted, and performed under enormous pressure, demonstrating a truly inspiring resilience. The weak links lie in the policy frameworks, infrastructure gaps, and corporate priorities that have neglected the people making trade possible. If the nation is serious about maintaining a robust and reliable supply chain, it must start by respecting and supporting the labor force that anchors it.

Supporting port workers is not just a moral imperative. It is a practical necessity. Without their knowledge, experience, and labor, the ports do not run. And if the ports do not run, the economy falters. Port workers are not just the backbone of the shipping industry; they are also integral to the nation's economy. It is time to move beyond rhetoric and deliver tangible improvements through sustained infrastructure investment, inclusive technology deployment, stable trade policy, and unwavering commitment to worker protection. Only then can the U.S. claim a modern, equitable, forward-looking port system worthy of the people who keep it moving.