Fixing the port union problem
by Tim Worstall | September 27, 2021 06:00 AMAuto companies forgot to order computer chips, most shipping containers are on the wrong side of the world, and the economy is roaring back faster than anyone thought it would. Most of these problems will sort themselves out. Some won't — like the ports on the West Coast. Both Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles have vast backlogs of ships waiting to unload. The problem here is not new. It stems, in the end, from the longshoremen's union, as it has near-total control over hiring and working practices.
Consider one piquant detail concerning the present problems. Its union and workforce just allowed Long Beach to run a pilot program on 24/7 working. Yes, two decades into the 21st century, we're about to get people working past beer o'clock in the afternoon — how lucky we are.
Everyone who studies this area of the economy knows what the solution is: Break the union. The problem is that this would be difficult.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/fixing-the-port-union-problem