Container Conflict

27 Feb Container Conflict

The advent of the container engendered many things.  One was rampant resistance.  Various attempts were made to thwart the spread of the container, or the “longshoreman’s coffin” as it was called. This is because in free-market terms, technological innovations like the container produce threats—particularly to workers and labor organizations. Workers tended to react defensively. Rallied by railroad and port unions, laborers could readily see that the container would markedly decrease the costs of handling cargo and make their muscle power expendable. Resistance also came from shippers and warehouse and port operators, who realized that they would need to carry the costly task of refitting their cranes and other equipment in order to accommodate containerization.