The Longshoremen Strike: A Global Wake-Up Call for Modern Businesses


The recent strike by longshoremen in the U.S. is a symptom of a much larger issue plaguing industries around the world. It’s not just about wages or hours—it’s about a broken system where businesses no longer care for their employees. They demand more, pay less, and leave workers overburdened, all while profits skyrocket for those at the top.

As businesses continue to exploit their workers, it’s time to address the broader issues that this strike highlights, because what’s happening in the shipping industry is not unique. Let’s break down five major problems that are resonating across the globe and leading us to a precipice of economic and social disaster.

1. Not Hiring Adequately for Proper Downtime

Many companies today are cutting corners by under-hiring. This leaves workers stretched to their limits, with little to no downtime. Longshoremen are a prime example of this trend. Without adequate staffing, they are expected to work grueling hours, often with limited rest. It’s not just physically exhausting—it’s dangerous. Proper staffing ensures safety, efficiency, and mental well-being, yet businesses continue to ignore this fundamental need.

2. Wages That Don’t Reflect the Job’s Demands

Let’s face it: wages in many industries no longer reflect the true nature of the work. In the case of the longshoremen, they are handling global trade logistics—a task of immense responsibility. Yet, they are often paid barely enough to survive, let alone thrive. This trend is all too common. Many businesses have shifted their focus from compensating workers fairly to maximizing their profits. They forget that when you underpay people who keep your operations running, you risk not just their livelihoods, but the very foundation of your business.

3. One Person Doing a Three-Person Job

This has become the unfortunate norm. Whether it’s in the shipping docks, retail, or even the corporate world, the trend of having one person doing the job of three has taken over. This overburdening leads to burnout, errors, and, eventually, strikes—just like we’re seeing with the longshoremen. Efficiency shouldn’t mean breaking the backs of employees. Instead, it should be about strategic staffing and division of labor to ensure sustainable growth.

4. The Loss of Proper Training: No Recruitment of Younger Workers

We’re facing a knowledge gap as older workers retire and there’s little to no effort to recruit younger ones. Businesses, like those in the shipping industry, are failing to ensure proper succession planning. If younger workers aren’t recruited and trained alongside veterans in the field, we’ll lose the wealth of experience that makes these industries function smoothly. The longshoremen strike reveals just how critical it is to pass on skills to the next generation—without them, we’re setting ourselves up for future disasters.

5. Keeping Your Team Members Happy

It’s a basic principle that so many businesses seem to have forgotten: happy employees lead to a thriving company. It’s not rocket science. Keeping your workers happy by ensuring fair pay, reasonable hours, and proper staffing isn’t just a moral obligation; it’s good business sense. Yet, in today’s corporate world, this idea has been replaced by an obsession with short-term profits. The longshoremen strike is a reminder that businesses that don’t take care of their employees will eventually crumble.

The Broader Picture: A World on the Edge

As if the strikes weren’t enough to shake us up, let’s consider the timing of it all. The world is standing on the edge of multiple crises. We’re on the brink of global conflict, with tensions rising between nations and the looming threat of World War III. Natural disasters are at an all-time high, devastating entire communities. At the same time, technological advancements in warfare are pushing humanity toward self-destruction.

All this while minority groups struggle for recognition, and traditional institutions, like the church, are being sidelined. It’s all happening simultaneously, and we’re watching it unfold like a tragic movie, waiting for the next plot twist. The middle class, as we once knew it, is disappearing. The quality of life for the average person has plummeted while those at the top continue to hoard wealth and resources.

The Greed at the Top

Let’s be honest. The real reason for this chaos is greed. Greedy corporations, greedy leaders, and greedy individuals at the top who refuse to share the wealth. They’re willing to let the rest of the world starve so long as they can maintain their power and wealth. But the longshoremen strike shows us something critical: workers still have power when they unite. We need more modern-day Robin Hoods, people willing to fight against the hoarding of wealth and power.

When Security and Livelihoods are at Risk

It’s not just about the workplace. The world itself feels unsafe. Imagine someone breaks into your home, and you’re at their mercy because you’ve followed the law and haven’t armed yourself. This is how it feels for many today—helpless in the face of rising dangers. Globally, countries are toying with each other’s security. Look at the conflicts in the Middle East. Israel gets attacked, and instead of decisive action, other countries sit on the sidelines, giving empty warnings. It’s no different from corporations toying with the livelihood of workers.

As former President Trump bluntly put it, "blow them off the face of the earth." While that might sound extreme, it reflects the frustration many feel toward weak, indecisive responses to major threats. How much longer can we turn the other cheek before our homes, our jobs, and our security go up in flames?

It’s Time for Action, Not Talk

The time for talking has passed. Workers like the longshoremen aren’t waiting around anymore—they’re striking. And it’s time for the rest of us to get involved, too. We can no longer sit idly by and watch as the world falls apart around us. It’s time to stand up and be part of the solution. It’s showtime, globally.

Businesses, governments, and individuals alike need to wake up. The longer we allow these injustices to fester, the closer we get to collapse. Let’s stop being spectators and start being the change-makers the world so desperately needs.

Up Next... "Real Dialogue: The Power of Civil Debate in a Nation That Needs to Wake Up"


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