The Los Angeles City Council on Friday, Dec. 6, approved a motion calling for a discussion with the UCLA Labor Center regarding its report on the future of dockwork at the Port of L.A.
In a 12-0 vote, the panel backed the motion, introduced by Councilmember Tim McOsker, whose 15th District encompasses the Harbor Area. Representatives for the UCLA Labor Center will be asked to present their findings at a future date.
Councilmembers Nithya Raman, Monica Rodriguez and Kevin de Leon were absent during the vote.
The center published its report, titled “Automation and the Future of Dockwork at the San Pedro Bay Port Complex,” earlier this year. The report examines the potential impacts of increased automation at the ports of L.A. and Long Beach.
The port complex is one of the busiest facilities in the world and responsible for more than 30% of U.S. domestic imports. Three of the 12 terminals at the complex use automation to some degree, with other terminals considering similar investment.
A key finding of the report identified negative impacts of automation with little evidence of positive return.
There was also a broad consensus that automation could pose immediate safety risks for workers, lead to an increase in workplace surveillance and control, and produce indirect, unforeseen ripple effects across the supply chain, according to McOsker’s motion.
Industry stakeholders worry that an increase in automation would adversely affect the harbor community.
“As the Council office continues to work with the local community and workforce on policies that impact job counts and workplace conditions at the port,” the motion says, “academic and labor data must be considered alongside these discussion.”
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