Dockworkers are fighting for the future of work, fearing automation will take their jobs. Even those who stay employed worry that the tech will strip their work of its worth.
But there are questions about whether vendors are overselling their automation technology and whether managers are expecting too much from it.
Hal Salzman, a professor of planning and public policy at Rutgers University, said automation tech is often oversold, with post-installation audits revealing that it takes longer and costs more than anticipated to implement. He said it can be challenging to figure out the net savings because changes in processes are offset by hiring in other areas, such as system maintenance.
Employers often find that gradually reducing the workforce through retirements and natural attrition is “sufficient because the systems take longer to be installed and function effectively,” Salzman said in an email.