Dockworkers’ fight a warning about the future of work

October 7, 2024

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.

Read full article

TechTarget, October 4, 2024

 

Recent Posts

“Work Trends RU” Podcast with WorkingNation’s Jane Oates

This week's guest on the Heldrich Center's Work Trends RU podcast is Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor at WorkingNation. She and Dr. Carl Van Horn discuss WorkingNation’s mission, objectives, and accomplishments; the power of digital storytelling; the challenges of...

Zhang et al. Study Street-View Greenspace and Exercise

GPS-based street-view greenspace exposure and wearable assessed physical activity in a prospective cohort of US women Abstract Background Increasing evidence positively links greenspace and physical activity (PA). However, most studies use measures of greenspace, such...

NJSPL: Some College, No Credential Population in NJ

Overview of the Some College, No Credential Population and Educational Outcomes in New Jersey, 2023–2024 New Jersey State Policy Lab Supporting New Jersey residents in returning to college after leaving without a credential has been an increasing focus of the state’s...

Loh and Noland Explore Public Charging Station Disparities

Equal charging for all: Are there income-based disparities in public charging stations? Abstract We compare charging station accessibility for different income groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. Using a microsimulation model, we estimate charging station...

Heldrich Center Releases New Work Trends Brief and Website

The Heldrich Center for Workforce Development is pleased to announce the availability of two new research products resulting from its long-running public opinion polling series, Work Trends. To better understand the public’s attitudes about work, employers, and the...