# Longshoremen on the East coast strike. Is this the October surprise? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [October 1, 2024, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330 "2024-10-01T12:24:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/21 "2024-10-03T23:13:33Z")
> **[Striking port workers to return to work Friday as negotiators reach an...](https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/03/business/port-strike-union-deal/index.html)** > > Striking members of the International Longshoremen’s Association will be back to work at the ports on Friday, the union announced Thursday evening, as the union and the management group representing shipping lines, terminal operators and port... ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/22 "2024-10-03T23:37:42Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Why don’t they just hire twice as many shortshoremen? Work smart, not hard. Looking at Reddit posts, they aren’t working as much overtime as you might think because there is a guaranteed number of hours for a job, even if it takes less. Sometimes they can start a new job while still under the guarantee for the last one, being paid for both at the same time. Some days there is no work available due to ships not having come in. Other days there really are very long hours. I think that’s why it is a fit for there being a lot of overtime. It is a dangerous job requiring skill, and you have to work crazy hours, although you can freely say you are tired and need to go home. And there are a lot of people wanting each job opening. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/23 "2024-10-03T23:38:09Z")
So is the Americans Are Ridiculous Panic Sheep Toilet Paper Shortage Of 24 (Murica Strong!) over, too? Because I need to pick up a few rolls, nothing extravagant, on my weekend grocery store visit. Just regular supply replenishment, nothing panic stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/24 "2024-10-04T00:06:38Z")
Considering the strike has now been pushed back to January, I would say this is an October surprise for Trump. Looks like this is a victory for the Biden administration. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/25 "2024-10-04T00:13:24Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Looks like this is a victory for the Biden administration. I don’t know how much difference it will make, but it’s certainly good news that it’s over. Trump would surely have blamed Biden for any shortages if the strike had been prolonged. Now I’m just waiting for the Orange Felon to take credit for settling the strike, which in reality he probably didn’t even know about. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/26 "2024-10-04T01:30:29Z")
The fact the strike is over may not make much of a difference. BUT if it had continued it had the potential to seriously hurt Harris/Walz and other Democrats. The hoarding of certain things like paper goods was already starting in some areas. That would turn negative pretty fast. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/27 "2024-10-04T03:25:14Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Some days there is no work available due to ships not having come in. Other days there really are very long hours. I think that’s why it is a fit for there being a lot of overtime. I just remember one season of the show _The Wire_ which was focused on stevedores involved in crime, and it portrayed a life where they go to the dock and beg for something to do, otherwise they just kind of sit around and stress out and drink. I couldn’t deal with that. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/28 "2024-10-04T04:03:32Z")
Was that _The Wire_ or _On the Waterfront_? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/29 "2024-10-04T04:11:29Z")
Season 2 of _The Wire_, Pablo Schreiber (Master Chief!) was one of the stevedores and one of the main actors that season. Also Amy Ryan as a Transportation Authority cop who stumbles onto the crimes, which was her big breakout role before becoming Holly on _The Office_. I found the portrayal of the work they did and all the details of it one of the best parts of that season. It was relevant to the plot but so informative too. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/30 "2024-10-04T13:15:48Z")
I just think of what would have happened under Trump. He would have fired the striking workers and we would have had a huge mess. It would take months to replace the workers and get the supply chains back on track. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/31 "2024-10-04T13:31:38Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > He would have fired the striking workers I don’t think longshoremen work for the federal government. You can’t fire someone who isn’t actually employed by you. Although Trump may not realize that or care. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/32 "2024-10-04T13:39:11Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Now I’m just waiting for the Orange Felon to take credit for settling the strike, which in reality he probably didn’t even know about. A predictable move would be for Trump to claim that Biden/Harris pressured port operators to accept an unfair deal on behalf of union workers, which will cause worse inflation down the road. There’s a kernel of truth there, but it ignores other factors like the huge profits employers made shipping goods earlier in the pandemic. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/33 "2024-10-04T16:36:03Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Why don’t they just hire twice as many shortshoremen? Work smart, not hard. That’s not how it works. You’d need 4 times as many shortshoremen or twice as many mediumshoremen. I also wonder if you could cover the gaps by hiring short, medium and longshorewomen. Damn misogynists, probably never thought of that. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/34 "2024-10-04T19:43:23Z")
Whoever does the set dressing for Trump’s speeches apparently wasn’t informed that the strike is off. > ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330/35 "2024-10-04T20:46:56Z")
Will most people know that the strike is off? Has it made the news as heavily as the strike? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longshoremen-on-the-east-coast-strike-is-this-the-october-surprise/1008330.md?page=1)