Dockworkers unite against job automation

Organised by the International Longshoremen’s Association and coordinated by the International Dockworkers Council, the People Over Profit: Anti-Automation Conference brings together unions and maritime workers to address automation practices that prioritise corporate profit over human employment.

Held on 5-6 November, the conference is being hailed as a global call to action. Dockworkers, seafarers, tug crews, mooring teams, transport workers, port authority staff and logistics personnel are coming together in solidarity to confront the rise of technology that excludes human labour under the guise of modernisation.

Lisbon was chosen for its historic role in labour struggle and resistance, making it a symbolic location for this movement. The conference will focus on creating a unified roadmap for defending decent work, labour safety and collective rights in the face of technological disruption. Key sessions include strategic planning, international coordination and open forums for debate.

By building global alliances and a shared strategy, the conference aims to halt the spread of job-killing automation and push for a future where technology enhances, rather than replaces, human labour.