Before the Shipping Container, Cargo Had to Be Removed from a Ship

question 160

Multiple Choice

Before the shipping container, cargo had to be removed from a ship piece by piece, a very time-consuming process requiring a lot of dockworkers to accomplish. The shipping container allows a single dockworker to accomplish what it took several workers to do by moving many pieces of cargo all at once. The West Coast Dockworkers' Union was concerned about the change and demanded compensation from an association of shipping companies resulting in the Mechanization and Modernization Agreement of 1961. But, if automation increased wages, which of the following best explains why the workers resisted change?

• A) The shipping container would make their job more pleasant, resulting in smaller wages.
• B) They were unionized.
• C) The machines would require additional labor market issues to operate.
• D) The least productive members were concerned about automation.

---

Definitions:

Wage

The fixed regular payment, typically paid on a daily or weekly basis, earned by an employee.

Salary

Regular compensation paid to an employee, usually expressed as an annual sum and paid in monthly or biweekly installments.

Job Evaluation Programs

Formal schemes undertaken by organizations to ascertain the relative value of different jobs, aiding in creating equitable compensation strategies.

Comprehensive Job Descriptions

Detailed documentation that outlines the duties, responsibilities, required qualifications, and reporting relationships of a specific job.