There is general consensus that smart factory tools will transform the way that products are made within five years. What’s less clear is how and where to deploy them.

Dockworkers at the Port of Montreal have been without a labor agreement since their previous deal expired at the end of 2023.

Instead of worrying about things that they can't directly control, manufacturers must address what’s happening on the factory floor.

The German automaker also plans to downsize its remaining plants, reduce worker salaries by at least 10%, and freeze pay raises for the next two years.

The issue of automation at ports – both in terms of physical equipment and data management – remains at the heart of disagreements between the two sides.

Here are three things that smart manufacturers are doing to improve the work-life balance of employees, eliminate "gray work," and fill labor gaps.

While Boeing’s latest 35% pay offer was a bump from its initial 25% increase, workers are still angered by the failure to reinstate their defined-benefit pension plan.  

As negotiations between the ILA and USMX continue, the issue of automation at ports remains a point of contention.

A tentative deal between Boeing and the union doesn’t guarantee that workers will also fall in line.