There are some industries in America that are part of the framework of life. Some of these industries just shouldn't go on strike, it's bad for everyone. What would happen if the doctors in Texas decided to strike this weekend? Who would save lives and keep people from dying? No one! The same is true about the shipping industry in a business sense. Sure it's not life and death to humanity, but it's pretty much life and death to a lot of industries. That's why this is such a bad thing; it hurts so many more people than just those involved. The long shoreman aren't getting paid and the ports aren't making any money. If those were just the people affected, then fine, let them hurt their own pocketbooks. This strike however, is affecting so many more people than just those directly involved. I mentioned the apples and produce yesterday. Those farmers aren't going to make any money off the rotten products. Who do they complain to? No one, because the farmers don't have a directory of all the employees of the ports to send negative letters to. I can just imagine what some people would like to say to those directly involved in this debacle. The long-shoreman will go back to their jobs, get their paychecks and continue on with life. But the damage done to the rest of the country won't heal so easily. Some people won't be able to just decide they are ready to go back to their jobs...