Thousands of dockworkers went on strike Tuesday morning and ship queues at ports across the East Coast are growing. What is now the biggest dockworker strike in half a century, have experts are weighing in on how the current port strike can possibly impact our area.
Biggest Dockworker Strike since 1977
Shortly after midnight Tuesday morning, approximately 85,000 dockworkers went on strike.
About 50,000 work at ports along the East Coast.
Members of The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), North America’s largest longshoremen’s union, “joined in solidarity by tens of thousands of dockworkers and maritime workers around the world,” and hit the picket line over unsatisfied wage demands.
Specifically, the union is asking for higher wages and job protection from AI and automation.
In a press release to public, the union said that the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) “continues to block the path toward a settlement on a new Master Contract by refusing ILA’s demands for a fair and decent contract and seems intent on causing a strike at all ports from Maine to Texas.”
The strike is now in its third day. Experts are preparing for how it will impact the entire East Coast, including Philadelphia.
Multiple ports along major cities are currently without dockworkers including, Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Wilmington, North Carolina, Baltimore, Norfolk, Virginia, Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, Jacksonville, Florida, Tampa, Florida, Miami, New Orleans, Mobile, Alabama, and Houston.
How will it impact Philly?
As both sides negotiate terms, supply chains and consumer goods across the East Coast are stranded and ship queues at ports are growing.
Particularly, Philadelphia is home to one of the largest meat and fruit ports in America.
With the holiday season approaching, many consumers are wondering if and how the current port strike will impact our region
It’ll still take time for families to feel a change, experts are saying.
“If the strike goes on for more than a month or so, we’ll start to see the price increase as well for those kinds of items,” said Dr. Subodha Kumar, with Temple University Fox School of Business. “The consumers are the key factor here, don’t get panicked. Don’t get into the panic mode.”
However, people are panicking. Toilet paper shortages are being reported at major outlets such as Costco and Walmart.
While some shortages are expected as a result of the dockworker strike, it is mainly for perishable items like bananas.
Dr. Kumar, who studies supply chains, said it’s all a matter of watching, waiting, and seeing.