Port workers along the East and Gulf coasts go on strike

Dozens of ports along the East and Gulf coasts of the US have shut down as thousands of dock workers strike over wages and technology that could replace jobs, according to CNBC. The strike, which began just past midnight on October 1st, could raise prices and make goods harder to get, depending on how long it lasts.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), a union that represents around 85,000 dock workers, called the strike after its contract with the US Maritime Alliance (USMX) — the organization backing port employers — expired early on Tuesday morning. The strike encompasses ports stretching from Maine to Texas.

“We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve,” ILA president Harold Daggett said in a statement posted to Facebook. “USMX owns this strike now… They now must meet our demands for this strike to end.”

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden called on USMX to “negotiate a fair contract with the longshoremen that reflects the substantial contribution they’ve been making to our economic comeback.”