The historic threat of strikes at US ports could paralyze half of freight traffic

In a historic move, the International Longshoremen's Association is threatening a strike and abandonment of docks at ports that handle about half of the shipping coming and going from the United States

45,000 workers from 36 different ports from Main to Houston have sent demands about pay and automation to the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents the ports.
Negotiations between the two sides are stalled and on Tuesday workers vowed to open a picket line. Experts predict that the American economy will take a hit.

“For every day (that workers strike), something between 500 million and a few billion,” said Ed Emmett, an energy and transportation fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and a former Harris County judge.

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And the effects can be felt in consumers' households – depending on how long the strike lasts.

“I think the immediate impact will be minimal – the problem is that with a prolonged work stoppage there are inflation issues. It's about basic supply and demand,” said Margaret Kidd, program director and assistant professor of supply chain logistics and technology at the University of Houston.

The affected ships are carrying containers carrying dry goods such as equipment, food and construction materials. She says consumers may see a shortage of imported fruits and vegetables, as well as specialty foods from Europe, Central and South America, such as alcohol and cheese.

The Port of Houston's largest import and export is petroleum, but these workers are not involved in this strike.

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“It won’t impact the petrochemical industry or anything like that,” Emmett said. “It remains to be seen which products will be affected,” he said.
Your Amazon orders may experience delays depending on how the product was ordered.

“I don’t think the domestic postal service will be affected. If you order something online from China or India… there's a good chance you'll experience delays,” Kidd said.