Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) are on strike Tuesday against the nation’s East and Gulf Coast ports, choking off the flow of many of the nation’s imports and exports in what could become America’s most disruptive work stoppage in decades.
The strike, which was confirmed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as well as the Port of Virginia, began at midnight. There appears to be a wide gap between the union’s demands and the offer of the United States Maritime Alliance, which uses the acronym USMX. The maritime alliance represents the major shipping lines, all of which are foreign owned; as well as terminal operators and port authorities.
The strike will stop the flow of a wide variety of goods over the docks of almost all cargo ports from Maine to Texas. This includes everything from bananas to European beer, wine and liquor, along with furniture, clothing, household goods and European autos, as well as parts needed to keep US factories operating and American workers in those plants on the job. It could also stop US exports now flowing through those ports, hurting sales for American companies.
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