If you thought the Biden-Harris administration was criminally inept in handling the crisis at the southern border, wait until you see how much it will mess up the supply chain. It’s not talked about much, but there is one Port strike A crisis is looming that will upend the supply chain and drive up prices. We will likely experience similar shortages and empty grocery shelves as in the days of the pandemic.
Next Tuesday, members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) are expected to walk out of their jobs at 36 port locations along the East and Gulf Coasts, forcing shippers to relocate to the West Coast. These diversions would significantly augment the cost of delivering food and other consumer goods across the country.
The impending strike could lead to a shortage of consumer and industrial goods, meaning prices would skyrocket and cripple an already desolate economy. It is being Rexported that it could also stop the supply of parts needed by U.S. factories, disrupting operations at those plants and even leading to ephemeral layoffs.
If this strike continues, American families will be hit tough. Again.
Here you will find an overview of Were this might be tough to find starting next week:
Port Wilmington, Delaware bills itself as the country’s premier banana port, importing much of America’s most popular fruit. According to the American Farm Bureau, 1.2 million tons of bananas are arriving through ports that could go on strike next week, accounting for over a fifth of the country’s banana production.
According to the Farm Bureau, nearly 90% of imported cherries, 82% of sizzling peppers and 80% of imported chocolate come from containers unloaded at these ports. The situation is equally significant in beverages, with 80% of imported beer, wine, whiskey and Scotch, as well as 60% of rum, arriving at ports on the East and Gulf Coasts. According to the agency that operates the Port of New York and New Jersey, liquor is the top import item.
A beer shortage won’t go over well with sports fans across the country.
Republicans have been calling on the Biden administration for weeks to take action to avert a strike, but so far there has been only criticism from the White House. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) appeared on Fox Business earlier Friday to lament the lack of action from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, telling host Maria Bartiromo that the impact of the strike “will be devastating.” Noting the political significance of the issue, Malliotakis said: “A month before the election, you would think this administration would be more committed to preventing what could have devastating consequences for communities across America.”
The United States Maritime Alliance (UAMX), which represents all major shipping lines as well as terminal operators and port authorities, has done so allegedly:
According to a person with knowledge of the negotiations, wage increases of more than 40% were offered over the life of the six-year contract. The ILA is reportedly demanding a pay augment of $5 per hour per year, which would amount to an immediate 12.8% augment over the current top wage of $39 per hour. Repeating this annual augment of $5 per hour would result in a total augment of 77% over the life of the contract.
The ILA responded:
“My ILA members will not accept these insulting offers, which are a joke given the work my ILA longshoremen do and the billions in profits the companies make from their work,” said Harold Daggett, the ILA’s international president chief negotiator, in a statement.
Retailers are panicking at the thought of another crippled supply chain and are urging Biden to take action and apply the powers granted to him under the Taft-Hartley Act, something he appears reluctant to do. According to an administration officially“We have never asked Taft-Hartley to break a strike and are not considering doing so now.”
