A nationwide rush to stock up on essentials has begun as a labor dispute involving 45,000 East Coast port workers has brought operations to a standstill. The strike, which started on Tuesday, has led to shortages and long lines at stores across the country.
In Fort Worth, Texas, Shayna Turbovsky heeded a coworker’s warning about potential shortages and rising prices, stocking up on staples like meat, rice, beans, and toilet paper. “I’d rather be overprepared than scared,” she posted on social media, citing concerns about the impact of the strike on the supply chain, particularly in the wake of a recent hurricane in the southeast.
As the strike entered its third day, shelves were being cleared and people waited in long lines to buy items such as toilet paper, bananas and auto parts, News Nation reported on Thursday.
The strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) is in response to the failure to reach an agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), with the ILA seeking protections against automation-related job loss and hefty wage hikes.
Meanwhile, the USMX side said late Wednesday that it hoped to return to the bargaining table soon.
The stalemate is causing container ships to pile up outside major US ports. The strike is also threatening shortages of everything from bananas to auto parts.
Although the exact duration of the strike is unknown, economists warn that each day of the strike could cost the economy up to $5 billion per day as imports and exports are blocked.
The strike has closed 36 ports on the East and Gulf coasts, USA Today reported on Thursday.
Economists estimate that the strike could cost the economy up to $5 billion per day as imports and exports are blocked, Fox 10 reported.
An added note of reassurance came from the USA Today article, which claimed that America makes toilet paper, and therefore there is no need to panic.
Meanwhile, the stalemate has already hurt the economy, which is already struggling under President Joe Biden’s economy.
