Dockworkers strike at ports on East and Gulf Coasts
Beginning Tuesday, dockworkers walked out at a number of major U.S. ports, in a major event that hasn't happened in around half a century. The current dockworkers strike involves tens of thousands of dockworkers along the East and Gulf coasts of the United States. The strike began earlier this week and has led to the shutdown of ports that handle about half of all U.S. imports and exports.
The dockworkers, represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), are demanding higher wages and a ban on automation of cranes, gates, and container-moving trucks, and are also disputing a contract with the USMX (United States Maritime Alliance).
If the strike continues for more than a few weeks, it could lead to shortages and higher prices for goods, especially as the holiday shopping season approaches. There have been reports of some movements in the negotiations, but both sides have yet to reach an agreement.
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