With grocery lists to pen and holiday shopping to plan, U.S. shoppers may soon be met with empty store shelves due to a nationwide strike that some experts say could strangle the country's supply chain for an array of products .
While fears of desolate storefronts and toilet paper stockpiles echo the distant days of the early COVID-19 pandemic, the potential lack of product availability is this time linked to a thousands-strong strike by port workers, causing a devastating effect on international shipping for the United States.
Here's what to know about the port worker strike and how it could affect you:
What is the longshoreman strike?
Thirty-six East Coast and Gulf Coast ports have shut down due to 45,000 union workers walking off the job Oct. 1, marking the first strike by the International Longshoremen's Association since 1977.
Why are the port workers going on strike?
Thousands of port workers went on strike after labor negotiations over higher pay and protections against automation reportedly stalled between the International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance.
What items are affected by the port strike? Is there panic buying?
The ports handle about half of U.S. ocean imports , including food, clothing, auto parts, cars shipped via container and holiday toys, according to experts interviewed by USA TODAY.
Due to the labor stoppage, a wide variety of products - including bananas, electronics, auto parts, pharmaceuticals and alcohol - may be impacted either by a lack of availability or a price boost.
Is there a toilet paper shortage in 2024?
Yes, toilet paper may be more difficult to come by on shelves right now — but it's not due to the strike. At least, not directly.
Instead, the lack of toilet paper is due to panic buying by worried shoppers, according to a report by CNN. While the U.S. toilet paper supply is mostly dominated by domestic factories, nationwide talk of the port strike may shore up bad memories of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing shoppers to unnecessarily stockpile.
Will gas prices, supplies be affected by the port strike?
No; or at least, not yet.
On the first day of the strike, the U.S. Department of Energy released a statement that the strike "will not have any immediate impact on fuel supplies or prices."
The department added that it is working with the White House and other government agencies to "continue partnering with oil and gas companies, as well as electricity generators and utilities, to monitor operations and supply chains."
The agency ended its message by urging all parties to "come to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith—fairly and quickly."
When will the port strike end?
It is unclear when the strike could end, but its impact on the U.S. economy, where some economists estimate the labor stoppage potentially costing up to $5 billio n a day as imports and exports are blocked, could provide a stressor to expediate near future negotiations.
Reach reporter Rachel Smith at rksmith@courierjournal.com or @RachelSmithNews on X, formerly known as Twitter. Reporter Medora Lee contributed to this reporting.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Will 2024 port worker strike cause store shortages in Indiana? What to expect
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