Less than 1 week remains until longshoremen go on strike, impacting NJ shipping ports

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Longshoremen are preparing for a possible strike that would go into effect in just five days. The strike would shut down shipping ports in New Jersey, New York and those all along the East Coast to the Gulf Coast. The threat of a strike is having an effect on activity at the ports, plus the labor talks. At Port Elizabeth, truck traffic on North Avenue-East has been getting worse as it gets closer to the strike deadline of Oct. 1. Once inside the port, there are long lines of trucks waiting to get through terminal checkpoints. Truck drivers continue to tell News 12 that they’re frustrated, saying the lines are intentional as workers slow their work inside the terminal. After waiting for hours in lines, drivers who are late for scheduled pickups are told to reschedule. Others are being told identification cards are suddenly not valid. RELATED: ‘It’s been a nightmare.’ Truck drivers say they’ll be out of jobs if longshoremen go on strike RELATED: 45,000 longshoremen prepare for possible October strike amid stalled talks RELATED: Longshoremen union threatens to go on strike Oct. 1 over wage dispute Meanwhile, there are currently no negotiations. The U.S. Maritime Alliance, also frustrated with the International Longshoremen, has taken a step to stop this strike. The organization has filed an “Unfair Labor Practice” charge. A spokesman for the USMA says it, “Requested immediate injunctive relief – requiring the Union to resume bargaining – so that we can negotiate a deal." Adding, "USMX has been clear that we value the work of the ILA and have great respect for its members.” The union says it wants a 77% wage increase. It also wants to keep away automation, which has become the norm in Europe. However, one economic analyst says the ILA will have to embrace it at some point. “Sooner or later automation is going to happen so we all just have to figure out how to take advantage of that while preserving the workforce,” says Professor Sunderesh Heragu, of Oklahoma State University. Labor analysts say consumers could go four weeks without any shortage of goods. But a six- to eight-week strike could pose a problem for the economy. If the longshoremen go on strike, it would be the first strike since 1977. "