Fears grow supply chain crunch is coming as workers at critical West Coast ... trends now
A labor slowdown is plaguing critical West Coast ports as workers refuse to turn up amid labor negotiations - stoking fears of a looming supply chain crisis.
Though no strike is currently underway, several major ports along the West Coast, including the Port of Oakland, the Los Angeles Port, and the Port of Long Beach have been effectively shut down in recent days as dock workers fail to show up to work.
Workers who unload shipping containers are protesting as their union engages in wage negotiations with port management.
Experts warned the backlog could take weeks to clear, risking shortages of back-to-school and holiday products on store shelves - and could even push up prices, according to an NBC Today Show report.
West Coast Ports, including the Port of Oakland (pictured), have been experiencing closures as dock workers 'no show' at their jobs while their union negotiates a new contract with the port managers
Stoppages spread down the coast at the end of last week and are now impacting the Port of Los Angeles, including Fenix Marine, the APL terminal, and Port of Hueneme, which processes automobiles and perishables.
Forty percent of the country's imported goods arrive at LA-area ports. The Port of Los Angeles alone processes $440billion in cargo value per year.
Truck drivers have been turned away at the Los Angeles shipping sites, which could quickly begin to impact US consumers.
The dock workers' union - the International Longshore and Warehouse Union - said talks with the Pacific Maritime Association have 'not broken down' but that 'we aren’t going to settle for an economic package that doesn’t recognize the heroic efforts and personal sacrifices of the ILWU workforce that lifted the shipping industry to record profits.'
The ports and unions have been engaged in contract negotiations for the past year. In April, the parties announced they had reached a tentative agreement around certain issues, but did not disclose details.
CNBC reported that 'major progress' has been made between the parties, but issues including wages, safety, automation, and
