Port Strike Could Cost the US Billions: Here’s What to Know

Port workers across the East Coast and Gulf have gone on strike starting Oct. 1.

A container ship departs the Port of Newark for the Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 30, 2024. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

U.S. East Coast and Gulf port workers went on strike on Oct. 1, halting the flow of about half the nation’s ocean shipping after negotiations for a new labor contract broke down over wages.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union, which represents about 45,000 port workers, was negotiating with the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group for a new six-year contract ahead of the deadline, which expired at midnight on Sept. 30.