Experts try to calm consumer's concerns as port worker strike enters second day
BALTIMORE, Md. - As operations at ports along the East and Gulf coasts remain at a halt, businesses and consumers are bracing for the possible impact on goods if worker strikes last for weeks.
Wednesday marked the second day of the strike over higher wages and automation agreements, though experts said consumers aren’t likely to feel the impact unless the walkout lasts for more than two weeks. That is because businesses likely took steps to blunt the impact with the holiday shopping season coming up, experts said.
At Rodman’s, co-owner Nolan Rodman said a lot of the merchandise for their stores in Maryland and D.C. that were ordered in February and March have already arrived. However, there are still items on the way.
"There’s a little bit of indecision with what’s going to happen with that stuff at this time," Rodman said. "We had vendors coming up to us last week talking to us about it. Some wine vendors and some other vendors that imported some goods. So, obviously, nobody knows the extent of what’s going to happen. Everyone is trying to remain calm until further notice."
READ MORE: Baltimore port workers join nationwide strike after union contract expires
Rodman said because many of their imported items for the holidays have already arrived, he feels that their business is in good shape. Some items will inevitably run out of stock but he noted that does happen from time to time, even if the labor strike was not happening.
"We’ve been contacting vendors about items that are very important for us to understand ‘what your stock on this? What is your level of procurement on these items? Are you able to get this? Do you have enough?’ We have good transparency into the items that we want and need," he said.
The dozens of sites affected from Maine to Texas handle shipments including car parts, machinery, food, and other goods. Port of Wilmington, for example, is considered to be a top banana port in North America and typically receives more than 16 million cases of fresh Chilean fruit annually.
Fruit is displayed in the produce section of a supermarket in Manhattan, New York, on January 27, 2024.
In a statement, food distributor Sysco said canned and frozen products, including seafood, are likely to be most impacted by the port strike.
"However, this could also help boost some domestic suppliers. We will continue to monitor the situation and respond accordingly as an essential business that provides food services to some of the most critical organizations in our communities, including schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Our priority is to deliver products to the communities we serve so we have robust business continuity plans and emergency preparedness processes in place. As the largest food distribution company to food-away-from home businesses, we have the capability and resources to focus on readiness and resiliency," a statement to Fox 5 Wednesday evening reads.
Shoppers FOX 5 spoke with said they’re hopeful the strike will end soon and not force costs to rise.
READ MORE: Port strike panic buying? Costco toilet paper frenzy making the rounds on social media
"Of course, we all worry about the price of anything going up. It’s already expensive as it is. Nobody is really trying to think about the price going up again," Marco Kamulete of D.C. said. "Everyday life people, we don’t have much money, so it’s a little worry. We are hoping it doesn’t get that far."
Nancy Schewermann of Maryland said she has concerns.
"I think prices are going to go up, because from the history of the pandemic, we know breaking the supply chain like that forces things to be off the shelves, forces people to panic, forces prices to go up," Schewermann said. "Hopefully it won’t last that long. Hopefully, the people will make the right decision and pay the dock workers what they need to be paid and I’m a firm believer that the people at the top don’t need to be paid million-dollar bonuses and can spread it to the people at the bottom."
Dockworkers strike at the Bayport Container Terminal in Seabrook, Texas, on October 1, 2024. Officials at 14 ports along the US East and Gulf Coasts were making last-minute preparations on September 30 for a likely labor strike that could drag on the
Another man FOX 5 spoke with his concern heavily lies with the impact on construction, given his line of work.
"Currently, I’m doing a lot of pre-construction stuff so right now, I’m not too deep in it. But in actual projects going on, it’s huge because materials from overseas will get delayed from that. That causes a huge thing, because the biggest thing is we need this to get done, etc., so that holds up a whole bunch of other things, which creates further delays," he said.
READ MORE: Port strike 2024: Which products could face shortages, price hikes?
According to the Department of Energy, the strike will not impact crude oil, gasoline, natural gas and other liquid fuel exports or imports because they are handled by other workers.
This week, the National Retail Federation called on the Biden administration to use "any and all" authority to end the strike.
"A disruption of this scale during this pivotal moment in our nation’s economic recovery will have devastating consequences for American workers, their families and local communities. After more than two years of runaway inflationary pressures and in the midst of recovery from Hurricane Helene, this strike will result in further hardship for American families," a statement reads in part. "The administration must prioritize our economy — and the millions of Americans who depend on it for their livelihood and well-being — and intervene immediately to prevent further hardship and deeper economic consequences."
A letter from the National Retail Federation and more than 270 trade associations was sent to the administration on Wednesday urging for action to end the strike.