Update!!

Dock workers come to agreement with 62% pay increase and work to resume on Oct 4.

Dockworkers on the East and Gulf coasts have gone on strike. While these coasts may seem far away, they are where we get winter produce and food items from places like Chili. As the strike started on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, one may not immediately realize the full implications their doings will have on our daily lives. However, within a couple of weeks, we could see a difference in the grocery stores.

Their Demands

They want an additional $5 per hour of work in each of the next six years, a 77% wage increase. While that may seem like a lot of pay increase, they do have a necessary job: unloading containers from ships. They also want assurances that their jobs will not be terminated due to robotics.

What Comes In At These Ports?

Our ports receive a variety of food items. Fruits like cherries and bananas are shipped. These could spoil if left in containers for more than two weeks. Chocolate and coffee are also shipped. They can last a little longer. Seafood, however, is also shipped through the ports. It cannot stay frozen forever. New cars also pass through these docks.

Some shipments can be turned to Mexico or Canada before crossing the US border.

Missouri?

While most stores tried to stock up for this strike, a store can only hold a certain quantity of items. Will it be sufficient to last through the strike? Time will tell. One in Missouri can plan and adjust to necessary changes, especially as the holidays approach. One might expect prices to increase as the demands increase and supplies decrease. Preparation without panic is a key.