US dockworkers launch coast-wide strike affecting global shipping and supply chains

Tens of thousands of dockworkers across the US East Coast and Gulf of Mexico went on strike on October 1, with the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) demanding a 77% pay rise over six years. The strike, which involves 36 ports from Maine to Texas, is expected to paralyze some 14 ports and cause delays in container traffic. The ILA has rejected a 50% pay rise offer over six years and promises of limits on automation from the US Maritime Alliance (USMX). The strike is the first coast-wide strike in almost 50 years and has thrown global supply chains into disarray, leading to higher costs for importers, distributors, and customers. The strike involves approximately 45,000 dockworkers and has been described as a significant challenge to the White House and Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign.