BOSTON – There are now about 300 longshoremen in Boston on strikepart of the 25,000 union members who walked from Massachusetts to Texas on Tuesday.
A small group formed a picket line outside Conley Terminal, the main cargo port in South Boston, just after 12:01 a.m. as the International Longshoremen’s Association’s six-year contract with the United States Maritime Alliance expired. The port will remain closed until the strike ends.
How much do dock workers earn?
The union is demanding better wages and an end to automation taking over their jobs.
Longshoremen often earn six figures and with overtime that can amount to $200,000 per year.
But the big concern is that automation will take away those well-paying, blue-collar jobs.
Which products are affected by a port strike?
Depending on how long the strike lasts, it could impact business owners and the way you shop in-store.
In Boston Harbor, large container ships bring in furniture, household items, major appliances, auto parts, specialty foods, alcohol and more.
Store owners told WBZ-TV that some distributors had already warned them upcoming price increases if the strike lasts for weeks.
Consumers are unlikely to notice price increases or a lack of stock in the coming weeks. The problem is that once the strike ends and business rebounds, economists say it will take a few days to recover from each day of the strike.
This is the first strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports since 1977.
Kristina Rex
