America could soon be faced with empty fruit shelves and skyrocketing prices as 45,000 dockworkers threaten to walk off the job.
The looming strike, which is set to begin on Oct. 1, could paralyze major East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, ultimately impacting U.S. supplies of popular fruits including bananas, as well as plywood and other products.
Americans eat more bananas per capita than any other fresh fruit, with a whopping two-thirds of them arriving through the threatened ports.
The International Longshoremen’s Association, led by Harold Daggett, is demanding a massive 80 percent wage increase over six years.
America could soon face empty fruit shelves and skyrocketing prices as 45,000 dockworkers threaten to walk off the job
The threatened strike, set to begin Oct. 1, could paralyze major ports on the East Coast and Gulf Coast, ultimately affecting U.S. supplies of popular fruits including bananas, as well as plywood and other items.
“A sleeping giant is poised to roar on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, if there is no new Master Contract Agreement,” Daggett said.
They argue that workers are entitled to a share of the profits that shipping companies have made during the pandemic.
There is also an ongoing debate about automation, which threatens to completely derail the negotiations.
Industry experts say a week-long work stoppage could cost the economy as much as $7.5 billion, the Orange County Register.
It comes at a critical time as the US economy struggles with persistent inflation and a slowing labor market.
Peter Kopke Sr., an importer of fruits and vegetables, emphasized the costs of the strike.
The International Longshoremen’s Association, led by Harold Daggett (pictured), is demanding a massive 80 percent wage increase over six years
Industry experts warn a week-long work stoppage could cost the economy as much as $7.5 billion
“Any fruit that comes in after October 1st will go in the trash,” Sr. Kopke told the outlet. “And all the people who invested in that business will lose a fortune.”
It’s not just bananas that are at risk.
Port Wilmington, Delaware, a major hub for Dole and Chiquita, is the country’s main gateway for several types of imported fruits.
It includes all fruits, from Argentinian pears and New Zealand kiwis to Chilean grapes and Moroccan tangerines.
Experts warn that fruit prices could soar within weeks, potentially forcing some small businesses to close their doors for good.