A labor slowdown is plaguing critical West Coast ports as workers refuse to turn up amid labor negotiations – stoking fears of a looming supply chain crisis.
Though no strike is currently underway, several major ports along the West Coast, including the Port of Oakland, the Los Angeles Port, and the Port of Long Beach have been effectively shut down in recent days as dock workers fail to show up to work.
Workers who unload shipping containers are protesting as their union engages in wage negotiations with port management.
Experts warned the backlog could take weeks to clear, risking shortages of back-to-school and holiday products on store shelves – and could even push up prices, according to an NBC Today Show report.