HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — There are some reports of panic buying in the Hampton Roads area the day U.S. dockworkers went on strike, which shut down ports on the East and Gulf coasts.
WAVY viewers have sent photos of long lines at a BJ’s Wholesale Club in Hampton, where some items like toilet paper were in shorter supply, and of a Walmart in Yorktown, where paper towels, water and other items were in low supply.
“I didn’t expect that everything was sold out — disinfectant sprays, almost like a little COVID,” said Hampton Roads resident Elizabeth Hollis.
It’s important to point out that while the strike is expected to have significant effects on the global supply chain, things like toilet paper and paper towels are mostly produced in the U.S., so supplies of those shouldn’t be impacted as much as imported products such as electronics and car and machinery parts.
“We’re looking to buy a car and now I’m wondering, are the prices going to be higher now that the inventory is going to be low, do we wait it out,” said Hampton Roads resident Deborah Franklin.
Experts say the grocery products that will impacted the most include things like bananas and tropical fruit (about 75% of bananas in the U.S. enter through East Coast and Gulf Coast ports), and imported alcohol like beer and wine from Europe, and Caribbean spirits like rum.
Overall, though, experts warn that while you might still be able to find items, companies will likely pass on the added costs associated with the snarled supply chain to consumers.
George Berry, a local trucker in Hampton Roads who heads the For Truckers by Truckers advocacy group, told WAVY Tuesday morning that consumers should start preparing for some things to be in shorter supply.
“I want the community to start preparing,” Berry said. “I want them to go get essentials. Not, you don’t have to rush, panic buy, but I do want them to have essentials at their house. Toilet paper, paper towels, things of that nature.”
It’s unclear when a deal could be made between International Longshoremen’s Association, the union that represents about 45,000 port workers, and the United States Maritime Alliance, whose contract ended at midnight Monday.
However, workers like Rodrick Riddick, a longshoremen in Portsmouth, are hopeful the strike will bring better wages and benefits for workers.
The union has demanded 77% pay raises over six years to help deal with inflation, along with a total ban on the automation of cranes, gates and container-moving trucks used in the loading or unloading of freight.
Virginia International Gateway ILA members gave 10 on Your Side this statement:
“Even though the ILA’s members worked tirelessly during the pandemic to ensure that the nation’s commerce flowed and continue to sacrifice time with their own families so that goods can arrive in the homes of other families throughout the world, still, due to corporate greed, employers refuse to compensate the ILA’s members fairly. Over the last several years, the net revenues of these companies have grown astronomically from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars while ILA members’ wage increases do not even cover the cost of inflation. The ILA is fighting for respect, appreciation and fairness in a world in which corporations are dead set on replacing hardworking people with automation. Employers push automation under the guise of safety, but it is really about cutting labor costs to increase their already exceptionally high profits. As the last six years have demonstrated, automation cannot outperform the skilled men and women of the ILA. Automation of our nations’ ports should be a concern for everyone; the truth is, robots do not pay taxes and they do not spend money in their communities. The ILA will continue to fight until its members receive the fair contract they deserve.”
Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued the following statement on the port workers strike on the East and Gulf coasts that jeopardizes the livelihoods of countless Americans and cripple supply chains nationwide:
“Every day this strike of Port Workers along the East and Gulf Coasts continues, the economic impacts intensify, affecting livelihoods, supply chains and prices. The economic fallout from the work stoppage at The Port of Virginia extends well beyond the Commonwealth, as the Port manages approximately $66 billion in essential imports, with nearly 60 percent destined for locations outside of Virginia. As a cornerstone of Virginia’s economy, the Port supports 10 percent of the gross state product and supports employment for over half a million jobs in Virginia. “The time for leadership is now, President Biden has the tools to remedy this situation for the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation, including utilizing provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act. The well-being of Virginia and American workers, as well as the health of our economy, depends on a swift resolution to this strike. A failure to lead will only drive-up prices, disrupt trade, and exacerbate the challenges already faced by Virginians and Americans,”
The strike overall is affecting 14 major ports in the East Coast and Gulf Coast, where more than 40% of total “containerized goods” enter the U.S.
Locally, the strike has shut down these port locations:
- Norfolk International Terminals
- Virginia International Gateway
- Newport News Marine Terminal
- Pinners Point Container Yard
- Portsmouth Chassis Yard
- Reefer Service Area
- The Damage Annex
The strike is expected to cost the U.S. economy up to about $5 billion per day, experts say.
If you experience empty shelves as a result of panic buying during the strike, please share any photos you took with WAVY, at this link, and we’ll add them to our coverage. Include the name and location of the store.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.