Port Strike Threat Shows Depth of Labor Unrest in Transportation

The first seaport workers strike since 1977 is poised to shut down ports from Maine to Texas, leveling the most disruptive show of worker force since the pandemic plunged the US supply chain into turmoil.

About 45,000 seaport will bring work to a standstill Tuesday unless a last-minute deal is reached, an unlikely prospect as longshoremen and importers remain locked in a standoff over wages and automation.

Nearly five years after the Covid-19 pandemic began, the dispute shows how profoundly it has reordered the transportation sector. Staffing shortages, high cargo volumes, and perceived pay inequality has weighed on workers.

But ...