Port strike brings consumer worry about supply shortage in New Jersey
ELIZABETH, New Jersey (WABC) -- With tens of thousands of dockworkers at ports along the east and gulf coasts continuing to walk the picket lines, panic has already begun to set in among consumers in the Tri-State area.
At a Costco in Teterboro, New Jersey, people could be seen stocking up on the essentials, over fears that the strike could have impacts on the supply chain, especially if it lasts a long time.
"We are scared because we don't know, it's just going through COVID again, people rushing the stores, everybody's panicking and that's why I'm here today," said shopper Keith Scott.
"I came in at 9:30 a.m., I was waiting on line because I know people panic every time they hear something," said shopper Marlene Chedid.
Some shoppers are not panic shopping, but when you mix in the fact that the Jewish High Holy Days are here, the crowds are unusually large.
"I didn't come here because of the strike, I just came here because every month I come to Costco, but now there's people panic shopping," said shopper Luisa Mahouti.
In the meantime, the striking longshoremen are manning the picket lines for a second day in a row. It's estimated the U.S. economy is losing billions each day. The head of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association says this strike could hit small businesses in the state, hard and fast.
"The small business. It could get shut down quickly because they are relying on those things coming in on a daily basis," said President and CEO of NJBIA Michele Siekerka.
A graph from the New York Waterfront Commission from 2019 to 2020, shows the salaries of dockworkers in the Tri-State region, with some making hefty salaries. But workers say the numbers don't reflect the dangers of the job or take into account their work during COVID.
A technology expert says if the walkout persists, some popular holiday presents may not be in stock because of a semi-conductor shortage. Many of those items are shipped from overseas.
"This will determine whether or not there's a good holiday and a strong economy or a recession and Scrooge coming along and holding back the gifts that consumers love," said Gary Shapiro, CEO of Consumer Technology Association.
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