Longshoreman Strike - East and Gulf Coast - now features TP shortages

[Dave Hess]

I can verify that there is a run on paper products. In Costco today and they were out of TP and PT. He said more would be in tomorrow and he thought it was because of the strike. Then he added that all their paper products are made here. What happens when/if things get really tough in this country? All these wusses will go crazy.

I’ve said this before about 20 times here on BITOG.
If all the truckers shutdown for 3 days and no deliveries to grocery stores, no gas / diesel at the pumps the USA quickly turns into a real life Mad Max Thunderdome movie.

360 electrical substations damaged in recent hurricane and everyone on their own trying to survive with little help from government.

Helene death toll is at 190 and increasing daily…..

Hundreds of long haul truckers from across the USA headed to affected areas with recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Bob the long haul trucker from Michigan headed south with Caterpillar earth moving equipment…

 

[SHOZ]

Not like TP comes from overseas.....

 

[loneryder]

" Under the union's proposal, workers would make $44 for the first year of the contract, $49 for the second and up to $69 in its final year. "

So $90,000 to start and $143,000 with experience.

I guess I'll be the one to ask. What is so special about that job that demands that high of a compensation?

They are making $77k now. They want more.

 

[loneryder]

I’ve said this before about 20 times here on BITOG.
If all the truckers shutdown for 3 days and no deliveries to grocery stores, no gas / diesel at the pumps the USA quickly turns into a real life Mad Max Thunderdome movie.

360 electrical substations damaged in recent hurricane and everyone on their own trying to survive with little help from government.

Helene death toll is at 190 and increasing daily…..

Hundreds of long haul truckers from across the USA headed to affected areas with recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Bob the long haul trucker from Michigan headed south with Caterpillar earth moving equipment…

That is a big issue as there is absolutely no way China would allow majority ownership of foreign entities (any) over their ports.
China was using access to its market as a stick. That is changing and we should change our policies accordingly.

Do you think China will sell us back our ports?

 

[edyvw]

Do you think China will sell us back our ports?

China does not own ports. Port Authority owns ports. Port Authority leases ports. The question is: what do we do when leases are up for renewal? That is good news. We can use leases as a bargaining chip. Still, China would never allow leases to other companies unless that company is in joint venture with Chinese company and 51% or more stake is in Chinese hands. As the Chinese market becomes weaker (and that is happening right now), we have more leverage. They need to sell stuff too, etc.

 

[loneryder]

China does not own ports. Port Authority owns ports. Port Authority leases ports. The question is: what do we do when leases are up for renewal?

You must be thinking about NY. China does own some of our ports.

 

[edyvw]

You must be thinking about NY. China does own some of our ports.

Very, very few are in actual foreign hands. Major ports are all owned by Port Authority. SMaller ones are sold as it was difficult to justify their operation. But all major ones are still owned by the government. Take into consideration that in the US, airports are also government-owned and operated, unlike in Europe, for example, etc.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Crisis, what Crisis.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

The couple gas stations by me jumped 6 cents from yesterday.

I went to BJ's on the way home from work to get stuff so I could make Pot Pie for the family. They had located some skids of TP and paper towels up by the registers. I knew my wife had said "next trip" get some of each (as well as facial tissues and napkins) for our normal supply stock so I did. Then I got to the chicken area and it was basically empty . Worker was just bringing out a couple boxes of one brand, not Perdue and said deliveries didn't arrive and they had a large run on everything like it was C19 all over again. I got a 4+lb of chicken and the other things I needed and went home.

5 hours later wife gets home and asks if I bought lunch meat and detergent? Nope, wasn't on my list of stuff needed for dinner so I went to the other BJ's closer to my house (I pass 2 on the way home, 3rd is closer to house). Chicken was gone, meat area very slim, very low on paper towels and I think about 1 1/2 skid of only beach towel thickness Charmin. Rest of the racks in the area were cleared like the picture from NJ Costco posted.

 

[Pablo]

I’m not going to the store here to find out the nuts are loose again

Not only are we well stocked we have Canada for back up

Seriously though we went to Costco on Monday. They had huge quantities of TP. I was suspicious

 

[spackard]

Watch some Sal Mercogliano What’s Going On With Shipping
https://youtube.com/@wgowshipping
I think he’s pretty neutral, leaning towards the workers.
At least it’s a lot better than MSM.

 

[Lubener]

The President will likely seek a court order to enact the Taft- Hartley Act.

I think the union demands are ridiculous.

 

[nickaluch]

With union negotiating the union starts high port companies start low with time they will meet somewhere in the middle sometimes a strike is needed to accomplish this. Port workers live close to the coast in suburbs outside major cities cost of living is high. Salaries reflect this cost they are not living as good as you think. My friend is a port worker just living a normal middle class life in the suburbs of NYC.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The President will likely seek a court order to enact the Taft- Hartley Act.

I think the union demands are ridiculous.

Definitely not before a certain date in November, hence the craziness of their demands. Use your leverage when you have it - because you usually do not.

Even after, pretty hard to justify National Security on Chinese trinkets. I could see an order to specifically pull out medical containers, then reload the ships.

 

[SC Maintenance]

With union negotiating the union starts high port companies start low with time they will meet somewhere in the middle sometimes a strike is needed to accomplish this. Port workers live close to the coast in suburbs outside major cities cost of living is high. Salaries reflect this cost they are not living as good as you think. My friend is a port worker just living a normal middle class life in the suburbs of NYC.

I am 100% for people getting as much money as they can negotiate. However the port of NY/NJ is literally the only one that meets that description. Savannah, Jacksonville, Houston, Delaware, Virginia, Charleston are all fairly average cost of living places.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I’m not going to the store here to find out the nuts are loose again

Not only are we well stocked we have Canada for back up

Seriously though we went to Costco on Monday. They had huge quantities of TP. I was suspicious

Well the west coast ports are open, so if there is a run there that means there doubly crazy. Still would not surprise me.

During peak 2020 toilet paper shortage the local Tienda had those huge commercial TP rolls, wrapped in their paper cover marked "for commercial use only" on them, on sale. When things get crazy seek out someone that grew up in the third world. They will have it figured out for you already.

 

[SC Maintenance]

China does not own ports. Port Authority owns ports. Port Authority leases ports. The question is: what do we do when leases are up for renewal? That is good news. We can use leases as a bargaining chip. Still, China would never allow leases to other companies unless that company is in joint venture with Chinese company and 51% or more stake is in Chinese hands. As the Chinese market becomes weaker (and that is happening right now), we have more leverage. They need to sell stuff too, etc.

I believe your mixing up Ports and Terminals.

The "port" is owned by the Port Authority. The Port includes all the land and harbor, etc. For example the South Carolina Port Authority owns Port of Charleston and additionally a number of inland ports.

The "Terminal" is the facility that unloads the ship - cranes, vehicles, storage, etc. They typically lease the land under them from the Port Authority but own the equipment. COSCO for example is a state owned Chinese shipping company, and they used to own a number of terminals on the West Coast, not sure if they do still?

Port of Charleston is a mix - the PA owns some of the terminals, and some are private but I don't think any are Chinese. I believe Port of Savannah owns all their terminals - but their unique.

It doesn't really bother me if the Chinese own the terminals - since what's under them is leased anyway, and as mentioned if things got too bad we could just seize them.

 

[pbm]

I saw on television that this 'union leader' is reported to have mob ties. He certainly sounds like a mobster.
I'd begin automation of those facilities ASAP if I were management.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

They are negotiating with foreign countries many of whom don't like us.

Okay so how does that actually translate into what's going on at the terminals? Do you remember when Reagan fired the ATC's who went on strike?

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

" Under the union's proposal, workers would make $44 for the first year of the contract, $49 for the second and up to $69 in its final year. "

So $90,000 to start and $143,000 with experience.

I guess I'll be the one to ask. What is so special about that job that demands that high of a compensation?

They're also asking for guarantees against automation. The WSJ ran an article suggesting that the US is the only country which hasn't embraced automation at shipping terminals.