GEORGIA, USA — UPDATE: The dockworker strike was suspended with a tentative agreement on Thursday evening. 11Alive is reaching out to Kroger to see if and how that changes the grocery chain's policy.
Original story below
Another major grocery store chain has announced plans to address possible supply shortages as thousands of dockworkers strike at major East Coast and Gulf Coast ports.
Shoppers are in some instances starting to "panic buy," even though, should the strike continue, consumers won't likely notice shortages for at least a few weeks.
Kroger on Thursday told 11Alive's Liza Lucas that they will start to set purchase limits on certain products, including paper towels, toilet paper and water.
"To ensure all customers have access to what they need, we have proactively and temporarily set purchase limits per customer on certain products, including paper towels, toilet paper and water," the company said in a statement.
Kroger has not at this point outlined the exact limits on each of those items.
The grocery store chain's statement comes after Publix told 11Alive that it is not at this time instituting purchasing limits on any items. The company added it was well-positioned to avoid any disruptions amid the dockworker strike.
What products are affected by port strikes?
Experts said it depends on how long the strike lasts, but consumers could notice some perishable items, like bananas, disappearing from the grocery store quicker than others.
Other items that are at risk of having supply shortages:
- Cherries
- Cocoa
- Sugar
- Imported wine
- Beer
- Hard liquor
Most experts said that at this time of year, most other fruits and vegetables are domestically grown and not processed at ports.
Why are port workers going on strike?
Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen's Association are demanding an annual $5/hr pay hike over a six-year contract.
The members also demand that the current ban on fully automated equipment remain in place.
According to the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents major shipping lines, said that it has offered wage increases of more than 50% over the six-year contract.
The two sides haven't held negotiations since June. A strike by the ILA workers would be the first by the union since 1977.
So far, it does not look like a deal between the union and the organization has made any significant progress.
Georgia's major port, in Savannah, is among the 14. Others in the Southeast include Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, New Orleans, Charleston, Mobile, Alabama and Wilmington, North Carolina. Ports in Houston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, New York/New Jersey, and Norfolk, Virginia are also impacted.