Port strike: NY mom-and-pop shops fear empty shelves, surging costs
NEW YORK - The massive port workers’ strike entered its second day on Wednesday, with 45,000 workers from ports all along the East and Gulf Coasts off the job, demanding higher pay and better benefits.
With no new talks scheduled, the strike is causing significant disruptions to the supply chain, leaving local business owners concerned about the future.
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"I’ve never seen prices higher. In the 41 years I’ve been in business. And it’s only going to get higher," said Michael Costello, the owner of Hutchinson Farms in Eastchester.
Experts say the strike could potentially impact the delivery of a multitude of goods, from toys or artificial Christmas trees, to cars, plywood, coffee, fruit and vegetables.
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If drawn out, the strike would force businesses to pay shippers for delays and cause some goods to arrive late for peak holiday shopping season.
Costello has been regularly taking trips to Hunts Point Market to source fresh produce for his store for over 40 years, but now, he fears the strike may soon leave his shelves bare.
Hutchinson Farms sources a variety of produce from around the world, including papayas from Hawaii, mandarins from Uruguay and South Africa, mangos from Brazil, and pineapples from Costa Rica.
"I feel bad for the customers. The prices are tremendously high and they don't get that the margin is so slim. They think you’re price gouging, but in actuality you’re not," Costello said.
As ports remain blocked, local mom-and-pop markets like Costello's are feeling the pressure.
"If it goes two weeks, a month. It is going to spill into Christmastime. Prices that people buy for Christmas goods are going to go up," said supply chain expert Satish Jindel, president of ShipMatrix.
With five employees and their families relying on him, as well as a family of his own to support, Costello remains hopeful that an agreement will be reached soon.