One alternative would be to sail to West Coast ports on the other side of the country, likely using the Panama Canal, a journey of thousands of miles that would hike costs and add weeks to delivery times. Bryan R. Smith / AFP - Getty Images fileThe ILA is seeking a big pay raise along with commitments to halt port automation projects it fears will kill jobs. The USMX had offered a 50% pay bump, but the ILA said it was insufficient to address its concerns. The strike affects 36 ports — including New York, Baltimore and Houston — that handle a range of containerized goods. Biden’s administration has repeatedly said it will not use federal powers to halt the strike.

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Persons: ”, Everstream’s Jena Santoro, Bryan R, Smith, USMX, ” USMX, “, Joe Biden’s, Morgan Stanley Organizations: International Longshoremen’s Association, Reuters, ILA, United States Maritime Alliance, Getty, Houston, National Retail Federation Locations: U.S, East Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast, Panama, Maine, Texas, Bayonne , New Jersey, AFP, New York, Baltimore