Will port strike impact Westchester, Rockland? What we know

The Lower Hudson Valley is bracing for potential supply chain issues after thousands of dockworkers took to picket lines in New York, New Jersey and all across the east coast in the biggest dockworkers strike in 50 years.

Tens of thousands of International Longshoremen's Association workers from ports on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning after their last contract officially expired.

The union rejected the United States Maritime Alliance's final proposal, which ILA said in a statement "continues to block the path towards a settlement on a new Master Contract by refusing ILA’s demands for a fair and decent contract."

More: Which ports are striking in New York, New Jersey? See map

Are Lower Hudson Valley ports affected?

The Port Authority district encompasses 17 counties in a 25-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. This includes parts of lower Rockland and Westchester counties. However, officials said there are no active ports in either county that are operated by the Port Authority.

Despite the lack of ports in the immediate region, Rockland County Executive Ed Day said he is anticipating negative impacts to businesses in the area due to supply chain issues "similar to what we experienced during the pandemic."

“The scope of this strike has been described as potentially disastrous to the entire economy which includes every municipality within the United States of America. From delayed shipments to increased costs for essential goods, the disruption in our supply chains will affect businesses and consumers alike," Day said. "As we have seen before when the supply chain has been compromised, prices for everything including capital projects will skyrocket."

Day said he is calling on the Biden Administration to help workers and employers come to a solution "to avoid further impact on our community and economy."

However, the Biden Administration said in a statement Tuesday they do not intend to enact the Taft-Hartley Act, which would allow the federal government to end the strike through the courts and force the ports to reopen, while both bargaining parties return to the table during a "cool down" period.

"Collective bargaining is the best way for workers to get the pay and benefits they deserve," Biden said. "I have urged USMX, which represents a group of foreign-owned carriers, to come to the table and present a fair offer to the workers of the International Longshoremen’s Association that ensures they are paid appropriately in line with their invaluable contributions."

This is the first dockworkers strike since 1977, causing panic among manufacturers and consumers as the holiday buying season approaches.

According to reporting from USA TODAY, the strike could affect billions of dollars' worth of products and cause higher retail prices at a time where the economy is already feeling fragile to many Americans.

More: Dockworkers striking at NJ and NY ports have a unique weapon: state unemployment benefits

How does the strike affect New Yorkers?

According to Reuters, over 30 ships and nearly 10,000 containers of goods ranging from produce and clothing to machinery and medicine are expected to enter the Port of New York and New Jersey over the next week and would anchor in place in New York waters until the strike is over.

Regional dockworkers at affected ports will be on strike until further notice, according to the ILA. However, those aren't the only people who will be affected by the shakeup. Warehouse and factory employees could see a halt in their operations as no products come in and out of their locations, according to USA TODAY.

Fuel for home heating and gas, and municipal solid waste operations will continue as planned during the strike, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who said the state was working "around the clock" to get vital goods off the ships in ports before midnight Tuesday.

"New York is fully prepared for a strike," Hochul said. "While we're preparing for the worst, and that's what we're supposed to do in government, prepare for the worst, there is also some reassuring news. We don't anticipate shortages of essential goods anytime soon. So, for example, people do not need to rush out to the grocery store and stockpile goods like they did during the pandemic."

As a result of the strike, New Yorkers, especially within the Port Authority district, should be prepared to pay higher prices for many goods in the coming months, including fish, produce, electronics and even pharmaceuticals. The strike is expected to cost the economy close to $5 billion a day.

Holiday deliveries may also be affected, including slower wait times for packages and higher prices for deliveries, depending on how long the strike lasts.

Contributing: Reuters, USA TODAY and USA TODAY Network NY-Connect Team reporter Emily Barnes.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Will port strike impact Westchester, Rockland? What we learned