Creighton University Economist Ernie Goss says if the Longshoreman’s strike that started this week continues for long, it will be a drag on the economy in this area. He says it will have big impacts across the Nation, but particularly for agriculture and manufacturing for this part of the country. A survey came out yesterday of manufacturers in this part of the country, including Kansas, indicating that the supply managers have built up inventories, to some degree, over the course of September just in case there was a strike.
The last time the Longshoreman went on strike was 1977 and it lasted 44 days. Goss says a strike that long would be punishing to the AG economy and the manufacturing economy Goss says he doubts they will get the 77% raise they are looking for, but he expects a big jump in pay for those already making up to $200,000 a year. He also doesn’t expect President Biden to invoke any type of Presidential act to end the strike, at least in the short term.
