U.S. companies that rely on East and Gulf Coast seaports have been importing early, shifting goods to the West Coast, and even putting cargo on pricey flights to hedge against a threatened Oct. 1 strike that could jam supply chains and reignite inflation ahead of the U.

Businesses are preparing for a strike by dockworkers on the East and Gulf Coasts, which could begin Oct. 1 if negotiations don’t yield a new contract.

Dockers at 36 ports from Texas to Maine say they will walk off the job on October 1st after their contract expires. This is the first port labour dispute on the east coast since 1977. In recent years labour-related uncertainty has been more common on the west coast,

U.S. companies that rely on East and Gulf Coast seaports have been importing early, shifting goods to the West Coast, and even putting cargo on pricey flights to hedge against a threatened Oct. 1 strike that could jam supply chains and reignite inflation ahead of the U.

Failure to reach a new longshoremen contract deal risks many East and Gulf Coast ports closing before the year-end consumer spending push -- threatening billions in losses to businesses.

Just as US policymakers shift focus from curbing inflation to shoring up the job market, the economy faces a jolt that threatens the kind of supply-chain disruption and consumer discontent rife during the pandemic.

More than $2.4 billion worth of goods pass through New York and New Jersey's ports each week that are at risk with a possible dockworker strike next week.