Transportation Port workers on the US East Coast go on strike

Five weeks before the US presidential election, a dockworkers' strike threatens to disrupt US foreign trade. Shortly after midnight (local time) on Tuesday, workers at many ports on the US East Coast walked off the job.

The strike was reported by the US television channel CNBC, among others. Even a new employer offer with an income increase of almost 50 percent could not avert the strike. The White House had urged the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) union and the employers' representative body USMX to reach an agreement.

Around half of the container handling in US foreign trade is handled via the East Coast ports. The strike by tens of thousands of members of the ILA union could therefore be felt relatively quickly - and cost several hundred million dollars a day.

ILA members load and unload ships and are responsible for the maintenance of port equipment. The union points to the billions in profits in container shipping.

According to the Wall Street Journal, it demanded a 77 percent increase in income over a period of four years during the negotiations. Another key demand is protective measures against automation, which could lead to job losses.