Port of Oakland Shuts Down as Labor Contract Stalls West Coast Ports

Oakland port officials have said the labor dispute “needs to be settled … quickly” to avoid further economic harm as businesses suffer from cargo delays. “Central Valley farmers can’t ship their produce. Small business owners can’t get goods to put on the shelf. Harbor truckers can’t do their jobs. Everyone is suffering,” the port said in a statement on Wednesday. “If the situation worsens … if West Coast ports shut down, the U.S. economy and the global supply chain will be jeopardized.”