The ports of Savannah and Brunswick were closed for a second day Wednesday, the result of a longshoremen’s strike affecting ports along the East and Gulf coasts from Maine to Texas.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) is seeking a significant pay raise from the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), a shipping industry group representing terminal operators and ocean carriers, as well as an end to the use of automated cranes, gates and container-moving trucks in unloading or loading freight. 

“USMX brought on this strike when they decided to hold firm to foreign-owned ocean carriers earning billion-dollar profits at United States ports but not compensate the American ILA longshore workers who perform the labor that brings them their wealth,” Harold Daggett, president of the 85,000-member ILA , wrote in a statement posted on social media.

“We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve.”

The Georgia Ports Authority, which operates both the Savannah and Brunswick ports, said in a prepared statement it will reopen once the union and management reach an agreement.

“We enjoy a good working relationship with our local labor partners and are not involved in the contract negotiations in New Jersey,” the authority wrote.

The Port of Savannah is the second-busiest port on the East Coast and the fourth-busiest in the nation. The Port of Brunswick is the nation’s second-busiest for vehicle cargo.

If the first longshoremen’s strike since 1977 drags on for any length of time, prices on goods around the country could go up and potentially result in shortages at the start of the holiday shopping season.

Capitol Beat is a nonprofit news service operated by the Georgia Press Educational Foundation that provides coverage of state government to newspapers throughout Georgia. For more information visit capitol-beat.org.