NORFOLK, Va. — A strike by the International Longshoremen's Association was underway Tuesday from Maine to Texas.
The strike officially began at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Shortly after, some ILA members in Hampton Roads began picketing on the sidewalk outside the entrance to the Port of Virginia at the intersection of Hampton Blvd. and Terminal Blvd.
Watch: ILA members picket outside Port of Virginia amid strike
They could be seen carrying signs and using a bullhorn to talk about what they want. Some of the signs they had read, "Automation hurts families: ILA stands for job protection," and "Fight automation, save jobs: ILA demands job security."
ILA members also gathered to strike Tuesday at Virginia International Gateway in Portsmouth.
News 3 tried to talk to several of them, both in Norfolk and Portsmouth, but union leaders wouldn’t let any of them talk to News 3.
Tuesday, News 3 obtained a letter Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin sent to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris Sept. 26 about the strike.
The two page letter outlines some of the economic impacts the strike could have, including on the state’s two biggest industries — agriculture and forestry.
The governor said the industries would be "severely impacted" and urged the White House to act to stop a strike.
"You have a responsibility to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the entire country to do everything in your capacities as President and Vice President to make that happen," the Governor wrote in the letter.
President Biden has said the federal government would not step in to prevent a strike.
Tuesday evening, the governor doubled down in a statement, again urging the President to end the strike.
"The well-being of Virginia and American workers, as well as the health of our economy, depends on a swift resolution to this strike. A failure to lead will only drive-up prices, disrupt trade, and exacerbate the challenges already faced by Virginians and Americans," the statement said.
An economist News 3 talked with says the strike's impact will be primarily felt by port workers for the first week or two and then others will begin to feel the impact after that if the strike continues.
He doesn’t expect to see huge price increases at stores, though.
The strike comes as the ILA and United States Maritime Alliance continued to negotiate a new labor contract. The previous contract expired at midnight on Oct. 1.
Watch: ILA members demand better pay, restrictions on automation at ports during strike
The ILA represents the workers who get cargo on and off ships at ports. The Maritime Alliance represents the ports and shipping companies.
The ILA is demanding more money and restrictions on how automation can be used at ports.
Watch: Economist offers perspective on possible longshoremen strike
The Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies, filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against the ILA Sept. 26 to try to force the union to continue to negotiate.
At the time, the two sides appeared to be at a stalemate.
On Monday, both sides released statements. The ILA accused the Maritime Alliance of preventing negotiations from moving forward "by refusing ILA’s demands for a fair and decent contract."
Watch: Port of Virginia shuts down Monday ahead of expected ILA strike
However, The Maritime Alliance indicated that progress seemed to have been made Monday.
"In the last 24 hours, the USMX and ILA have traded counter offers related to wages. The USMX increased our offer and has also requested an extension of the current Master Contract, now that both sides have moved off their previous positions," a statement said.
It goes on to say the Maritime Alliance's offer would increase wages by 50 percent, among other things.
The National Labor Relations Board confirmed with News 3 the Unfair Labor Practice Charge had been filed and said the Board was investigating the charge.
