People are back at it again, unnecessarily hoarding toilet paper and paper towels.
No, there isn’t another pandemic coming (at least not that we know of), but port workers have gone on strike, inciting panic within some communities over the goods they’ll be able to regularly access.
What is the port strike?
At the start of the month, the International Longshoremen’s Association—which includes more than 45,000 dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas—went on strike over concerns about wages and looming automation, AP News reported.
This is the first time the union has gone on strike since 1977.
The union began negotiations asking for a 77% pay increase over the next six years of their contract to make up for inflation and years of small raises. ILA members’ base salary is $81,000 a year, but those who do a lot of overtime can earn over $200,000.
The union also asked for a complete ban on automation.
While the strike won’t immediately affect the consumer market, if it lasts more than a few weeks, it will severely impact the supply chain, potentially inflating costs.
It will have a most immediate effect on perishable imports like bananas and other fruits, seafood, and coffee grown outside the U.S., but later on, it could impact everything from toys to cars to seasonal items like Christmas trees.
The Biden administration said it would not intervene on behalf of suppliers, effectively backing the union’s position. Instead, they’re pressuring port employers to raise salaries to secure a deal with the workers and end the strike, Reuters reported.
“They made incredible profits, over 800% profit since the pandemic, and the owners are making tens of millions of dollars from this,” President Joe Biden told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s time for them to sit at the table and get this strike done.”
Costco employee speaks out
“This is a friendly PSA from a Costco employee. You guys don’t need to hoard paper towels and toilet paper. You don’t need to stock up on it. You don’t need to overbuy it,” Em (@dudeshesgay) says in a trending clip.
In her viral TikTok, which has more than 220,000 views, Em explains that those products are made in the United States, so there’s no risk of running out.
“It will not be affected by the port strike,” Em points out. “… It’s OK, we will have it.”
@dudeshesgay #strike #portstrike #panicbuying #internationallongshoremansassociation #psa ♬ original sound – Em
Is toilet paper really made in the U.S.?
Em is right, 99% of the tissue products used in the U.S. are made in the country. The only thing that is imported is eucalyptus pulp from Brazil. The short fibers help make the toilet paper soft and absorbent, North Carolina State reported.
Ronalds Gonzalez, an associate professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials at NC State pointed out that people panic buying toilet paper is a bigger threat to the supply than the port strike right now.
“People need to calm down and stop buying more than what they need,” Gonzalez said. “If they can do that, inventories will increase and remain stable.”
Commenters react
“Costco needs to put a limit on certain items – maybe that’ll help a bit. I went to buy some yesterday just for a regular use and there was none,” a top comment read.
“The problem is around how quick the pricing will be increasing even at the wholesale stores,” a person said.
“Me, being almost out of both and just wanting my normal supply but not wanting to be anywhere near Costco right now,” another chimed in.
The Daily Dot reached out to Em for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Costco via email.
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