Mitch McCann: US Correspondent tells us about US Ports major strike and how it impacts NZ

Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) are on strike Tuesday against the nation’s East and Gulf Coast ports.

They are demanding a $5/hour increase in pay every year for the next six years.

Mitch McCann, US Correspondent says that New Zealand exporters are likely to be affected by congestion and delays.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade at home advises exporters to stay in contact with the freight companies to see what options are available for them.

McCann told Ryan Bridge while the strike continues, they're also advised to keep in touch with the US customers to inform them about potential delays in the coming weeks.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The US President Joe Biden has just said there'll be
more sanctions to come on Iran. Mitch McCann is our
US correspondent is with us this morning. Hey, Mitch, morning Ryan,
How are you good? Thank you, Good to have you
on the show.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hey.

Speaker 1 (00:12):
The port strikes that are going on in the US
are going to impact us here in New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Yeah, they certainly are. Fifty thousand members of America's largest
port workers' unions and our own strike throughout US ports.
They are demanding a five dollars an hour increase and
pay every year for the next six years. They also
want guarantees around automation or semi automation because they want
to keep their jobs in the future. Wide a week here, well,
this is likely to cripple US ports on the East

(00:40):
Coast and New Zealand exporters are likely to be affected
by congestion and delays. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade at Home advises exporters to stay in contact with
their freight companies to see what options are available for them,
and while the strike continues, to also keep in touch
with their US customers to inform them about potential delays
in the coming weeks.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
And let's hope it doesn't for things too far. Let's
go to North Carolina. The death well, actually a number
of states have been impacted by this and the death
toll rising from Hurricane Helen.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah. Ryan, the images coming out of some of these
states affected by Hurricane Helene are devastating. It's now the
second deadliest hurricane to have the United States mainland in
fifty years, after Hurricane Katrina. The death told the stonern
stands at one hundred and eighty people. That's expected to rise.
The toll in North Carolina you just mentioned as ninety
one people, and Joe Biden, the President has now approved

(01:35):
one thousand active duty soldiers to assist in the response
in North Carolina. This is obviously still developing. Many people
are still missing. In fact, as of last night in
the state of Tennessee, eighty five people still missing after
this deadly hurricane.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Mitch. Thank you. Mitch mccanna, US correspondent.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
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Speaker 1 (01:55):
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