A threatened Oct. 1 strike by dockworkers at ports on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico would immediately disrupt the flow of goods in the country, the North America chief executive of French container carrier CMA CGM said on Wednesday.

Imports of U.S. container cargo in August jumped 12.9% from a year ago as a summer volume surge delayed cargo at major ports

President Biden won't invoke a national security law to intervene if East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers go on strike at the end of the month amid an impasse in negotiations.

U.S. President Joe Biden does not intend to invoke a federal law to prevent a port strike on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico if dockworkers fail to secure a new labor contract by an Oct. 1 deadline,

Bargaining over pay and automation has stalled, causing a possible work stoppage. Big retailers may have an edge if supply chain woes return.

A strike starting Oct. 1 could shut down ports in Newark and the East Coast and upend the supply chain for billions of dollars of consumer goods.