A dockworkers’ strike set to begin Tuesday will shut down 14 major ports across the US East and Gulf coasts, causing significant trade disruptions ahead of the presidential election and holiday season.

Tens of thousands of International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) members will walk out over stalled contract negotiations.

President Biden, who has the power to pause the strike, is not planning to intervene, the BBC has reported.

The strike, centered on demands for higher wages and concerns about automation, could impact industries from agriculture to clothing, with an estimated $4.5 billion weekly hit to the US economy if it continues.

Written by B.C. Begley