Approximately 50,000 ILA union longshoremen were walking off the job at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on October 1 after failing to reach an agreement with ports ownership on a new contract.

Union dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas went on strike at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, putting coast-wide cargo in limbo.

Union dockworkers at ports across the U.S. began walking picket lines early Tuesday, snarling the movement of billions of dollars' worth of goods.