According to a CNBC article, many dock workers at the port of Liverpool have been striking over wage negotiations since September. Several multinational companies that operate in or through Liverpool are under immense pressure due to the effect these strikes have caused. Ford Motors, which has a strong presence in the city, has been deeply affected as unfulfilled orders pile up, and many major British retailers like Lidl and Asda are also struggling to get goods into the city.
Strikers are adamant that they will not return to work until their pay rises to match the British pound's recent inflation. British ports serve as a major point of transit for international trade across the Atlantic Ocean, and many American businesses are worried that this could spell trouble for their exports and imports to and from the UK and Europe.
Experts from global trade data provider ImportGenius revealed that goods affected by this trade freeze include Ford auto parts, whiskey, furniture, copy ink, and more. Authorities are unsure how soon this situation will resolve, with estimates saying the quarrel is unlikely to end before Q2 2023. Many American businesses are looking elsewhere in the meanwhile, with furniture sales from China projected to rise.
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