A union contract involving 45,000 port workers along the East Coast is set to expire at the end of the day on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. The workers are threatening to strike if a labor deal isn’t reached by then, putting 36 ports stretching from Maine to Texas at risk of shutting down.

White House officials on Thursday called for dockworkers and port operators to return to the bargaining table as time runs short to avoid the first major strike at shipping terminals along the East and Gulf coasts in nearly half a century.

Port workers could strike next week. The Virginia Port Authority has a plan. The Virginia Port Authority on Monday released its plan to stop cargo operations next week if a deal cannot be reached. If the strike occurs, the port authority said it plans to begin halting cargo operations on Monday.