unions

As of Tuesday, a major labor strike at ports from the East Coast down to the Gulf Coast has started and could have considerable economic impact on Louisiana.

It will take a few months for ports such as Los Angeles and Long Beach — the nation's largest — to clear the backlog, which swelled as the two sides quarreled over a new deal.

But the ruling was limited to this particular segment of workers, and not private sector unions.

Labor officials say that move replaces good-paying union jobs with low-wage, nonunion workers.