(ABC 6 News) — On Tuesday morning, tens of thousands of workers walked off their jobs as part of the first dockworker strike in nearly 50 years.

Related: 45,000 dockworkers likely to go on strike

From Maine to Texas, nearly 47,000 employees have joined the strike. The union is asking for a 77% wage increase over six years and limiting automation equipment use.

A nearly 50% pay increase as well as a pledge to keep limits on automation is currently on the table.

Until the strike ends, items like fresh fruit, clothes, machinery, and medicine won’t be loaded on or off container ships.

The strike affects 14 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts that are responsible for more than half of the cargo ships heading into other countries.

The strike could cost the U.S. economy up to $7.5 billion in one week alone.