Dockworkers at ports from New England (including Conley Terminal in South Boston) to Texas began walking picket lines early Tuesday in a strike over wages and automation that, according to the Associated Press, could reignite inflation and cause shortages of goods if it goes on more than a few weeks.

The contract between the ports and about 45,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association expired at midnight, and even though progress was reported in talks on Monday, the workers went on strike. The strike, which affected 36 ports, is the first by the union since 1977.

The strike was expected to involve 25,000 workers, according to USMX, and close 14 ports: Baltimore; Boston; Charleston, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Miami; Houston; Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans; New York/New Jersey; Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia; Savannah, Georgia; Tampa, Florida; and Wilmington, Delaware.

The ports affected by the strike handle roughly half of the country’s ship cargo. Experts say the economic impact of a prolonged work stoppage could be steep, potentially raising the cost of consumer goods and creating shortages ahead of the holidays.

A one-week strike could cost the U.S. economy nearly $3.8 billion and increase the cost of consumer goods, according to the Conference Board.

For consumers and businesses, a longer strike could hamper shipments of products such as bananas, manufacturing components, plywood, and raw materials such as cotton and copper. Fresh meat and other refrigerated foods also could spoil, resulting in shortages and increased prices.