Cargo sent in shipping containers could come to a crawl for many East Coast and Gulf ports, including PortMiami and Port Everglades.

A strike at these 36 ports would be the first since 1977. More than 68% of container exports and more than 56% of container imports flow through East and Gulf Coast ports, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.

The ports along the East and Gulf Coasts of the United States could shut down within hours due to a potential dockworkers strike over wage and automation concerns. And it could have a serious effect on the U.

Tens of thousands of port workers up and down the East Coast were threatening to walk off the job at midnight. CBS News New York's Lori Bordonaro reports.

A port strike seems to be on the horizon, and Wall Street is quickly calculating possible winners and losers. Bargaining for a new six-year contract between dockworkers, represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association,