Costco's CEO said a port shutdown from a strike "could be disruptive," but the company has "taken as many preemptive measures as we could."

The ILA accuses shippers of “gouging” customers resulting in increased costs to American consumers. Shippers are now charging $30,000 for a full container, an increase from $6,000 a container just a few weeks ago, according to the ILA. “In just a short time they went from $6,000 to $18,000 to $24,000 and now $30,000,” the ILA said.

U.S. retailer Costco Wholesale is taking a wide variety of steps to prepare for possible strikes next week at U.S. ports on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico, the company's chief executive said on Thursday.

Costco and other retailers scramble to prepare ahead of Tuesday's threat to strike by longshore workers at ports along the East Coast and Gulf coast.

Longshore workers at ports along the East Coast and Gulf coast are threatening to strike by Tuesday. The impacts could be devastating