Supply chains are indeed complicated. There are no no on/off switches. Managers need to know where to find alternative sources of their inputs. Some have foresight to ready for a supply chain disruption; others have heads in the sand.

I would quibble with your assertion that ports cannot find workers because they pay minimum wage. Many port positions are highly skilled blue collars workers with lots of training and experience. One does not find much of this talent on the street--in the same a business can find and train a hotel cleaner or burger flipper. I would say most port workers are earning at least $20/hr. If they are operating the real heavy duty equipment, they are probably earning $40/hr. Maybe more, ports are usually heavily unionized.

Long-distance truck drivers or truckers are a different story. They too are not making minimum wage. They probably pull in $50,000 to $100,000 a year. But the family life takes a big hit.

The industry will need to pay more to fill those spots. And eventually the consumer pays for that raise. Truckers deserve it, but they are not destitute in the same way minimum wage workers are.

Eventually the shortage of truck drivers should drive up the wages--if the free market is allowed to work its magic. Methinks big business is making noise to look for a government subsidy rather than pay its truck drivers more.