Employers, Watchmen at California Ports Extend Contract Talks

The Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports employer group and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 26 extended their bargaining deadline through November 20, averting a potential strike by about 2% of workers at the busiest US container port complex.

Related: LA Port Strike Risk Pushed to Friday as Labor Talks Continue

• The Pacific Maritime Association said on Friday that additional talks were scheduled with the union representing about 250 maritime watchmen at the ports.
• Local 26 did not immediately return a request for comment.
• The union watchmen control and inspect truck and employee entries at terminal gates, provide terminal security and guard and track critical cargo crossing the docks.
• A strike by the ILWU watchmen would disrupt operations at terminals that handle roughly 85% of the cargo at Long Beach and 33% at Los Angeles, PMA said.
• The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports each reported all-time cargo volume records for September. Those shipments included retail goods for holiday sales, equipment for AI data center construction and auto parts.

(Reporting by Brettell; Editing by Sergio Non and Tomasz Janowski)