About 250 watchmen at LA/Long Beach ports poised to strike Wednesday, raising congestion fears
Key points
- About 250 port watchmen may strike at 5pm Pacific on Wednesday if talks fail
- Watchmen have worked under extensions since their July 2025 contract expired; talks extended to November 4
- PMA says a stoppage would affect 85% of Long Beach and 33% of Los Angeles container traffic
About 250 watchmen who perform security duties at container terminals at the Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex are poised to walk off at 5pm Pacific on Wednesday if last-minute talks between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) fail. They have worked under extensions since their contract expired in July 2025, and talks were extended from November 1 to November 4. According to PMA, a stoppage would affect 85% of Long Beach and 33% of Los Angeles container traffic.
Original report: The Loadstar ↗Edited with AI assistance. Facts are based on official sources and original reports.