Strike Threat Looms at Eight Los Angeles, Long Beach Port Terminals

A labor dispute involving port watchmen could disrupt operations at eight marine terminals in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as early as November 1, just weeks after the nation’s busiest container port complex reported record cargo volumes.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 26 has warned fellow maritime unions that its members may go on strike when the latest extension of their labor agreement expires on Sunday.

In an October 23 letter, Local 26 President Luisa Gratz said the union has been engaged in unsuccessful contract negotiations with employers and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) since 2025.

“Although PMA has recently requested Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service’s participation, and Local 26 agreed, nothing of value has resulted from the Union’s commitment to bargaining in good faith with our employers and PMA,” Gratz wrote.

The union said it has been operating under a series of contract extensions since last year, with the latest set to expire November 1.

The eight affected terminal locations are APM Terminals (APMT), Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT), Total Terminals International (TTI), SSA at C-60, A-90, LB 206, Pacific Container Terminal (PCT), and OH 55.

The strike threat comes at a particularly busy time for the Southern California ports. Los Angeles and Long Beach both set all-time monthly cargo records in September, handling a combined 2.04 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) as strong imports and shifting global trade patterns drove cargo through the complex.

The record volumes capped an unusually extended peak shipping season that has stretched well into the fall. However, the National Retail Federation expects imports to slow as the holiday shipping rush winds down, forecasting volumes at major U.S. container ports to decline from 2.25 million TEUs in October to 2 million in November.

Local 26 represents maritime security employees and watchmen responsible for security-related duties at marine terminals, including gate and cargo watch operations. Their labor agreement is separate from the broader coastwide contract covering ILWU longshore workers and marine clerks, which runs through 2028.

The PMA was also at the center of the last major West Coast port labor dispute in 2023, when contentious negotiations with the ILWU led to work slowdowns and terminal shutdowns at several ports, including Los Angeles and Long Beach. That dispute ended with a six-year coastwide agreement covering approximately 22,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports.

While the current dispute involves a smaller bargaining unit, it raises the possibility of wider disruptions if picket lines affect terminal access or other maritime workers decline to cross them.

In her letter, Gratz appealed directly to other maritime unions for support.

“This letter shall serve as a preliminary notice of a problem and visible labor dispute, which will affect your members,” she wrote.

“We are asking for your support and labor solidarity in respect for Local 26 Watchmen on the identified Marine Terminals in Long Beach and Los Angeles Harbor.”

The International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P), which represents licensed deck officers aboard U.S.-flag vessels, said it would provide further guidance to members working at affected berths as the deadline approaches.

The notice does not confirm that a strike will take place, and the extent of any potential disruption remains unclear.

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