Strike Threat at Los Angeles, Long Beach Ports Delayed as Union and Employers Extend Talks

A potential strike threatening operations at some of the busiest container terminals in the United States has been pushed back after the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 26 agreed to extend negotiations through November 4.

PMA announced Friday that the two sides had signed an extension through 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, November 4, avoiding a potential walkout that had been threatened for November 1.

Negotiations will continue with assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

The dispute involves approximately 250 maritime watchmen represented by ILWU Local 26 who perform security-related duties at terminals throughout the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Despite the relatively small number of workers involved, the potential disruption is significant. According to PMA, Local 26 members work at terminals handling roughly 85% of cargo moving through the Port of Long Beach and 33% at the Port of Los Angeles.

As gCaptain previously reported, a strike could have consequences well beyond the watchmen themselves. PMA has warned that other ILWU workers are unlikely to cross Local 26 picket lines, potentially halting vessel, yard and gate operations at affected terminals.

The union had identified eight terminal locations that could be affected by a walkout.

The two sides have been negotiating a new agreement since the previous contract expired in July 2025. Local 26 has accused employers of failing to make meaningful progress, while PMA has maintained that significant differences remain despite more than a year of bargaining.

“PMA remains committed to reaching a fair agreement at the bargaining table that avoids disruption at the nation’s two busiest ports,” the employer association said Friday.

The extension provides several additional days for negotiators to reach an agreement, but the underlying labor dispute remains unresolved.

The stakes are particularly high for the Southern California port complex, which handled a combined record 2.04 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in September.

For now, the immediate strike threat has been postponed, with the next deadline set for Wednesday afternoon.

Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights

Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update

— trusted by our 106,276 members