The Port of LA strike and Long Beach port security guard strike has been postponed once again.
According to Bloomberg, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) announced in a statement that it has extended the labor contract negotiation deadline with Local 26 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), which represents 250 security guards at the two ports, to the 20th.
The PMA side is currently demanding wage increases and improved working conditions.
Originally set for the 1st, the negotiation deadline was extended twice to the 4th and 6th, and has now been pushed back again to the 20th.
According to the PMA, security guards belonging to Local 26 work at six major terminals across the two ports. If a strike disrupts terminal operations, approximately 85% of the total cargo volume at the Port of Long Beach and about 33% of the cargo volume at the Port of LA could be affected.
The two ports recorded their highest cargo volume ever last month, handling about one-third of the nation’s total maritime cargo.
The PMA stated, “We will strive to reach a fair agreement at the negotiating table to prevent disruptions to the operations of the nation’s two busiest ports.”
Meanwhile, the upward trend in cargo volume at both ports is expected to continue for the time being. Noel Hasegawa, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, said in an interview with Bloomberg, “We expect the busy situation to continue at least until January of next year, and potentially into the first quarter,” citing cargo demand driven by the growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry as a major factor.
