Los Angeles and Long Beach port employers extend negotiations with watchmen union

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By Lisa Baertlein

LOS ANGELES, Nov 9 (Reuters) – The Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports employer group and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 26 extended their contract to November 20 and plan to continue negotiating a new labor agreement covering about 2% of workers at the busiest US container port complex.

• The Pacific Maritime Association and the union representing about 250 maritime watchmen at the ports are negotiating with assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

• 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 more than half of the ports’ cargo, including roughly 85% 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 Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Chris Reese)

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