LONG BEACH, CA — A threatened strike that could disrupt much of the Port of Long Beach has been postponed for a second time, giving waterfront employers and union representatives until midnight Friday to reach a new labor agreement.
The Pacific Maritime Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 26 agreed Wednesday to extend their existing contract through midnight Nov. 6, with negotiations scheduled to continue Friday with assistance from federal mediators.
The extension provides another reprieve in a dispute involving approximately 250 maritime watchmen who oversee terminal security, monitor access and inspect vehicles and cargo at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.
Although the workers represent just 2% of the ILWU workforce at the two ports, the potential consequences of a walkout extend far beyond their numbers.
According to the employers' association, terminals employing Local 26 watchmen handle roughly 85% of Long Beach's cargo and 33% of cargo at the Port of Los Angeles. Those figures represent the volume handled by potentially affected terminals, not the amount that would necessarily be disrupted.
The association has warned that other dockworkers and marine clerks, who are covered by separate labor agreements, could honor Local 26 picket lines, potentially interrupting vessel operations, container movements and truck access.
The latest extension follows an earlier agreement that postponed a potential Nov. 1 walkout until 5 p.m. Wednesday. The watchmen's previous contract expired in July 2025, with employees continuing to work under extensions while negotiations proceeded.
The dispute is separate from the broader West Coast longshore labor agreement, which remains in effect through 2028.
In its latest statement, the Pacific Maritime Association said it remained committed to reaching an agreement that would avoid disruption at the nation's two busiest container ports.
No strike or new labor agreement had been confirmed in the latest publicly available reports.
Patch previously reported on Wednesday's strike deadline, which was subsequently extended.
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