Employers, watchmen at California ports extend contract talks

NEW YORK, Nov 7 (Reuters) – The Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports employer group and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 26 extended their bargaining deadline through November 20, averting a potential strike by about 2% of workers at the busiest US container port complex.

• The Pacific Maritime Association said on Friday that additional talks were scheduled with the union representing about 250 maritime watchmen at the ports.

• Local 26 did not immediately return a request for comment.

• The 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 roughly 85% of the cargo 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 Karen Brettell; Editing by Sergio Non and Tomasz Janowski)