The Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports employer group and ILWU Local 26 have agreed to extend their negotiating deadline from November 1 to November 5, averting the potential strike of two per cent of port workers that could snarl cargo flows at the nation's busiest container seaport complex that has been handling record volume.
The Pacific Maritime Association on Friday said it and the union representing about 250 maritime watchmen working at the ports will continue negotiations with the assistance of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
An ILWU union representative did not immediately 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.
Watchmen work at terminals that handle roughly 85 per cent of cargo handled by the Port of Long Beach and 33 per cent of the cargo at the Port of Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports each reported all-time cargo volume records for the month of September. Those shipments included retail goods for holiday sales, equipment for AI data centre construction and auto parts.
(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)