LA and Long Beach port watchmen extend talks to November 20, no strike for now

November 7, 2026. Security watchmen at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and their employers extended their contract deadline to Friday, November 20, avoiding a possible strike for now, according to Reuters and Bloomberg. The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) said on Friday that more bargaining sessions are scheduled.

This is the fourth deadline in the talks. The original date was November 1, later moved to November 4 and then to midnight on Friday, November 6, according to Bloomberg.

A small union with large reach

ILWU Local 26 represents about 250 watchmen who control truck and worker access at terminal gates, provide security and track cargo. Reuters says they are about 2 % of the workforce at the busiest container port complex in the United States. Bloomberg says they work at six container terminals and that their previous contract expired in July 2025.

According to the PMA, a walkout would affect terminals handling about 85 % of Long Beach cargo and 33 % of Los Angeles cargo. The two ports handle roughly a third of the containers arriving in the US by sea, Bloomberg reports, and the parties have met with the help of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. "PMA remains committed to reaching a fair agreement at the bargaining table," the employers' group said. The union had not responded to Reuters' request for comment.

Bridge closure and a busy season

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) closed the Vincent Thomas Bridge in the Los Angeles port area from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, for 16 months to replace its deck. The project costs 750 million dollars and reopening is planned for early March 2028. Caltrans says the structure is safe and the wear is in the concrete slab.

"We expect to be busy at least through the first month of the new year," Port of Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba told Bloomberg, adding that it could last through the first quarter, partly driven by AI-related cargo. The main West Coast longshore contract runs to 2028 and is not part of these talks.

Our take

The new deadline buys two calm weeks in peak season, while the bridge closure may lengthen truck runs around the terminals. Importers routing goods through Southern California should build in some margin.

• Ask your forwarder for a backup plan in case of disruption after November 20, and book sea freight with dates in writing.
• Compare direct routings to your destination port and check the full landed cost of each option.
• Run a product inspection before goods leave the factory, so quality delays do not stack on top of port delays.

• Sea freight
• Landed cost by country
• Product inspections