A threatened strike at container terminals in Los Angeles and Long Beach has been deferred after employers and maritime watchmen agreed to prolong contract negotiations, gCaptain reported. The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 26 extended talks until 5 p.m. Pacific Time on November 4, postponing a possible walkout that had been threatened for November 1.
PMA announced the extension on Friday, with negotiations set to continue with support from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The agreement gives the parties several more days to seek a settlement but leaves the underlying labour dispute unresolved. It changes the immediate deadline for potential industrial action rather than delivering a new contract.
The negotiations cover about 250 maritime watchmen who carry out security-related work at terminals across the two ports. Their numbers are relatively small, but the terminals where they work account for a substantial share of cargo movements. According to PMA figures cited by gCaptain, Local 26 members serve terminals handling approximately 85% of Long Beach cargo and 33% of cargo at Los Angeles. The union identified eight terminal locations that could face a walkout.
The potential operational impact extends beyond security duties. PMA has warned that other ILWU workers would be unlikely to cross picket lines established by Local 26. On that basis, the employer association said a strike could stop vessel, yard and gate activity at affected terminals. That warning remains a potential outcome, not a report of disruption already occurring.
The previous contract expired in July 2025. Local 26 says employers have not made meaningful progress, while PMA says substantial differences persist despite more than a year of bargaining. The association reiterated its commitment to securing a fair agreement without interrupting port operations. The talks come against a backdrop of record throughput: gCaptain reported that Los Angeles and Long Beach together handled 2.04 million twenty-foot equivalent units in September.