Los Angeles Ports Closed Due to Workers Walking Off Job

Cargo ships await unloading off the Port of Long Beach, Calif., on Oct. 27, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Longshore workers who walked off their jobs, leading to closures of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach since April 6, were not on strike, according to a union representative.

Many speculated whether the walkout was tied to ongoing labor talks that started in May 2022 between a union of West Coast dockworkers and a group representing maritime shippers in the region.

However, according to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13, workers were attending a union meeting and observing Good Friday, they explained in a statement to The Epoch Times.

On Thursday, the local chapter held a monthly membership meeting, with several thousand members attending, according to the union. And on Friday, “union members who observe religious holidays took the opportunity to celebrate with their families,” the union said.

The disruption sent shockwaves through the shipping industry Friday as news of halted operations spread across the nation, reaching as far as the White House.

The current contract for the more than 15,000 union members expired July 1, 2022.

Officials at the Port of Los Angeles told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement they continued to communicate with the union and the shipper group—Pacific Maritime Association—in hope of getting operations back to normal as soon as possible.

“Resuming cargo operations at America’s busiest port complex is critical to maintaining the confidence of our customers and supply chain stakeholders,” the statement read.

According to the Denmark-based worldwide logistics company Maersk, the union local chapter’s crane operators and container handler drivers decided to reject their job assignments for the evening’s second shift, impacting all Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals.

“As a result, no operations were performed on the night shift,” company officials said in an April 7 statement. “Every terminal in the harbor canceled all vessel, yard, rail and gate operations for the night shift with the uncertainty of not knowing if they would be able to resume for Friday’s 1st shift.”

Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero confirmed with The Epoch Times four of the ports were closed Friday.

“Terminal operators at the affected sites said they made the decision to close when workers did not report for their shifts this morning,” Cordero said. “We have no further information as to the situation, but it is expected that normal, regularly scheduled hours and operations will resume tomorrow.”

Falling Imports

Shippers began diverting deliveries to other U.S. destinations last year to avoid labor disruptions during the contract negotiations. As a result, imports have fallen. Last month, the Port of Los Angeles reported a 43-percent drop in imports in February compared to last year’s all-time record, losing its title as “nation’s busiest port complex” to New York and New Jersey this year, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The Southern California port complex became the center of attention in 2021 and 2022 when an overwhelming flood of shipments from Asia clogged terminals and snarled supply chains throughout the nation. The twin ports process about 40 percent of all U.S. imports from Asia.

At the start of negotiations last May, Pacific Maritime Association’s president Jim McKenna said the shipper group was determined to get through the labor talks without disrupting operations at the 29 West Coast ports.

“[The] negotiations with the [union] for a new labor contract … are critically important for the health of jobs, businesses, and communities nationwide,” the association said in a statement on its website. “As historic supply chain congestion continues, it is vital that both sides reach agreement without any disruption at the ports.”

White House’s Intervention Requested

David French, senior vice president of the National Retail Federation, a retail trade association, said the organization was monitoring the situation and has relayed concerns to the White House.

“Retailers throughout the country depend on U.S. ports to support their daily business needs,” French said in a release. “The West Coast ports, especially those in Los Angeles and Long Beach, are a pivotal entry point to the United States that allow American consumers access to global products and essential goods. It is essential that the ongoing labor negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association are resolved immediately.”

The retail federation called on the Biden Administration to engage in the dispute to prevent further disruption, according to the statement. President Joe Biden intervened in a labor dispute in November to avert a national strike between railroad workers and operators.