About 250 watchmen at the Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex are set to stop work at 5pm Pacific time on Wednesday unless last-minute talks between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) produce a deal. The workers handle security-related duties at container terminals and have been under contract extensions since their agreement expired in July 2025. Union members had authorised a strike for 1 November, and both sides extended negotiations to 4 November.
The PMA says a stoppage would hit 85% of container traffic at Long Beach and 33% at Los Angeles.
The bigger worry is whether other dockworkers follow. Ted Chen, ocean freight and trade compliance director at Dimerco, sees a high likelihood that other port employees support the strike. Forwarder Woodland Group told customers the same: other ILWU members may refuse to cross picket lines, which could stall vessel loading and unloading, container handling, gate activity and cargo movement between the port and inland transport.
The ports are not starting from a clean slate. Rail cargo dwell times have already lengthened at several affected terminals. A spokesman for AIT Worldwide Logistics said the near-term concern is how fast congestion could build if there is a labour disruption, especially with inland rail already under pressure.
Shippers are asking about contingencies. AIT said customers with time-sensitive freight are evaluating alternative gateways and air options, but there has been no significant shift in routing and no broad migration away from LA/LB. Dimerco is advising clients to expedite container pickup and delivery where possible but does not advocate alternative routings at this point, saying there is no definitive sign the strike would run longer than desired. Woodland is also not urging clients to trigger alternative routings, instead telling them to review time-sensitive cargo, confirm terminal operating arrangements and monitor changes to collections, deliveries and vessel services.
For cargo moving on US West Coast ocean-parcel or ocean-truck lanes, confirm terminal operations and pickup appointments for arriving containers this week, and pull pickup dates forward for time-critical shipments rather than waiting until Wednesday afternoon.