Two terminals at the Port of Long Beach and one at the Port of Los Angeles were shuttered during the day shifts on Monday, June 5, as talks between West Coast longshore workers and the Pacific Maritime Association appeared to sputter after more than a year.
Pacific Container Terminals at the Port of Long Beach has also canceled cargo operations for Tuesday’s first shift, according to a notice sent to the trucking community, citing no reason.
Fenix Marine Terminal closed its gates about mid-day Monday for the first shift, Port of L.A. spokesperson Phillip Sanfield said, adding it was unclear if they would open gates for the night shift.
“Our other terminals continue to operate and are staffed with labor,” Sanfield added.
The two Long Beach terminals, TTI at Pier J and LBCT at Pier E, were scheduled to reopen for evening shifts.
A written statement from Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero said the port remains operational.
“The Port of Long Beach is open and operating today, although two of its six container terminals are closed for the day shift,” he said. “Operators of those terminals made the decision to close based on operational needs, and will reopen for the evening shift.”
The union had no comment on Monday other than to point to its earlier statement issued Friday, which said “ILWU remains committee to negotiating a good agreement for ILWU workers.”
“PMA carriers and terminal operators made historic profits of $510 billion during the pandemic,” that statement added. “The ILWU is committed to bargaining a contract that is fair and equitable, including wages and benefits that reflect the dedication of the ILWU workforce and its contributions to the shipping industry’s success.”
Reports on Friday that talks had broken down, said ILWU International President Willie Adams, were false.
But in a statement issued late Monday, the PMA said work disruptions by the union had caused slowdowns at ports up and down the…
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