Key Takeaways
- November 1 deadline. About 250 ILWU Local 26 watchmen may strike when their contract extension expires, while talks continue under federal mediation.
- Outsized reach. Their terminals handle roughly 85% of Long Beach cargo and 33% of Los Angeles cargo.
- Picket risk. Other ILWU members aren’t expected to cross, so gates, yards, and vessel work could stop.
- Paper trail. Time-stamped appointment rejections are your best defense against strike-period demurrage.
Immediate Shipper Alert: Watchmen strike threat at eight LA and Long Beach terminals
A Local 26 walkout on Sunday, November 1 could halt gate, yard, and vessel operations at terminals moving more than half of San Pedro Bay cargo. Boxes discharged in late October carry the most risk.
What’s at stake. About 250 ILWU Local 26 watchmen may walk out when their contract extension expires on Sunday, November 1, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) warns [1]. A strike would shut the gates where drayage carriers pick up and return boxes.
Small union, big footprint. The watchmen are just 2% of the ILWU workforce at the two ports, but PMA says their terminals handle roughly 85% of Long Beach’s cargo and 33% of Los Angeles’ cargo [1].
The picket line problem. PMA expects that other ILWU members won’t cross Local 26 picket lines, which could halt vessel, yard, and gate operations at affected terminals. The Masters, Mates & Pilots union, which represents U.S.-flag deck officers, says it’ll issue further guidance to members at affected berths [1].
Check your terminal. The union’s notice names eight locations: APM Terminals, Long Beach Container Terminal, Total Terminals International, SSA at C-60, A-90, LB 206, Pacific Container Terminal, and OH 55 [1]. PMA’s statement identifies six, but we encourage importers to plan based on the longer list.
Where talks stand. The prior agreement expired in July 2025, and bargaining now runs with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. PMA says it’ll keep negotiating past the deadline. Local 26 President Luisa Gratz wrote that nothing of value has come from the talks, and no strike is confirmed [1].
A timely agreement matters not only to the parties at the table, but to the entire Southern California supply chain and to the local, state, and national economies that depend on it.
Pacific Maritime Association, statement reported by gCaptain [1]
Record volume on the docks. Los Angeles and Long Beach handled a combined record 2.04 million TEUs in September, capping an unusually long peak season [1]. Holiday electronics, apparel, and auto aftermarket parts landing now could be the first to back up behind a stopped gate.
Volume is easing. The National Retail Federation forecasts imports at major U.S. container ports falling from 2.25 million TEUs in October to 2 million in November [2]. That decrease does nothing for the boxes already discharged in late October.
Your demurrage file. Under the FMC billing rule at 46 CFR Part 541, you have at least 30 days from an invoice to request a waiver or refund, so log every rejected appointment and gate closure now [3]. OSRA-22 bars unreasonable demurrage and detention charges, and your time-stamped records show that a closed gate held the box.
Carrier Surcharge & Landed Cost Impact Matrix
| Trade Corridor | Carrier Surcharge Type | Impact per FEU | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transpacific eastbound to LA/Long Beach | Port congestion or strike surcharge | None announced; watch carrier advisories | Not announced |
| LA/Long Beach terminals | Demurrage | Per terminal tariff; disputable under 46 CFR Part 541 [3] | Accrues after free time ends |
| LA/Long Beach to inland rail ramps | Rail storage and per diem | Not quantified in source reporting | November 1 risk window [1] |
| LA/Long Beach to local DCs | Drayage detention, dry run, and waiting time | Set by your motor carrier; confirm in writing | November 1 risk window [1] |
3-Step Shipper Mitigation Action Plan
Recommended Next Steps:
- Pull boxes before November 1. File entries and secure CBP release early, then have your trucker prioritize containers at the eight listed terminals, starting with holiday electronics, apparel, and auto parts.
- Line up alternates. Price contingency routing through Oakland, Seattle/Tacoma, or East Coast ports for November bookings, and book off-dock yard or transload space so loaded boxes don’t wait on a closed gate.
- Build the dispute file. Screenshot unavailable appointment slots, save terminal closure notices, and keep motor carrier gate logs, so you can request demurrage and detention waivers inside the 30-day window.
References
- gCaptain Maritime, Strike Threat Looms at Eight Los Angeles, Long Beach Port Terminals
- National Retail Federation, Import Cargo’s Extended Peak Season Wrapping Up
- Federal Maritime Commission, Demurrage and Detention Billing Requirements Final Rule (46 CFR Part 541)
