West Coast Port Watchmen Defer Strike to Nov. 20 as Meat Exporters Watch

Security workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach extended their contract through Nov. 20, averting a strike that threatened roughly a quarter of all waterborne U.S. red meat shipments.

The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 26 faced a midnight Nov. 6 deadline. Instead of a walkout, the two sides agreed to a two-week extension and further talks, according to a PMA statement. The previous contract expired in July 2025, and both sides acknowledge wide differences remain in their proposals. Negotiations continue with help from the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service.

Who are the workers at the center of this?

Local 26 represents about 250 watchmen who provide security at six container terminals across the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complex. That is a small fraction of the workforce — about 2% of the total ILWU headcount at the ports — but their leverage is outsized. PMA, which represents shipping lines and terminal operators at West Coast ports, says those six terminals handle more than half of total cargo: roughly 85% at Long Beach and 33% at Los Angeles.

Other ILWU members, including longshoremen and marine clerks, work under a separate contract and are not party to this dispute. PMA notes they are not expected to cross picket lines. A walkout by the watchmen could therefore halt vessel, yard and gate operations at the affected terminals.

What does this change for meat exporters?

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) raised alarms the previous week. Around two-thirds of all waterborne beef exports and half of waterborne pork exports move through West Coast ports. The Los Angeles and Long Beach facilities are "vitally important to exports of U.S. beef and pork," USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said. If PMA and ILWU fail to reach a new agreement, "we could be looking at a widespread shutdown affecting the entire port complex."

The exposure extends north. The Port of Oakland handles the largest volume of red meat shipments, but most vessels exporters rely on for Asia and other key markets call Oakland only after transiting Los Angeles or Long Beach. Slowdowns or suspended operations in Southern California would prevent those vessels from arriving in Oakland on schedule. "That's a huge concern for our exporters," Halstrom said.

Chilled beef and pork face the sharpest risk. "The vast majority of our chilled production, beef and pork, passes through the port of Oakland," Halstrom said. "From a shelf-life standpoint around chilled beef and pork, it's paramount that we get this situation resolved soon."

Congestion is already building at the Southern California ports, Halstrom added, and "the last thing we need, especially at this time of year, is a work stoppage to make the situation worse."

What happens next?

PMA says it is committed to "reaching a fair agreement at the bargaining table that avoids disruption at the nation's two busiest ports." USMEF says it is hopeful the impasse can be resolved quickly and a new contract agreed to.

The broader context: ILWU counts 40,000 members across more than 50 local unions in California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii. PMA comprises 71 member companies — domestic and international carriers, terminal operators and stevedores — operating in California, Oregon and Washington.

With the new deadline set at Nov. 20, exporters of chilled beef and pork now have a two-week window in which vessel schedules, cold-chain margins and peak-season shipments to Asia hang on whether roughly 250 watchmen and their employers can close a bargaining gap that has persisted since summer.