Largest U.S. gateway for maritime trade effectively shut down due to worker shortages

LOS ANGELES, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The largest U.S. maritime trade gateway was effectively shut down on Friday due to a shortage of West Coast port workers as negotiations for a new contract continued between the dockworker union and maritime shippers, sparking concerns about global supply chain disruption.

The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents the leading maritime companies that do business on the U.S. West Coast, said in a statement on Friday that the union representing workers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach "has taken a concerted action to withhold labor" at the two ports.

The 31-square km twin ports in southern California's San Pedro Bay typically account for around 40 percent of container cargo entering the United States.

"A majority of the jobs for last night's shift went unfilled, including all jobs for cargo-handling equipment operators needed to load and unload cargo," said the PMA.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13, which is the largest ILWU local on the U.S. West Coast, withheld labor again for Friday morning's shift, according to the PMA.

The Union's coordinated actions are occurring while negotiations for a new coastwise contract continue, said the PMA, adding that these actions undermine confidence in West Coast ports, and threaten to further accelerate the diversion of discretionary cargo to Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports.

But ILWU Local 13 noted in a statement Friday afternoon that "longshore workers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are still hard at work and remain committed to moving the nation's cargo."

The union said several thousand union members attended the monthly meeting Thursday evening and union members who observe religious holidays took the opportunity to celebrate with their families on Friday.

The Port of Los Angeles, the nation's busiest container port, said in a statement that it is continuing to communicate with the union and the PMA about returning to normal operations.

All seven container terminals of the Port of Los Angeles and four out of six terminals of the Port of Long Beach were closed on Friday, according to local media, the Long Beach Business Journal, citing port officials.

"Terminal operators at the affected sites said they made the decision to close when workers did not report for their shifts this morning," said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero, adding that it is expected that normal, regularly scheduled hours and operations will resume on Saturday.

As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the largest newspaper on the U.S. West Coast, the shortage comes several months into protracted labor negotiations between the union representing West Coast dockworkers and the industry group representing maritime shippers, which are hashing out a new contract that addresses issues such as wages and the role of automation.

The old contract, covering more than 22,000 workers at 29 ports, expired on July 1, according to the report.

The report worried the stoppage is "halting cargo traffic at the massive shipping complex while disrupting the local economy and the global supply chain."