Los Angeles and Long Beach ports have been closed due to a labor shortage
Due to a dock worker shortage, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach were closed for 24 hours. According to the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), which represents employers, cargo loading and unloading operators failed to report to work, essentially shutting down the ports. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) denied any concerted action, claiming the halt was caused by a membership meeting and the Good Friday holiday. Since July 2022, the ports have been battling with labour issues, causing big retailers to transfer goods to other ports. The Biden administration has been attempting to broker a settlement. Experts fear that the shutdown could result in a major backlog of container ships outside of California.
Source of information – Port technology
The closure of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach owing to a dock worker shortage is a huge blow to the Southern California and state economies. Does anyone believe that the International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s (ILWU) strike is justified?
I don’t think it’s justified at all. It only exposes the low tolerance levels that people in this industry have.