The Los Angeles and Long Beach port docks were humming Thursday after the longshore workers union and employers reached a possible labor deal after months of increasingly contentious talks.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents shipping lines and terminal operators, said late Wednesday that they had tentatively agreed to a new six-year contract covering 22,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports. The two sides didn't release any details of the deal, which is subject to ratification by union locals and employers.
Union members have been working without a contract since early July. As the high-stakes negotiations dragged on for months, agreements were reached over benefits and the thorny issue of automation, but the union and employers remained far apart on wages.
