Two of the busiest ports in the United States, Los Angeles and Long Beach, closed Friday due to a lack of longshoremen who failed to show up for work. The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents the carriers, said action by the International Longshoremen’s and Warehouse Union (ILWU) resulted in the effective closure of the ports. This labor dispute centers on wages and the automation of functions, which has led to a widespread shortage of workers.
The ports are a major gateway for maritime trade in the United States, moving some 20 million containers of goods worth more than $300 billion each year. The complex is the ninth-largest port in the world by market share and plays a key role in keeping global supply chains moving.
The ILWU argued that the only workers who did not show up for work were those observing Good Friday for religious practice. However, the lack of staff has led to bottlenecks and slow shipments of goods, contributing to the inflation that has dominated much of the world over the past 18 months as consumers demand products that do not arrive quickly enough.
This situation has been common around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, where ports have experienced bottlenecks as shippers struggle to meet the demand for goods while countries reopen their borders and businesses. The labor dispute in Los Angeles and Long Beach is a testament to the importance of dock workers in the global economy and the need to seek balanced solutions to maintain a balance between labor rights and the commercial needs of business.