Port of L.A. strike comes to a close
A deal has been reached to end an eight-day strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The port complex handles almost half of all the cargo that comes into the U.S. The strike prevented billions of dollars of goods from being delivered.
A major concern of the striking workers was the fear their jobs could be outsourced. The eventual resolution, which still needs to be ratified by the full union membership, includes adding language to their new contract to prevent such a move, says reporter Wendy Lee of station KPCC.
On the other side, the employers were looking for more flexibility in their staffing, and the union was willing to agree to those terms. A number of jobs that are currently open will remain unfilled.
The strike has affected the U.S. economy as a whole, but especially Southern California.
“The port of Los Angeles and the port of Long Beach together they move about $1 billion worth of goods each day,” says Lee. “And that impacts several thousand jobs in the region.”
The ports will reopen today.
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