LA Port Chief Warns of More Lost Business as Labor Talks Drag On

Los Angeles port chief Gene Seroka said West Coast ports risk losing even more cargo to other regions if labor talks between 22,000 dockworkers and their employers drag on much longer.

The two sides have been in discussions for a new pact since May and the union’s contract expired on July 1. Meanwhile, cargo volume at the LA port dropped 21% in November from a year earlier, as importers moved their freight through ports on the East and Gulf coasts to avoid logjams and any potential upheaval from the labor talks.

So far, there have been no work stoppages or ...