LA‑Long Beach watchmen may strike 1 November; 35,688 boxes await rail

Market Context & Direct Impact

Los Angeles and Long Beach face a possible watchmen walkout from 1 November. Local 26 watchmen at the two ports voted to authorise a strike that could be called as soon as 1 November, Freightos reports. The employers' association says about 250 watchmen work at terminals that handle roughly 85% of Long Beach's cargo and 33% of Los Angeles', and that other ILWU members are unlikely to cross picket lines. The union's notice names eight affected terminals. No strike had been confirmed as of 28 October, and the watchmen represent only about 2% of the ILWU workforce, yet they secure a large share of terminal gates.

Rail is already the pinch point, before any walkout. FreightWaves counted 35,688 containers awaiting on-dock trains on 26 October, and 10,562 of them had sat at the terminals for at least nine days. At Los Angeles, 41.4% of containers waiting for trains had waited that long, against 15.1% at Long Beach; these are snapshots, not average waits. C.H. Robinson blames Southern California railcar shortages for slowing inland movement. Separately, port unions plan a day of action on 30 October across more than 100 ports in 17 countries, with organisers estimating 40,000 containers could be held for a day. They call that figure preliminary, and the California dispute is a separate labour confrontation. Counterpoint: the NRF expects US port volumes to fall from 2.25 million TEU in October to 2 million in November, and Freightos still expects seasonal easing, although transpacific West Coast rates rose 3% to $8,368 per FEU last week.

Core Executive Takeaways

• Watchmen punch above weightA walkout by a small crew can still hit far more cargo than its headcount suggests, because it guards most of the gates.
• Rail is the chokeShippers should treat on-dock rail, not vessel berths, as the first pinch point, since the backlog is building before any strike.
• Rates still firmWith West Coast transpacific rates rising last week, November quotes should carry strike and delay clauses rather than assume seasonal easing.

Strategic Playbook

1. 1
   Map exposure now

   Pull every November booking that discharges at the eight named LA and Long Beach terminals or depends on on-dock rail, and flag cargo due from 1 November.

2. 2
   Pre-book fallbacks

   Ask carriers and 3PLs to quote alternative gateways and truck or rail routings now, and agree a trigger date for switching before any walkout is called.

Filed 15:26 GMT, 29 October 2026, for the second edition of 29 Oct.
As agents only.

Sources

1. Backlog grows as 35,000 containers await rail service at LA–Long BeachFreightWaves, published 28 October 2026
2. Union approves LA/Long Beach port strike; container rates still under pressure - October 28, 2026 UpdateFreightos, published 28 October 2026
3. Strike threat hangs over half of America's busiest port complexSplash247, published 28 October 2026
4. Strike Threat Looms at Eight Los Angeles, Long Beach Port TerminalsgCaptain, published 27 October 2026
5. Port workers plan action at more than 100 portsPort Technology International, published 26 October 2026

Claims ledger: 15 facts and where each comes from

• Local watchmen at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach voted to authorise a strike that could be called as soon as 1 November.²
• The watchmen union represents about 2% of the workforce but provides security for a large share of terminals.²
• A strike had not yet been confirmed as of 28 October; the employers' association said other ILWU members are unlikely to cross picket lines.³
• Employers warned a walkout by 250 watchmen could halt terminals handling roughly 85% of Long Beach's cargo and 33% of Los Angeles' cargo.⁴
• The union's strike notice identifies eight affected terminal locations.⁴
• 35,688 containers were awaiting rail service at Los Angeles and Long Beach on 26 October; 10,562 had been on the terminals for at least nine days.¹
• At Los Angeles, 41.4% of containers awaiting trains had waited nine days or longer, against 15.1% at Long Beach.¹
• The 26 October counts measure containers awaiting trains at one moment and are not an average waiting time.¹
• C.H. Robinson identified Southern California intermodal railcar shortages as a constraint in its October market update.¹
• Port unions announced an international day of action for 30 October, with support across more than 100 ports in 17 countries.⁵
• Organisers estimate the 30 October action could hold up 40,000 containers for one day, a preliminary assessment.⁵
• The California watchmen dispute is a separate labour confrontation from the 30 October action.³
• Transpacific rates climbed 3% to $8,368 per FEU to the West Coast in the week before 28 October.²
• Some forwarders report cooling demand and more available space, and still expect a seasonal easing in rates.²
• The National Retail Federation forecasts US container port volumes falling from 2.25 million TEU in October to 2 million in November.⁴

Every figure above is tied to a cited source that was checked on the day of filing. Found an error? Tell the desk.