Long Beach
Office of the Mayor

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LONG BEACH, CA —The Mayors of Long Beach and Los Angeles, Rex Richardson and Karen Bass, congratulate the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) for reaching a long-term agreement that benefits 22,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports. This agreement is vital for the prosperity of both cities and the nation, as the two ports handle nearly 40% of the country’s containerized trade.

“We commend the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) membership for ratifying the tentative agreement with the Pacific Maritime Association that covers 22,000 longshore workers across 29 West Coast ports.  This agreement is a win for the working people of our cities and for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Labor stability is critical to the success of the San Pedro Bay Port Complex, which moves nearly 40% of the nation’s containerized cargo.  Together, the two ports handle more than $400 billion in trade that reaches all 435 Congressional districts and support 1 in 5 jobs in Long Beach and 1 in 9 jobs in Los Angeles. “ 

“With a long-term contract in place, now is the time to strengthen the competitiveness of our ports and regain our market share to generate more high-paying jobs and invest in sustainable port operations.  We must ensure that our ports are maximizing the positive economic impacts to our cities while reducing the environmental impacts to our communities.  As Mayors, we recognize the value of our ports to the nation’s supply chain and to our communities and we remain committed to working together with the ILWU, PMA and our two ports to demonstrate why we are the nation’s gateway of choice.”

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Rex Richardson is a husband, father, and the 29^th Mayor of Long Beach, California. Mayor Richardson’s history in Long Beach is grounded in empowering communities to have a seat at the table.

Mayor Richardson has a distinguished record of public service.He serves on the Advisory Board of the United States Conference of Mayors and, regionally, is Vice Chair of the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency. Richardson has previously served as President of the Southern California Association of Governments.

Mayor Richardson and his wife, Dr. Nina Richardson, are proudly raising their two young daughters, Alina and Mila, in the North Long Beach community.