President Monitoring Port Strike Costing Los Angeles Economy Billions
LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) -- The White House and the mayor of Los Angeles are urging a quick end to a strike that's shut down much of the nation's busiest port complex for eight days.
Clerical workers Tuesday are continuing their walkout at 10 LA and Long Beach terminals. The workers claim shippers are outsourcing their jobs—which shippers deny. Dockworkers are refusing to cross their picket lines.
City News Service says LA mayor Antonio Villaraigosa held a late-night meeting Monday with both sides but there's been no breakthrough in contract talks. Villaraigosa says the strike is costing the local economy billions.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said the president is closely monitoring the situation and is urging both sides to quickly reach agreement.
Some shipments unable to unload in Los Angeles have been redirected to other ports along the coast in Northern California, and South America.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
