LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30 : Cargo ships and containers sit idle in the Port of Los Angeles as workers staged a slow-down after shipping companies locked them out from working after a weekend labor dispute, September 30, 2002 on Terminal Island area of Long Beach, California. (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)
Los Angeles, California – California’s major ports are showing signs of more profound disruption now than during the COVID-19 pandemic, as former President Donald Trump’s volatile tariff policies ripple through the global supply chain. The impact is leading to ship cancellations, decreased cargo volume, and a sharp decline in job availability across the state’s port-dependent labor force.
At the Port of Los Angeles, officials expected 80 ships to dock in May, but 17 were abruptly canceled. That number already exceeds the 12 cancellations recorded through all of May last year. Ten cancellations are already on the books for June. Similarly, the Port of Oakland reported a 15% drop in container traffic in April, marking its first significant monthly decline this year.
The trend has serious consequences for labor. Across the state’s three largest ports — Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland — the number of working “gangs,” or cargo-handling teams, has dropped both in recent weeks and year over year. This metric indicates a significant decline in work available to longshore workers, who are now struggling to maintain their hours. Many part-time employees have seen their shifts disappear entirely, and even full-time workers are falling short of a 40-hour workweek.
The uncertainty tied to tariff shifts is also affecting related sectors. Truck drivers, warehouse employees, port security staff, and retail supply chain workers are all experiencing reduced workloads. In Southern California, truck drivers represented by Teamsters Local 848 are especially vulnerable. Some are now working only one or two days a week. The part-time nature of much of the workforce means that these disruptions quickly translate into lost income and financial instability for thousands.
A temporary tariff agreement reached between the Trump administration and China on May 12 lowered import taxes from 145% to 30% for 90 days. The brief lowering of the tarrifs led to a slight rebound in activity at the Port of Oakland, where canceled ships for June dropped from 12 to five. But overall uncertainty remains high, with frequent threats of new tariffs. Trump recently floated a 25% tariff on iPhones unless Apple relocates production to the U.S., and a 50% tariff on European goods, which is now scheduled for July 9.
The long-term effects could be staggering. A 10% reduction in cargo activity could mean a 10% cut in port-related jobs — potentially eliminating 100,000 positions. The ports are vital economic engines: in 2023, activity at the Port of Long Beach alone generated $84.4 billion in tax revenue. As tariffs reshape trade flows, California’s ports and their surrounding communities face an uncertain and economically damaging future.
