San Pedro, Los Angeles

Thousands of union workers and supporters marched in Wilmington's Labor Day parade, blending celebration with anxiety over automation, trade policy and housing costs. Longshoremen from ILWU Local 13 described losing more than 2,000 jobs to automation over roughly 15 years and fear that foreign-owned terminal operators could accelerate workforce reductions. Some workers criticized President Trump's tariffs for raising domestic prices, while at least one longshoreman praised the current economy over the Biden era. Younger union members, including ship scalers who handle hazardous cleanup work, voiced separate concerns about workplace safety.

The event doubled as a campaign stop ahead of midterm and local elections. California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman all addressed the crowd, with Bass and most labor leaders aligned, though the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters backed Raman over housing affordability concerns. Nationally, union membership grew in 2025, pushing overall density to 10%, though private-sector unionization held flat at 5.9%, with gains concentrated in government jobs. Workers also raised concerns about housing costs and self-checkout staffing burdens.