LA Union Workers March in Wilmington to Protest Automation and Job Losses

According to data collected by the pro-labor American Prospect, the number of workers represented by unions across the United States rose by 463,000 in 2025, pushing national union density from 9.9% to 10.0%. However, private-sector union density flatlined at 5.9%, underscoring that the vast majority of those numerical gains stemmed from government employment rather than private industry growth.

For maritime and trade workers participating in the Los Angeles-area gathering, the tension between economic survival and technological shifts was front and center.

The Human Toll of Port Automation

Among the marchers was 63-year-old Jesse Munoz, a longshoreman belonging to International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13. Munoz pointed directly to automation as a relentless driver of job destruction, noting that technological changes have eliminated more than 2,000 jobs over the last 15 years or so. He expressed profound concern that foreign-owned companies operating within the logistics sector will continue to shrink the workforce and degrade working conditions.

“The concern is the future,” Munoz said. “I have a son that’s on a list to become a casual worker, which is a worker that will accumulate his hours, and then hopefully within time become a regular member of the union. But the future is not as promising as we would like it to be.”

Munoz warned of the broader societal fallout tied to these workforce reductions, noting, “If you eliminate the workforce, you eliminate taxes. You eliminate pensions.” He also voiced sharp criticism regarding federal trade policy, directing a direct message toward Washington over the use of tariffs. “Stop those tariffs and stop this automation,” Munoz said. “Just get the people back to work. Help the economy build itself up again with the workers, not with politicians.”

Shifting Political Tides and Trade Realities

Although the Wilmington crowd leaned heavily Democratic—with political figures including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass marching prominently behind shore worker banners—the political diversity within the labor movement was also visible.

Jordan Gonzales, a 20-year veteran longshoreman, expanded on the broader cultural shifts affecting blue-collar trades. Enjoying a pre-parade breakfast at the union hall while watching his 12-year-old daughter perform with her school marching band on the glockenspiel, Gonzales lamented the societal drift away from hands-on labor.

“A lot of people would rather be in the office and in the AC,” Gonzales said. “We’ve lost our workers that are outside of an office.”

The morning gathering inside the expansive Longshoremen’s & Warehousemen’s Memorial Assn. meeting hall featured a lineup of candidates and local politicians working the room ahead of the march, including Xavier Becerra, the Democratic candidate for California governor, who addressed attendees amidst the bustling pre-parade breakfast crowd.

Looking Ahead to the Midterms and Contract Battles

As Labor Day events concluded across Southern California and the nation, the intersection of organized labor and electoral politics remains one of the most powerful forces in the region. With midterm elections approaching and ongoing technological transitions reshaping ports, warehouses, and factories, labor organizers are preparing for prolonged fights over job protections, wages, and pension stability.