Newly-seated Pérez now vice-president of harbor panel amid concern over local reps, eastern strike
The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners elected new officers on Thursday, returning Commissioner Lucille Roybal-Allard to another term as president and newly seated commissioner John Pérez as vice president.
Pérez’s nomination drew controversy as he replaced Commissioner Diane Middleton — a respected longtime San Pedro resident and attorney who had strong ties to labor — with someone who lives outside the Harbor Area.
Following extensive questioning by Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker in the L.A. City Council’s Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee meeting on Sept. 17, his appointment was unanimously approved by the Los Angeles City Council on Sept. 20.
Lee Williams of San Pedro currently is the only Harbor Area resident remaining on the five-member board.
Thursday’s meeting was conducted at Banning’s Landing in Wilmington. The remainder of the board’s 2024 meetings will follow suit as a remodel of the panel’s regular meeting room at port headquarters in San Pedro takes place.
In his opening remarks, port Executive Director Gene Seroka commented on the ongoing strike by longshore workers — members of the International Longshoremen’s Association — on the East and Gulf Coast.
Anticipation of a possible strike already has sent additional cargo to the West Coast.
The strike, Seroka said, is directly impacting 14 ports “from Maine to Texas” as 42,000 workers began a walkout Tuesday, Oct. 1.
“Thirty-six ships are said to be lying outside the ports waiting to be worked,” Seroka said. “The Biden-Harris administration is working with both sides for a swift and good resolution.”
Seroka also addressed the lithium battery fire on Sept. 26 on Terminal Island that closed the Vincent Thomas Bridge and several port terminals.
After a truck carrying lithium batteries tipped over at the intersection of Ocean and Navy Way, the cargo caught fire. Lithium batteries can burn for many hours or even days and have posed concerns as the technology is becoming a more frequent vessel and truck cargo item.
Firefighters and others were able to eventually move the burning cargo to an open space at a nearby L.A. City firehouse to reopen the bridge and port after 28 hours, Seroka said.
The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation into the incident, he added.
“We were very lucky that today we’re not mourning the loss of a truck driver or innocent family members that could have been on the other side of that flipped trailer,” said ILWU Local 13 President Gary Herrera during public comments at Thursday’s board meeting. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, he said, has been pushing for chassis reform, suggesting the load was being hauled with inappropriate equipment.
“What happens if that were to hit and collapse the bridge?” he asked. “We have no idea about these lithium batteries.”