Longshore Worker Killed at Long Beach Port - Cargo Operations Brought to a Halt

Cargo handling at one of the terminals at America's second busiest port ground to a halt on Friday following the dockside death of Carlos Rivera, 73, a longshore worker with more than 40 years experience on the waterfront. 

"Longshore work is dangerous, but it doesn't have to be deadly," said International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13 president Joe Cortez.

More than a dozen longshore workers have been killed on the west coast during the past six years. This is the second fatality in Southern California since 2005.

"This tragedy affects the entire ILWU family," said Cortez. "Carlos came in to the industry with me."

Rivera was working against a ship at the California United Terminal (CUT) at the Port of Long Beach when he was struck and killed. Details on the death are being investigated by port authorities.

Union leaders met Friday with officials of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), the port and terminal operator, to announce that the union will halt operation at CUT for a 24-hour grievement period.

The ILWU represents 25,000 longshore workers at 29 west coast ports in California, Oregon and Washington. Rivera becomes the twelfth death on the docks coastwide since the current waterfront contract with the PMA was signed in 2002.

In Southern California, Rivera's death follows that of foreman Matt Petrasich, killed in a workplace accident on Jan. 31, 2005 at the Evergreen terminal in the adjacent Port of Los Angeles.