LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says both sides in the lengthening strike at the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have agreed to federal mediation.
However, the union representing clerical workers says the strike - now in its eighth day - will continue in the meantime.
The mayor joined the talks late Monday after returning from a South America trip and the negotiations have continued into the late morning.
Union spokesman Craig Merrilees says the mayor's efforts have helped bring both sides closer together but there's still much work to do.
Clerical workers are striking 10 terminals at the nation's busiest port complex and dockworkers won't cross picket lines.
Cargo worth hundreds of millions of dollars is not moving through the ports each day.
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