Port of Los Angeles on a usual business day. (Creative Commons)

The Los Angeles Times reported Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's move to send in the pair of mediators may have spurred the protestors to negotiate, in case their influence was compromised with the introduction of more mediators.

Union members began the strike Nov. 27 to express outrage over the practice of employers giving work away from union employees to lower-paid employees in other states and countries.

Last night's deal package included wage and pension increases along with some promise of job security. The six-month contract is retroactive to June 30, 2010, and will be set to expire June 30, 2016.

The deal won't be confirmed until the full union membership has a chance to vote on it.

Read the full story here, and more of Neon Tommy's port coverage here and here. 

Reach Executive Producer Catherine Green here. Follow her here.