LOS ANGELES (AP) - A dispute between West Coast dockworkers and their employers isn't going to steal Christmas.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A dispute between West Coast dockworkers and their employers isn't going to steal Christmas.

Longshoremen who handle billions of dollars of cargo have been working since July without a contract, and negotiations over a new one turned contentious this fall.

On Tuesday, full negotiating teams are meeting for the first time in nearly two weeks.

Public pressure has been mounting, especially because trade — mostly to and from Asia — has been slowed.

The union cites a shortage of truck beds to carry containers from dockside yards; their employers accuse dockworkers of orchestrating work slowdowns.

While both are a factor, retailers say most holiday goods are safely through the ports. Most likely affected would be the restocking of "must-have" toys or other surprise sellers.

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Contact Justin Pritchard at http://twitter.com/lalanewsman .