PILOTS CONSTRICT PORT ACTIVITY; MERCHANTS FEAR LENGTHY STRIKE.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

The Port of Los Angeles' pilots strike left some ships unloaded Monday and forced others to the Port of Hueneme, leading some merchants to fear that a lengthy stoppage could disrupt the local economy.

The 11 pilots who guide ships into and out of the nation's second-busiest port walked off the job Friday night after the city rejected their request for a 72 percent pay raise over two years from an annual $113,700 to $195,000, said Barbara Yamamoto, a spokeswoman for the city's Harbor Department. They rejected the city's offer of a 17 percent increase over four years, which has been accepted by other city bargaining units, she said.

Four ships went unloaded Monday as longshoremen represented by International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 68, which also represents the pilots, refused to cross the pilots' picket line at three terminals. Ships continue to be guided into the port by two nonunion pilots, Yamamoto said.

``Basically we can bring the ships in, but without the longshoremen there to unload them there isn't anything else we can do,'' she said. ``That's unfortunate, because with the cargo not moving the economy suffers and ultimately the consumers suffer.''

A Long Beach Superior Court judge today is expected to hear the city's request for a temporary restraining order against the strike.

Calls from the Daily News to the union were not answered Monday.

A lasting strike is likely to have an adverse impact on area retailers, said Jay Winter, executive secretary of the Steamship Association of Southern California. ``You could safely say that if you went to every major retailer, they're impacted,'' he said.

For example, Woodland Hills-based Applause Inc., a distributor of licensed toys based on movie characters, receives about 40 containers from China each week with toys worth about $50,000 wholesale, said company President Steve Muellner. The company was not affected by the stoppage Monday, but could be if the strike continues.

``We're just starting to build serious inventory for the fall and Christmas season,'' Muellner said. ``If the strike would actually . . . go for any length of time we would have to make arrangements to change ports to bring the products in.''

At least two refrigerated ships containing fruit and vegetables were redirected to the Port of Hueneme in Ventura County on Monday because of the Los Angeles strike, said Kam Quarles, manager of marketing and trade zone services for the port.

``We're happy to accommodate them,'' Quarles said. ``Obviously all the ports are looking to bring in as much business as they can and we're able to handle them in addition to our other business. We'll be happy to have them.''