SAN PEDRO >> About 5,000 people are expected to participate in a community march tonight supporting hundreds of Los Angeles and Long Beach longshore workers engaged in contentious contract talks with employers.

SCROLL DOWN FOR A PLAY-BY-PLAY

• VIDEO: Banning High School band kicks off protest

• PHOTO: Dockworkers in Tacoma march at the same time

• VIDEO: Union supporters arrive at the L.A. Maritime Museum

• VIDEO: Assemblyman Mike Gipson says, “We are going to fight.”

• VIDEO: A worker explains how the slowdown is affecting veteran workers, and military veterans.

Who: Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, their families and the community, organized by Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino.

When: 5:30 p.m., with a 6 p.m. rally planned.

Where: The march kicks off near the Vincent Thomas Bridge on Harbor Boulevard at Beacon Street and will travel south about seven blocks to the Downtown San Pedro harbor. The rally will be in front of the Maritime Museum at Sixth Street and Harbor Boulevard.

THE CONFLICT

ILWU and employers Pacific Maritime Association have been trying to hammer out a contract since May. The last contract ended in July. The new agreement would cover 20,000 dockworkers at 29 ports along the West Coast including the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Despite securing a tentative agreement on health benefits, negotiations have soured as both sides blame each other for slowdowns at the ports.

• October 2014, the employers accuse the union of a slowdown by refusing to dispatch skilled crane operators.

• Jan. 5, the U.S. government announces a federal mediator will step in and guide discussions.

• Jan. 13, the employers say they will cease the loading and unloading of ships at night to focus on reducing an ever-expanding pile of cargo containers. The move affects about 800 workers.

• Jan. 19, the ports prevented unloading ships in daylight hours for one day, affecting another 200 workers.

THE MARCH

5:05 p.m.: Press-Telegram photographer captures hundreds getting ready to march.

5:44 p.m. Even the dogs are wearing pro-union T-shirts.

5:52 p.m. Many workers wear shirts that say, “I am one of many. We are the ILWU.”

5:55 p.m. Daily Breeze reporter Sandy Mazza says there’s easily thousands of people present. The workers brought their families. “For every worker, there’s a spouse, a kid and a dog.” People are carrying signs that say, “We support the ILWU.”

6:15 p.m. Union marchers arrive at L.A. Maritime Museum.

6:28 p.m. Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino says, “Our economy is here in the harbor. For me, this is personal,” mentioning family members who have worked the ports. “God bless … these dockworkers, who contribute to our local economy.”

6:34 p.m. Assemblyman Mike Gipson leads the crowd in a chant of “When we fight, we win.”

6:45 p.m. ILWU rep says, “The employers think that you’re getting weak, that you’re getting tired. I don’t think so. Are you?” The crowd yells in response: “No!”

7 p.m. Officials tweeting from the demonstration include Assemblyman Isadore Hall,III and Long Beach City Councilman Roberto Uranga.

Editor’s note — in an earlier version of this article, Assemblyman Mike Gipson was misidentified.