In just a week, the strike had begun to create concerns there would be shortages of everything from retail merchandise needed for next month's post-holiday sales to repair parts for Redbox video kiosks.
Christmas merchandise had already arrived before the strike began.
During the walkout, officials estimated roughly $760 million worth of cargo a day failed to move through the ports. Twenty ships headed to other ports in California and Mexico, while some simply didn't sail from their home ports. Still others idled at sea.
Clerical workers walked out Nov. 27 after working without a contract for 30 months.
Although the strikers numbered only about 450, thousands of dockworkers represented by a sister union refused to cross the picket lines, stalling work at the complex that handles 44 percent of all container traffic that arrives in the U.S. by sea.
The new contract calls for a $1 an hour raise immediately and another $1 an hour bump next year, with raises in the contract's third and fourth years still to be determined. Employees will also receive $4,000 lump sum payments for the 30 months they worked without a contract.
Their pension benefits will increase slightly, and their vacation and health benefits will remain unchanged.
When their contract expires in 2016, Merrilees said, they should expect to face the outsourcing issue again.
"This problem is one that's rampant across the country," he said. "It's great that port workers were able to get this problem in these ports subject to more controls, but meanwhile the impacts of outsourcing are still being felt across the country."
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Associated Press writer Robert Jablon contributed to this story.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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