Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said at a news conference today that the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports and a union representing 800 clerical workers will use a federal mediator to try to end an eight-day strike.


 Speaking in Wilmington, the mayor did not say workers would return to their jobs during the mediation process. The walkout has shut down the ports, forcing ships to anchor off the coast or head to competing ports in Northern California, Panama and Mexico.