THE Los Angeles City Council have voted 12-0 to veto a Level One Coastal Development Permit that was awarded to APM Terminals (APMT) at the beginning of the year and would enable it to upgrade the infrastructure so that new equipment could be installed at its pier 400 terminal.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) opposed the granting of the permit because it claims the equipment is part of a plan by APMT to automate the terminal and would lead to the layoff of longshore workers. However, the Los Angeles Board of Harbour Commissioners in a 3-2 vote on June 20 rejected an ILWU appeal seeking to reverse the issuance of the licence.
The action by the City Council remands the decision to issue the permit back to the Board of Harbor Commissioners for further discussion. A meeting will be held on July 11 to discuss the permit, reported American Shipper.
Port spokesperson Phillip Sanfield said that the agency will continue to cooperate with Mayor Eric Garcetti to drive further talks between the ILWU and APM Terminals and 'do everything it can to find common ground and a path forward'.
ILWU Local 13 vice president Gary Herrera said unlimited automation at the port would destroy jobs and hurt the surrounding community. He and others are asking for an expansive reading of the California Environmental Quality Act, arguing that the economic impact of job losses at the facility on the local community should be considered as part of the 'environmental impact' of the amendments APMT aims to make to Pier 400.
Councilman Joe Buscaino, who brought the motion to veto the permit before the City Council, said the Board of Harbour Commissioners did not have all the evidence they required to effectively decide whether to award the permit.
APM Terminals spokesman Tom Boyd said the company was disappointed by the LA City Council, saying it 'disregarded the actions of the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbour Commissioners vote - and like Councilman Buscaino mentioned we hope the situation will be resolved in the near future'.
WORLD SHIPPING
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) opposed the granting of the permit because it claims the equipment is part of a plan by APMT to automate the terminal and would lead to the layoff of longshore workers. However, the Los Angeles Board of Harbour Commissioners in a 3-2 vote on June 20 rejected an ILWU appeal seeking to reverse the issuance of the licence.
The action by the City Council remands the decision to issue the permit back to the Board of Harbor Commissioners for further discussion. A meeting will be held on July 11 to discuss the permit, reported American Shipper.
Port spokesperson Phillip Sanfield said that the agency will continue to cooperate with Mayor Eric Garcetti to drive further talks between the ILWU and APM Terminals and 'do everything it can to find common ground and a path forward'.
ILWU Local 13 vice president Gary Herrera said unlimited automation at the port would destroy jobs and hurt the surrounding community. He and others are asking for an expansive reading of the California Environmental Quality Act, arguing that the economic impact of job losses at the facility on the local community should be considered as part of the 'environmental impact' of the amendments APMT aims to make to Pier 400.
Councilman Joe Buscaino, who brought the motion to veto the permit before the City Council, said the Board of Harbour Commissioners did not have all the evidence they required to effectively decide whether to award the permit.
APM Terminals spokesman Tom Boyd said the company was disappointed by the LA City Council, saying it 'disregarded the actions of the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbour Commissioners vote - and like Councilman Buscaino mentioned we hope the situation will be resolved in the near future'.
WORLD SHIPPING