[140519.EN.BIZ] Australia's Toll Hailed by Teamsters to Run Trucks Out of Port of LA

THE Port of Los Angeles has selected Melbourne's Toll Global Forwarding to talk about leasing an 85-acre trucking base in the Wilmington area adjacent to the harbour, reports American Shipper.

The property includes 600,000 square feet of warehouse space and land for harbour trucking. The agreement is subject to the successful negotiation of a lease and a permit under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The property became a subject of controversy in recent years as the current tenant, the Cal Cartage and the Teamsters union have been embroiled in a dispute over unionising independent drivers.

The company said it had to shut warehouse in July 2019 because the Teamsters spread disinformation about Cal Cartage to unionise drivers.

The Teamsters welcomed Toll's bid. "Toll has been a responsible employer for the Teamsters at the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach and in New Jersey and has a demonstrable track record of following the law and respecting employees' right to bargain collectively."

Last year, LA harbour commissioners approved a revocable permit that allowed Cal Cartage to operate at the property, paying rent of US$5.4 million per year, but the Los Angeles City Council vetoed the approval in October.

Source : HKSG / Photo : Toll.