The union representing West Coast dockworkers voiced its opposition Thursday to a bill that would raise funds for air and transportation improvements at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union is opposed to tacking another fee on cargo containers entering the ports, according to spokesman Craig Merrilees.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger must decide by next week whether to sign SB 974, which calls for a $30 fee on cargo containers entering the ports. The bill’s author, Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, said the funds would go toward air pollution programs and improving road and railway access throughout Southern California.
The ILWU’s opposition comes just days after 10 members of California’s congressional delegation sent a letter to Schwarzenegger urging him to approve the bill.
