Oakland Moves Forward With Plans For Former Army Base

OAKLAND (KCBS) – Oakland city leaders have approved hiring rules for an ambitious plan to redevelop the abandoned Oakland Army Base.

Supporters of the project, which would convert the former base into a logistics center for the Port of Oakland, said it will be a huge boost for hiring in West Oakland.

KCBS' Chris Filippi Reports:

"(It is) a chance to create about 5,000 good paying, blue collar jobs, of which at least half of them have to be from the city of Oakland," said Oakland Mayor Jean Quan. "And we're going to make sure it's more if we can."

Fred Pecker, with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, said enforceable local hiring rules are critical for the project's success.

"(We need) a framework that we can all work together, to make sure that as we move forward, we make sure that these jobs go to the resident of Oakland first and that we develop meaningful training programs which put people to work," said Pecker.

Mayor Quan said she hopes a job training and application center for the project will open by the end of November.

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