Teamsters expand trucker protests at LA-LB ports A Teamsters-affiliated organization on Monday expanded its week-long protests at Los Angeles-Long Beach against three drayage companies, by targeting three additional ones. The drivers are picketing six marine terminals as well as the yards of the three new targets. The drivers are protesting alleged wage theft and misclassification of their status as independent contractors. Spokesmen for the ports said cargo-handling was proceeding normally despite the picketing truckers. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union has been working without a contract since the previous coastwide contract expired on July 1, but the longshoremen continue to report to their jobs each day despite the presence of the protestors. The expanded trucker protests compound existing problems at the largest port complex in the Americas. The ports since late summer have been struggling with severe congestion tied to a myriad of factors including stronger-than-expected cargo volumes, chassis shortages, a truck capacity crunch and rail car shortages. Also, the Pacific Maritime Association is alleging that the ILWU, in an effort to pressure employers during the contract negotiations, is engaging in go-slow tactics and refusing to provide enough skilled heavy equipment operators for cargo-handling work in the container yards. The PMA said these tactics are making terminal congestion worse and contributing to vessels backing up at anchor in the harbor. The ILWU has denied those charges, saying port congestion is caused by at least a dozen operational issues that arose since ocean carriers began deploying mega-ships in their trans-Pacific services calling at the Southern California port complex. Justice for Port Truckers, which is allied with the Teamsters, last week resumed its protests against TTSI, Green Fleet Systems and Pac-9 harbor drayage companies after telling a meeting of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission that the port and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti had failed to follow through on promises they made in July to address the alleged wage theft and misclassification. The mayor convinced the trucking companies in July to agree to a cooling-off period. Garcetti last week went back into confidential discussion with the trucking companies, and late last week announced that another cooling-off arrangement had been reached with TTSI and Pac-9. However, Justice for Port Truckers on Monday announced that the strikes were being expanded to include three additional drayage companies, QTS Inc., LACA Express and WinWin Logistics. The Teamsters have scheduled a rally at noon Pacific time to announce its next steps. Invited speakers include local political leaders, a rabbi, a Methodist minister and community organizers. The driver strikes this year have involved some, but not all of the drivers at the targeted companies. Some drivers prefer to remain independent contractors. Striking drivers want to be organized by the Teamsters, but they must first be declared to be company employees because independent contractors, by law, can not be unionized. The Teamsters have sponsored several strikes by drivers this year, but the handful of companies represent just a small percentage of the more than 100 drayage companies that haul containers in the harbor. While truck capacity in Southern California has been strained by the heavy cargo volumes and relentless port congestion, the trucker strikes have not had a significant impact on capacity. Some marine terminals, in order to avoid issues, have reportedly told the trucking companies that are being struck not to send their trucks to their facilities. JOC NEWS - NOV 17 2014
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 03:38:42 +0000
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