Truck drivers protesting alleged unfair labor practices — the insistence by the companies they work for to treat them like independent contractors and not employees — began indefinite strikes today at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, a union spokesperson said.
A noon news conference was planned by the truck drivers at Wilmington Waterfront Park, according to Barb Maynard of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Port Division, which is supporting the striking drivers in their efforts to form a union.
“Early this morning, port truck drivers from three of Los Angeles’ leading drayage firms began widespread, indefinite unfair labor practice strikes at truck yards and marine terminals at the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long beach, through which more than 40 percent of our nation’s imports are moved,” Maynard said in a statement.
“These unfair labor practice strikes are the fourth such strikes in the past eleven months, and are a dramatic escalation from prior actions, which like many other low wage worker strikes over the past year, were 24-28 hours in duration,” Maynard said.
More information is available at www.justiceforportdrivers.org.
Lee Peterson of the Port of Long Beach said around 7:30 a.m. that picketing had not yet affected that facility. A Port of Los Angeles spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
