http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/11/30/18747054.php
By Jonathan Nack, November 30, 2013

800_pickets_block_gate.
OAKLAND - Independent
truckers staged a job action that slowed work at the Port of Oakland on
Wednesday, November 27th. It was the truckers' third job action since
August.
The Port of Oakland Truckers Association (POTA) called
for a strike at Stevedoring Services of America's terminal, one of the
largest and busiest at the Port. In a press release, POTA said the
strike was called, “in protest of unsafe working conditions and unfair
labor practices by terminal owners and Port of Oakland management.“
Picketers began gathering in the darkness before 5 AM on Wednesday.
About a hundred independent truckers, many sporting their POTA shirts,
were joined by at least that many community and labor supporters at the
entrances to the SSA terminal.
One picket sign read, “Don't
make Truckers Pay the Bill,” another said,“CARB Extend the Deadline.”
They are references to the California Air Resources Board's regulation
that requires all truck engines manufactured before 2007 to be upgraded
to meet air quality standards.
One trucker estimated the cost
of the required upgrades at between $60,000 and $80,000 per truck and
said many truck drivers can't afford it.
Profit margins for independent truckers are notoriously small. Many independents are struggling. Many others go under.
It's such a difficult way to make a living that companies are
constantly looking for more independents, as evidenced by the many signs
hanging from fences of the Port advertising for them by companies such
as P & R Trucking, Lengner & Sons, and Mutual Express Company.
Other picket signs on Wednesday read, “Long lines = Bad air,” and
“Community and Truckers United.” These referred to the huge problem of
bad air quality at the Port. Air pollution affects not only everyone
who works at the Port, but surrounding communities in West Oakland,
which have high rates of cancer and asthma. Picketers from the
community supported POTA's demands, because they agreed it was unfair to
put the burden on independent truckers.
It was the bad air at
the Port that caused the CARB to set more stringent regulations on
diesel engines. POTA says many independent truckers can't afford the
upgrades. With trucking dispatch companies and the Port making huge
profits, truckers say these wealthy institutions should pay for the
upgrades, not them.
Most of the corporate media's coverage of
Wednesday's action at the Port emphasized that POTA is protesting the
CARB's regulation and is demanding at least a one year delay in the
deadline. The mainstream media coverage all but implied that truckers
don't care about the air quality. This is obviously untrue. The
truckers are among those most effected by the bad air at the Port. The
problem is not upgrading diesel engines, it's about who should pay for
it.
POTA is also pressing for additional pay, a congestion fee,
when they are forced to wait at the Port for a load for reasons beyond
the truckers control. Inefficiency at the Port causing trucks to idle
and wait in line is another major cause of air pollution.
Accounts of the impact of Wednesday's job action varied sharply. The
San Francisco Business Times reported that the Port management said that
demonstrators were cleared from SSA Terminals by 9 a.m. and that no
other port terminals were affected. POTA claimed truck traffic was down
by 90%.
POTA issued a press release mid-day Wednesday providing a detailed description of the morning's action. [
http://oaklandporttruckers.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/mid-day-press-release-from-port-truckers/ ]
POTA reported, “Primary pickets were set up at the four SSA terminal
gates beginning at 5am, but due to violent police action, lines began
migrating between gates to prevent arrest and detainment of picketers.
At least one person picketing was struck by the vehicle of a terminal
employee crossing the picket line, and as of 10:30am, there were 5
arrests. Those arrested were cited and released. One police officer was
injured when a car crossing the truckers’ picket line ran over his
foot.”
There was no violence by picketers. Indybay.org reported that there were 50 Oakland Police on the scene.
“The police were pushing us off the picket lines even though the judge
said it’s illegal. After last time when they hit people with batons,
people were afraid, but they kept moving to hold the lines,” said local
port trucker Jose Gomez.
POTA's press release said, “Some
truckers who crossed picket lines today claimed they faced retaliation
from their companies. During the last work stoppage, notoriously bad
trucking dispatch company GSC charged their drivers illegal demurrage
fees for honoring picket lines. When drivers refused to pay, they found
deductions in their pay checks. While some long-distance truckers and
employee drivers crossed picket lines, the vast majority of independent
contractor truckers picketed or refused to take loads today.”
“At 10a.m. most of the supporters, media and police trickled out, while
more truckers gathered at the primary SSA trucker entrance and resumed
pickets on their own. Without the heavy police presence that accompanied
activists and supporters, they were able to hold the picket lines at
SSA, according to POTA's press release.
“When the local drivers
won’t work, the Port won’t work. Even if we are not the majority group
of truckers servicing the port, we do the majority of the work,” said
Roberto Ruiz, another local driver.
Part of the independent
truckers' action was not as effective as planned. Members of the
International Longshore & Warehouse Union, Local 10, crossed the
picket line at the SSA terminal. POTA was disappointed that Local 10
didn't honor the picket lines.
It was a surprising response
from Local 10, which has historically honored picket lines in support of
progressive struggles. It was particularly surprising, since Local
10's membership meeting had voted to honor all POTA picket lines.
According to Stan Woods, a member of ILWU, Local 6, who attended Local
10's membership meeting as an observer, the membership had voted 73 to
39 to honor POTA picket lines. It was hotly debated. There were strong
feelings on both sides. A contingent from POTA attended the union's
meeting and Frank Adams of POTA spoke at the meeting. In the end, the
union's membership vote to act in solidarity with POTA by honoring their
lines wasn't close, according to Woods.
Members of Local 10
said that the telephone recording they call daily instructed members to
go to work at the SSA terminal. One member claimed that the
membership's vote to honor the picket line was not followed because,
“the membership was misled. These guys are not union, they [POTA] said
they'll never go union.”
There were some of the independent
truckers that did work the Port on Wednesday that were nevertheless
supportive of POTA's protest.
Baijer Singh told KTVU News
that he didn't join the job action because he couldn't afford to. “I
need to pay my bills,” Singh told KTVU. Singh said he believes the work
action is important because the Port of Oakland “is not listening” to
the truckers' concerns. Singh said he and other truckers often have to
wait up to five hours to pick up loads at the port and they aren't
compensated for the time they spend waiting.
For more info. on the Port of Oakland Truckers Association (POTA): oaklandporttruckers.wordpress.com
For more info. on Port Truckers Solidarity:
solidarityinmotion.org ;
facebook.com/pages/Port-Truckers-Solidarity and
facebook.com/TransportationWorkersSolidarityCommittee
Photo by Jonathan Nack
Video, photos, and editing by Jonathan Nack
(1:10 minute)
Photo by Ryan Rising
Photo by Jonathan Nack