With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Truckers and warehouse workers to begin LA, Long Beach port strikes
File: Cargo ships are loaded at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Starting Monday, a group of truck drivers and warehouse workers are going on strike at the ports of L.A. and Long Beach.
The drivers and warehouse workers are protesting wages. In addition, the local Teamsters union claims port companies have misclassified drivers as independent contractors.
"The law has said that they are employees, but these companies continue to break the law," said Eric Tate with the local Teamsters union. "So we're telling the mayor of Los Angeles and Long Beach that they need to stop allowing these law-breaking companies to enter the port until they start operating legally."
The union also claims the independent contractor status has meant truckers pick up some of the cost for the recent initiatives for greener operations at the ports of L.A. and Long Beach.
Sponsored message
KPCC has reached out to both mayors, as well as representatives for the trucking companies.
So far, only Eric Garcetti's office has replied with a statement:
Sustainability and economic prosperity are not mutually exclusive, and the mayor is committed to making sure that our truckers are not burdened unfairly with the costs of meeting these goals.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
