Teamsters President James P. Hoffa joined striking truck drivers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Wednesday, one day after promising strikers the support of the Teamsters’ 1.4 million members nationwide.
The truckers are protesting what the union calls unfair labor practices, including drivers “misclassified as independent contractors” rather than employees.
“These drivers are on strike to protest unfair labor practices, including misclassification and retaliation, harassment, and intimidation for having filed claims for wage theft with the California Labor Commissioner’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement,” said Barb Maynard of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Maynard said workers who are “misclassified as independent contractors” are “robbed of basic workplace protections like the right to minimum wage, overtime pay, and a safe and healthful workplace.”
About 40 workers at the California Cartage warehouse in Wilmington also joined the strike Wednesday, according to spokesman Sheheryar Kaaosji.
Port officials said shipping terminals have remained open during the strike, which began on Monday.
Port spokesman Phillip Sanfield said the strike had caused only minimal impact on port operations, adding that L.A. port police were on hand to ensure traffic safety and that cargo continues to move.
Support for the truckers also came Wednesday from some members of the Los Angeles City Council.
Councilman Joe Buscaino, whose district includes the Port of Los Angeles, co-introduced a resolution expressing support for workers at the port and urging employers there to follow federal and state labor laws.
The resolution also calls for the parties in the dispute to “resolve any labor issues proactively to avoid any work stoppages at the Port of Los Angeles.”
“It is important to maintain the free flow of goods at the Port of Los Angeles, especially as we move into the holiday season,” Buscaino said in a statement.
The resolution was also authored by Councilman Bob Blumenfield and Council President Herb Wesson, with Councilwoman Nury Martinez seconding.
—City News Service