Writing Shotgun

PORT TRUCK DRIVERS TO MAYOR FOSTER AND COUNCIL: DRIVE A MILE IN MY RIG

Dave WielengaTue. March 11
 

Chanting slogans and carrying signs — most of them critical of Mayor Bob Foster – an assortment of public health organizations and community activists  marched for an hour outside Long Beach City Hall Tuesday afternoon, complaining that a new Port of Long Beach (POLB) policy unfairly places the burden of reducing air pollution on the low-incomes of independent truckers.

When they finished demonstrating, approximately 100 scruffy truckers went inside and sat patiently for nearly three hours for the opportunity for one of their members to address Mayor Foster and the City Council for about three minutes.

“I wanted to let you guys know that the plan you are giving us is not going to work,” Oscar Torello said in a voice quivering with nervousness. “It’s too expensive for us. We can’t make it.”

The Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, which organized the demonstration, has criticized Foster in full-page ads in daily newspapers, contending that he directed the Harbor Commission’s Feb. 19 adoption of a plan that would require individual owner-operators of diesel trucks drivers to buy new, cleaner rigs. The Coalition claims those individuals earn an average of only $29,000 a year and that it is unreasonable to expect them to purchase expensive new vehicles.

The group would prefer a plan endorsed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at the Port of Los Angeles, which would require that trucking companies act as employers and assume responsibility for a new, lower-emission fleet of trucks.

Thus, the sentiments on the signs at Tuesday’s demonstration: “Villaraigosa Hero, Foster Zero,” “Stop Fostering Worker Exploitation” and “Foster, Drive A Mile In My Truck.

Meanwhile, LBReport.com reported last week that a component of the American Trucking Association last week urged the Federal Maritime Commission not to approve either the Port of Long Beach or the Port of L.A. programs, contending that they both violate the federal Shipping Act (preempting state and local laws on the matter).

The Port of Long Beach is a department of the city. The members of the Harbor Commission are appointed by the mayor, approved by the city council — and under the just-voter-approved new language of the City Charter, can be very easily removed by council vote.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

RELATED

COMMENTS

  1. 1

    In case you doubted why diesel trucks and ships need to be replaced.

    http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail...

    But those schools next to the freeway are probably a necessary inconvenience for our novelty air fresheners.

    [report]

    Posted By Andy on March 11th, 2008 at 11:58 am

     

  2. 2

    Foster is doing the right thing by standing up to the unions. We can get the polluting trucks off the street and clean the air without forcing everyone into a union.

    [report]

    Posted By lbresident on March 11th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

     

  3. 3

    None of these guys are unionized, and even if they were employees of a company would probably never be. They have never been able to unite, maybe because they’re from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and show no love for each other. Due to current labor laws it’s just about impossible for workers to join a union and actually get a contract.
    The fact of the matter is the only way to ensure the ongoing air pollution reductions is to have company equipment that is maintained. The owner-operators (what we have now) won’t be able to do it.
    I’ve worked in the ports for 30+ years and watched the trucking go to hell, from maintained company equipment with employee drivers to kamikazee owner-operators working for practically nothing. If the average Joe Citizen knew how unsafe and dangerous these trucks/truckers are they’d have a heart attack. And they smoke like a wood fireplace!
    Foster bent over for the trucking companies and they still sued us. What a buffoon!

    [report]

    Posted By John on March 11th, 2008 at 8:41 pm

     

  4. 4

    There are other reasons why many haven’t been able to “unite.” For one, in many Latin American countries there have been long histories where unionizing workers are simply murdered. So a culture where one fears even the idea of unionizing persists for that reason alone. Second, our beloved Supreme Court held that our beloved labor laws don’t apply to non-citizens (if there are any non-citizen truck drivers, that is).

    [report]

    Posted By kelson on March 11th, 2008 at 9:41 pm

     

  5. 5

    Company-owned, fleet standardized CNG trucks. With chrome mudflap girls.

    [report]

    Posted By Andy on March 11th, 2008 at 9:45 pm

     

  6. 6

    Actually, I think these guys are ready to unionize, which seems to be the reason the Port doesn’t want them to be considered employees of the trucking companies. They’d be easier to organize than they are now, as independent owner-operators, who are currently easier to play against one another as they compete to do the job cheaper and cheaper. It’s not an easy or pretty life they lead.

    [report]

    Posted By Dave Wielenga on March 11th, 2008 at 9:52 pm

     

  7. 7

    So when Is life supposed to be easy? Or pretty?

    My point is, these guys drive trucks after coming here in creative border-crashing ways, other people work in coal mines and sometimes never come out, man off shore oil rigs, build cars like robots or operate dangerous saws on huge logs in mills.

    There are tons of not so pretty jobs, not everybody can beat a keyboard and earn a buck or ride high on the political gravy train and pretend to worry about the more unfortuate and get free tickets or have galas like the doo wop glide and not worry about traffic tickets like ex-councilman Webb.

    It’s the system, baby.

    BTW, listening to MSNBC at 10:55 a.m. about Geraldine Ferraro, speaker (Jonathan ???) IDed the paper as the “Torrance Daily Breeze” … well close.

    [report]

    Posted By lbwhiner on March 12th, 2008 at 10:56 am

     

  8. 8

    How many careers do we have to make look so unattractive that only “border-crashers” take them? Or are there simply jobs so horribly unattractive that it isn’t worth adding at least a few nicer touches to them? I guess not.. “… right in the ear.”

    [report]

    Posted By Kelson on March 12th, 2008 at 11:39 am

     

  9. 9

    Yeah, we need to pay the “border-crashers” a low wage, so they can afford to drive unsafe, polluting trucks at breakneck speeds to earn enough to pay expenses and get our newest fad toys to the Wal-Mart in time for Easter.

    In answer to your statement, lbwhiner, why shouldn’t we try and change the system?

    [report]

    Posted By Andy on March 12th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

     

  10. 10

    Where did I allege it’s a good thing? Change away, I’m behind you all the way…as long as you lead the charge.

    [report]

    Posted By lbwhiner on March 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm

     

  11. 11

    Please stop looking at my ass. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

    [report]

    Posted By Andy on March 12th, 2008 at 4:50 pm

     

  12. 12

    Dave, there’s thousands of harbor truckers, and when they have a rally only about 50 show up. As to their being citizens the vast majority speak very little english. What does that tell you?
    There are many of us making good money in the harbor, and these poor bastards take it in the shorts. I guess they helped make it that way, and they’re too unorganized and ignorant to do what it takes to make it better.
    It’s a dream situation for the steamship lines and the wal-marts and targets, as long as these guys don’t realize how much power they have.

    [report]

    Posted By John on March 12th, 2008 at 9:07 pm

     

  13. 13

    Just speculating here, but among the explanations for the turnout might be the fact that they couldn’t afford it. These guys work on a pretty thin margin. But it’s always been difficult to organize laborers, whether the obstacles are low self-esteem or reprisals from management.

    [report]

    Posted By Dave Wielenga on March 13th, 2008 at 10:32 am

     

  14. 14

    Seems folks have a lot of questions and some strong opinions. Here’s a helpful resource on the issue — http://blog.cleanandsafeports.org/

    [report]

    Posted By LB Ports on March 14th, 2008 at 2:25 pm

     

  15. 15

    If Villaragosa and LA are able to implement the Clean Trucks Program, then Long Beach can. Our taxes have subsidized the goods movement industry for too long. You and I pay for the widening of freeways and the “free” county healthcare the drivers use. We need our Long Beach elected officials to hold our port tennants to the same standards as LA does. Our port must also stop the delays on the Clean Air Action Plan.

    [report]

    Posted By Gabrielle Weeks on March 14th, 2008 at 9:08 pm

     

Leave a Reply

DISCLAIMER: We do not screen comments in advance, but we do reserve the right to delete or edit any we find inappropriate. Please note that commenters are free to use whatever name(s) they choose.

 

© 2007-2008 Seven Days Publishing LLC.