Truckers’ action enters second day with minimal impact on LA or Long Beach port operations

Los Angeles: The labour action by Southern California port truck drivers against selected trucking firms went into its second day on Tuesday.

But Los Angeles and Long Beach ports said their business was hardly affected and freight was moving unimpeded at what is the United States’ biggest cargo hub,

Drivers mounted pickets at port marine terminals in case any trucks arrived from four targeted trucking firms. But none did as the terminals discouraged those firms from dropping off or picking up containers. That still left more than 800 other trucking firms unaffected, according to a Tweet from the Port of Los Angeles.

Most of the picketing action was throughout Southern California and as far south as Mexico at sites related to the four trucking companies – Intermodal Bridge Transport, Pacific 9 Transportation, Pacer Cartage and Harbor Rail Transport.

The drivers’ main grievance is about their status as independent contractors – they claim they should be considered as employees, which would bring more benefits, better pay and work protections, plus the chance to become union members.

About 16,000 truckers work the two ports and several hundred from the four companies are taking part in the action.