Port truckers secure victory after years of harassment

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/Channels/Story.aspx?ID=1731564

7/2/2012

This story was made possible in part by a grant from the Berger-Marks Foundation.

PORT TRUCKERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL BE GETTING MORE LABOR RIGHTS, AFTER A RECENT 46 TO 15 VOTE IN FAVOR OF UNIONIZATION.

LEILANI ALBANO HAS MORE ON THE STORY.

Port truckers have been struggling for decades to win better working conditions. In 1980, then president Jimmy Carter signed the Motor Carrier Act, which deregulated the trucking industry and led to companies replacing unionized port truckers with “independent contractors."

Without any rights as workers, most port truckers have been legally barred from participating in union elections. However, drivers that work for the Toll Group were able to circumvent that rule because the company which has a unionized work force in Australia, recognizes port truckers as employees.

TJ Michels, spokesperson for Change to Win, a labor union coalition, says the recent union recognition vote is the commencement of many organizing efforts at the ports to come.

(Michels) It’s tremendously exciting because they have been fighting so hard so long port truckers to get the union recognition that they deserve. And the drivers at Toll are only the beginning.

The union recognition win only affects 61 Toll workers. But activists say that labor negotiations at the company are being closely monitored by the MORE THAN 100,000 port truckers throughout the nation who don’t have employee status.

Leonardo Mejia, a port trucker with Shippers Transport Express, is among those encouraged by their victory.

(12 seconds)(Mejia) If they win the campaign over there at Toll, that’s a very good sign for everybody because that’s the way we have to go.

Toll’s win is also being seen as a victory for a broad coalition of non-profit organizations, environmental groups, labor unions as well as members of Australia’s Transport Workers Union’ which aided the port truckers during their unionizing efforts.

Jose Ortega Junior, who joined the union at Toll along with his father, says he’s seen some positive changes.

For one, he says the bosses can no longer fire workers whenever they want.

But he says the work harassment persists.

(10 seconds)(Ortega)Those who supported the union, we’re getting called into the office for any little thing. But then the non-union guys, they could do whatever they want.

Toll did not respond to requests for an interview.

Michels, says that the job of unionizing independent contractors can’t stop at Toll.

She says that labor organizers will continue the fight until all port truckers are unionized.

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[elleng]

1. Good and interesting news.

As much as I like Jimmy Carter, deregulation was not his finest hour, imo. Here, another 'unintended consequence.'