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Independent truckers say they will close down Los Angeles, Long Beach harbors

LOS ANGELES - 0427/06 - A group of independent owner/operator truckers that move cargo in and out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are threatening to shut down both ports, but for how long and for exactly what reasons remain in question.

According to reports from several sources including the leftist Los Angeles Independent Media Center (LAIMC), a day-long work stoppage is planned for May 1 to coincide with the national action planned by a variety of activist groups supporting the granting the rights of full US citizenship to illegal immigrants.

The action "is not an organized event but an accumulation of collective effort" on the part of the "troqueros" - the largely Hispanic independent truckers who dray cargo moving through both ports - who, according to a correspondent on the LAIMC website "are organizing themselves," mostly over via two-way and CB radio.

"If you happened to tune into one of their conversations these days, the radio is filled with talk, in Spanish and English, of the "Huegla General," or General Strike, on May 1, the correspondent said, adding that "the planned strike is part of a larger general strike called for in support of immigrant rights."

But, the correspondent said, "the truckers are also calling for their own demands including a 25% wage increase," and will remain on strike "until they [the troqueros] win collective bargaining rights," adding, without elaborating, that "troqueros in Oakland and Houston are pledging solidarity."

However, according to other sources, the truckers are planning to launch a "recognition strike" beginning tomorrow, April 28, "after everyone receives their paychecks."

"The harbor will be closed, completely for at least a week," they said.

A work stoppage by the truckers, the sources say, would impact drayage activities at terminals at both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as well as at the rail ramps at the intermodal container transfer facilities located near the ports and inland adjacent to downtown Los Angeles.

The strike will not affect marine terminal activities, and members of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) is expected to continue to load and unload vessels in port, while continuing to operate on-dock rail operations, which are also manned by the ILWU.

While not all drivers are expected to honor the proposed action, it is difficult to predict what percentage will show up for work Monday and it's expected that pickets will form at many of the marine terminals.

Several freight forwarders and logistics companies are taking action to minimize the impact of a work stoppage on their own operations.
 
One forwarder, DFG - a subsidiary of global logistics provider DHL - is "endeavoring to move as many containers in and out of the Los Angeles area marine terminals and rail ramps prior to May 1," according to a statement released by the company.

Anticipating the stoppage will only last a day, the company said, it expects that there will be "a backup of drayage when the truckers return to work on May 2" and that it "is working with its local drayage companies to line up as many drivers as possible for May 2 container movements."

According to its own website, the Los Angeles Independent Media Center, which has played a major role in supporting the work stoppage, describes itself as "a non-commercial, democratic collective of Los Angeles area independent media makers and media outlets" that operates "in support local, regional and global struggles against exploitation and oppression" as "a non-commercial, non-corporate, anti-capitalist collective."

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