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Truckers call for nationwide port strike
From The Journal of Commerce -- It seems like they take the trucker movement seriously even though the progressives do not. --Jim D
Truckers call for nationwide port strike
by Bill Mongelluzzo
The JOURNAL of COMMERCE
June 23, 2004
LOS ANGELES - Truckers are again calling for a nationwide strike to protest high fuel prices and working conditions at the nation's ports. The strike, slated for the week of June 28-July 4, coincides with the start of the peak shipping season (schedules).
The movement appears to be a loosely-coordinated effort by harbor truck drivers from California to the East Coast to pressure shipping lines to pay higher diesel fuel surcharges. In flyers printed in English and Spanish, the drivers also cited poor working conditions at the nation's ports and a recent court decision that will open the border to Mexican truck drivers under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
At the same time, the Teamsters issued an open letter to the steamship industry urging lines to compensate drivers for high fuel costs or face a "long hot summer on the docks."
The Teamsters for several years have been attempting to organize the mostly independent truckers at the nation's ports. But the union denied it is behind the calls for a strike, said Chuck Mack, director of the Teamsters Port Division.
Mack said the union is urging shipping lines to address the root causes of driver discontent. Drivers need higher pay, compensatory fuel surcharges when the price of diesel spikes and compensation when the drivers wait in line at marine terminals or when they shuttle containers inside marine terminals.
"The level of frustration among drivers is high," Mack said. "All it takes is a spike in fuel costs or delays at the terminals to set them off."
Union officials met June 14 in Washington with port drivers and local leaders from 18 ports from Los Angeles-Long Beach to New York-New Jersey to discuss the fuel situation. Following the meeting, Teamsters President James Hoffa in a statement warned carriers that "without a swift response drivers are likely to park their trucks until conditions improve."
Truckers in May shut down the Port of Oakland for a week, and there were scattered demonstrations in Los Angeles-Long Beach, Houston and Hampton Roads, Va.
"They have no way to address these issues so they take job actions. They stop working," Mack said.
Harbor truckers in the past week have been distributing flyers at ports on the West, Gulf and East coasts calling for a nationwide strike beginning next Monday.
by Bill Mongelluzzo
The JOURNAL of COMMERCE
June 23, 2004
LOS ANGELES - Truckers are again calling for a nationwide strike to protest high fuel prices and working conditions at the nation's ports. The strike, slated for the week of June 28-July 4, coincides with the start of the peak shipping season (schedules).
The movement appears to be a loosely-coordinated effort by harbor truck drivers from California to the East Coast to pressure shipping lines to pay higher diesel fuel surcharges. In flyers printed in English and Spanish, the drivers also cited poor working conditions at the nation's ports and a recent court decision that will open the border to Mexican truck drivers under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
At the same time, the Teamsters issued an open letter to the steamship industry urging lines to compensate drivers for high fuel costs or face a "long hot summer on the docks."
The Teamsters for several years have been attempting to organize the mostly independent truckers at the nation's ports. But the union denied it is behind the calls for a strike, said Chuck Mack, director of the Teamsters Port Division.
Mack said the union is urging shipping lines to address the root causes of driver discontent. Drivers need higher pay, compensatory fuel surcharges when the price of diesel spikes and compensation when the drivers wait in line at marine terminals or when they shuttle containers inside marine terminals.
"The level of frustration among drivers is high," Mack said. "All it takes is a spike in fuel costs or delays at the terminals to set them off."
Union officials met June 14 in Washington with port drivers and local leaders from 18 ports from Los Angeles-Long Beach to New York-New Jersey to discuss the fuel situation. Following the meeting, Teamsters President James Hoffa in a statement warned carriers that "without a swift response drivers are likely to park their trucks until conditions improve."
Truckers in May shut down the Port of Oakland for a week, and there were scattered demonstrations in Los Angeles-Long Beach, Houston and Hampton Roads, Va.
"They have no way to address these issues so they take job actions. They stop working," Mack said.
Harbor truckers in the past week have been distributing flyers at ports on the West, Gulf and East coasts calling for a nationwide strike beginning next Monday.
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Here's a call out to come support the troqueros at 6 AM, Monday June 28th. I'll be there, I hope you will too.
Gifford
Here's the announcement:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please distribute widely!
Oakland is united and is in solidarity with the June 28 shutdown. But due to the civil lawsuits against the OAKLAND 3 troqueros are scared to picket due to a possible injunction and due to the threat by the PORT of OAKLAND initiating further civil actions against troqueros.
There are NO injunctions that we know of prohibiting NON-troquores from picketing and this time we need the help of the community to (wo)man the picket lines!!!!!!
Picketers are needed early Monday morning, 6am? outside the APL terminal and at the UP terminal down the street showing solidarity with the nationwide shutdown. If troqueros see no picket signs they might believe that the Port of Oakland has succeeded in stopping the troquero labor movement and might relunctantly return to work. Again, non-troqueros are desperately needed at the Port of Oakland to let the troqueros and the Port of Oakland know that our Nationwide movement is for real and will not be shut down by this government agency through attempts to abuse of our financial inability to defend ourselves against civil lawsuits.
Also, shame on all of us including myself. We must include as our main demand that the Port of Oakland drop all litigation against the Oakland 3 or they will earn the same reputation as the Port of Charleston did with the Charleston 5. Much like with the Neptune Jade we must be ready, willing, and able, to enforce a strong boycott against any cargo coming to or from the Port of Oakland unless it drops all charges, civil, or criminal. Economic torture can be used by the workers as well.
Please include statements of solidarity at all rallies and pickets in support of the OAKLAND 3!!!!!!
The Oakland 3 are victims of ECONOMIC IMPRISONMENT, a state of the art tool to keep workers from organizing. We must have signs
"Justice for the Oakland 3"
"Solidarity with the Nationwide Shutdown"
To the abolitionist community,
Please help,
solidarity,
ernie
Gifford
Here's the announcement:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please distribute widely!
Oakland is united and is in solidarity with the June 28 shutdown. But due to the civil lawsuits against the OAKLAND 3 troqueros are scared to picket due to a possible injunction and due to the threat by the PORT of OAKLAND initiating further civil actions against troqueros.
There are NO injunctions that we know of prohibiting NON-troquores from picketing and this time we need the help of the community to (wo)man the picket lines!!!!!!
Picketers are needed early Monday morning, 6am? outside the APL terminal and at the UP terminal down the street showing solidarity with the nationwide shutdown. If troqueros see no picket signs they might believe that the Port of Oakland has succeeded in stopping the troquero labor movement and might relunctantly return to work. Again, non-troqueros are desperately needed at the Port of Oakland to let the troqueros and the Port of Oakland know that our Nationwide movement is for real and will not be shut down by this government agency through attempts to abuse of our financial inability to defend ourselves against civil lawsuits.
Also, shame on all of us including myself. We must include as our main demand that the Port of Oakland drop all litigation against the Oakland 3 or they will earn the same reputation as the Port of Charleston did with the Charleston 5. Much like with the Neptune Jade we must be ready, willing, and able, to enforce a strong boycott against any cargo coming to or from the Port of Oakland unless it drops all charges, civil, or criminal. Economic torture can be used by the workers as well.
Please include statements of solidarity at all rallies and pickets in support of the OAKLAND 3!!!!!!
The Oakland 3 are victims of ECONOMIC IMPRISONMENT, a state of the art tool to keep workers from organizing. We must have signs
"Justice for the Oakland 3"
"Solidarity with the Nationwide Shutdown"
To the abolitionist community,
Please help,
solidarity,
ernie
At Kennelstop Transportation in New Jersey. The 18 drivers were called by the company for a meeting and were told that they had to work or be fired. They all got up, fired up their rigs, and went home declaring that the shutdown had started!!!!!!
Also:
CSX Balitmore is firing their drivers for passing out flyers, despite the firing, they are still passing out flyers.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/truckersunite/message/5991
Also:
CSX Balitmore is firing their drivers for passing out flyers, despite the firing, they are still passing out flyers.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/truckersunite/message/5991
On that truckers unite yahoo group there was a very brief post today about the Oakland troqueros negotiating and calling off the strike. Anyone else have any info about that?
gifford
gifford
The communications on the other trucker support listserves seem to be inconclusive, so we will be going to the APL gate. We'll find out there on Monday morning in person. I hope to see others out there too to support class struggle in our community. Stuff has been happening on the East Coast, so let's do our part and help kick shit off out here too.
gifford
gifford
i live near mostly spanish speaking people and am looking for any flyers i can pass out around my community. i would make them myself but because of its importance i would rather leave the translation to those who understand the language better.
Please anything... jpg of a picture of a flyer anything in spanish.
Please anything... jpg of a picture of a flyer anything in spanish.
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