Solidarity With the Port Truckers on Their Picket Lines!

Port of Oakland Truckers Association (POTA) members voted unanimously late Friday evening to stop work at the port on Wednesday, November 27. They’ve met with city, state and federal regulators, terminal managers, and Port of Oakland officials many times since their August 19 work stoppage, but have not made any gains on their demands. On November 13, truckers met with Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, Deputy Mayor Sandré Swanson, Port Executive Director Chris Lytle, as well as California Air Resources Board (CARB) members, expecting to bring offers of an extension from CARB or funding from the City and Port, but were forced to return to their membership without any offers to present.

“The Mayor said she was going to help us, but during the meeting she seemed more interested in her phone than in what we were saying,” said POTA board member Jorge Esparza.

-----

We need folks with cars to volunteer to shuttle people from West Oakland BART from 4:30am to 5:30am. This job pays in coffee, perhaps donuts, but mostly satisfaction that you are lending needed material support to some really inspiring workers!

-----

Excellent article on the Port Truckers' situation by Dave Firestein: "Tired of Carrying the Load."

Now the time has come to fight back. This Wednesday, the truckers are taking the last action available to them. They are putting their bodies on the line and risking their livelihoods to get the attention of the Port the only way they can. If you can get to the port on Wednesday morning to help support their lines, that will be helpful. Whether or not you can make it to the pickets, please give what you can to the strike fund. Every dollar helps, but it’s gonna take a lot more dollars than what they have now in order to sustain a lengthy strike, should one happen.