At the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Green Fleet Systems’ drivers demanded – via delegation – an immediate end to a hostile work environment. The brave drivers were greeted afterward by their brothers and sisters from Pac 9 and Total Transportations Services for an Ash Wednesday service officiated by Roman Catholic priest Father Will Connor and Elder Shelton Ervin of Church One. The afternoon was a show of tremendous support from fellow port drivers and the faith community that is heavily invested in the struggle to improve working condition for port drivers. Additionally, as part of an ongoing program led by Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), seminary students visited Long Beach, California, to learn about the growing movement to bring justice to America’s ports.

At the Port of Savannah, Teamster Local 728 Organizing Director Ben Speight and Savannah port truck driver John Jackson were hosted by radio show host Rick Smith. Brothers Speight and Jackson were invited to discuss the fight for justice at the Port of Savannah, as well as the recently introduced Georgia legislation which seeks an end to the scam of illegally misclassifying employees as independent contractors, resulting in dramatic wage theft and violations of workers’ rights- a practice all too common in the port trucking industry.

At the Ports of New York/New Jersey, the Coalition for Healthy Ports hosted a mayoral forum aimed at getting good jobs and clean air to the forefront of the Newark Mayor’s race. With more than 400 residents, activists, and campaigners in attendance, candidates Shavar Jeffries and Ras Baraka spoke out against port trucking misclassification and in favor of a clean truck program at the Port of New Jersey.

Across the country, port drivers are organizing together and making progress to bring justice to the lives of America’s port drivers!

 

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