Club, labor, and community campaign for clean air at Port of Oakland
The goals of clean air and the rights of labor are closely entwined at the Port of Oakland. That's why the Sierra Club's Northern Alameda County Group is working closely with labor and community organizations to change labor practices at the Port.
By classifying truckers as independent contractors, trucking firms avoid responsibility for working conditions and the trucking pollution that gives West (and East) Oakland some of the most polluted air in the Bay Area and makes truck-driving an extremely unhealthy occupation.
On July 22 Group leaders carrying the Sierra Club banner joined over 3,000 people rallying at the Port to protest against pollution and poverty. The event was co-sponsored by the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports, the California Labor Federation, and the Central Labor Council of Alameda County.
Surrounded by noisy activists, Port drivers, and Teamsters, we walked, cheered, and yelled to call for changing the Port's economically unjust and environmentally harmful trucking practices. Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums pledged that Oakland would be next to adopt a comprehensive clean-trucks model ending the independent-contractor scheme and giving employee drivers the freedom to unite for improvements on the job.
The next day, at a summit in Oakland bringing together environmentalists and labor activists from across the country, Teamsters President James Hoffa Jr. made the ground-breaking announcement that the Teamsters would no longer support drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or enter into contract negotiations for work at the refuge related to oil exploration. These significant initiatives were applauded by the following speaker, Sierra Club national conservation director Greg Haegele.
Recent developments in southern California are likely to advance the "clean truck" business model proposed in the Bay Area.
On Sep. 10 U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder dismissed a motion by the American Trucking Association, the nation's largest trucking-industry lobby, for a preliminary injunction to stop implementation at Los Angeles-area ports of clean-air plans to reduce diesel emissions by 80%. The Los Angeles Clean Trucks Programs, which went into effect Oct. 1, require trucking companies doing business at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to enter into concession (i.e. lease-holder) agreements that will serve as the mechanism to force the companies to replace thousands of dirty diesel rigs with an environmentally friendly fleet. Community activists, working with the Teamsters, are additionally calling for the agreements to guarantee workers health insurance, disability benefits, and the right to a minimum wage. Currently, Port drivers, most of whom are independent contractors, are paid by the load and do not receive any of these benefits. Their pay, after deducting expenses for fuel and insurance, is estimated to be $8 - 12/hour.
On Sep. 5 California Attorney General Jerry Brown filed a set of lawsuits against trucking companies at these ports that deny workers basic employee rights and protections. He promised investigations and more legal action to stop companies from cost-cutting schemes that classify workers as independent contractors, circumventing state employment taxes and labor laws that guarantee workers compensation, disability benefits, and the right to a minimum wage.
The Los Angeles Clean Trucks Program, in particular, would in effect end this employer misclassification.
Currently, the Port of Oakland is preparing an economic analysis to guide it in stabilizing the workforce, improving security, and reducing public-health impacts stemming from the port trucking industry. The Sierra Club, as a member of the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, supports the goals of the coalition to implement a Clean Trucks program in Oakland.
WhatYouCanDo
On Tue., Nov. 18, come speak up for clean air and the Clean Trucks program at the meeting of the Port Board of Commissioners. Meet at the Port Administration Building near Jack London Square at 3:30 pm.
We would like additional folks to help organize these efforts including to attend meetings of the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, once a month on Tuesdays at 5 pm near Jack London Square. We also need help doing outreach to local truck drivers (especially if you speak Spanish or Hindi/Urdu). This may be a good place to start if you are new to the campaign.
To volunteer, or for more information, contact Chapter legislative coordinator or call (510) 848-0800, ext. 316