Oct 26, 2016 - Wednesday morning, drivers from Container Freight/California Cartage, the ... drivers from Chinese-govern
Justice for Port Truck Drivers/ Warehouse Workers Resource Center www.JusticeforPortDrivers.org www.warehouseworkers.org PRESS ADVISORY: Wednesday, October 26, 2016 PRESS CONTACT: Barb Maynard, (323) 351-9321;
[email protected] After chaotic night of picketing at America’s largest port complex…
Port drivers walk out at California Cartage’s leading division for first time, expanding port/warehouse strike; Striking IBT drivers to testify in Day 11 of historic NLRB trial Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach – On Tuesday, October 25, port truck drivers and warehouse workers from two leading logistics companies went on strike for the 14th time in three years to protest violations of U.S. labor laws, violation of their employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act, and unsafe working conditions. Click here to watch a video of the press conference. These violations include: • • • • •
Misclassification as “independent contractors”; Persistent wage theft; Harassment, retaliation, and intimidation for concerted union activity; Wrongful termination; and Unsafe working conditions.
Wednesday morning, drivers from Container Freight/California Cartage, the largest of the companies in the Cal Cartage family of companies, walked off the job and joined the picket lines at the company yard, which is located on property owned by the Port of Los Angeles. Additionally, on Monday, three K&R Transportation/California Cartage drivers filed claims before the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). The three claims combined allege over $500,000 for business expense reimbursements and wages that were due in the form of illegal deductions, unpaid minimum wages, and meal and rest break premiums on the theory that they were misclassified as independent contractors. The drivers named K&R Transportation LLC and Robert A. Curry, Sr., as defendants. Meanwhile, misclassified “independent contractor” drivers from Chinese-government owned Intermodal Bridge Transport (IBT) are being individually called from picket line to testify in an ongoing trial at Region 21 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), where the NLRB has found merit to the drivers’ charge that their misclassification is in an of itself a scheme to rob them of their right to form a union at their workplace. Click here for the Complaint against IBT. WHO: Striking port truck drivers and warehouse workers from the largest logistics companies serving the twin Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach: •
•
California Cartage o California Cartage Express o Container Freight o K&R Transportation Intermodal Bridge Transport (IBT)
WHAT: “Primary” picketing at company yards; “Ambulatory” picketing at marine terminals and customer warehouses, including Target and Michael Kors. WHEN: Continuing Wednesday, October 26, 2016; starting at 7:00 AM PST. LOCATIONS: • California Cartage, 2401 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Wilmington, CA 90744. • Intermodal Bridge Transport, 1919 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Wilmington, CA 90744. • Marine terminal and customer warehouse locations upon request. LITIGATION Click here for and overview of regulatory action and litigation facing the port trucking industry at the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, and for a specific list of action against California Cartage and Intermodal Bridge Transport. Click below for specific NLRB complaints against the companies: • Intermodal Bridge Transport • Container Connection/Cal Cartage • CMI/Cal Cartage BACKGROUND Just two weeks before America chooses our nation’s next president, capping an election year battle that has centered around rebuilding the middle class and fixing our free trade agreements, port truck drivers and warehouse workers at two of America’s leading logistics companies – the California Cartage family of companies and Chinese government-owned Intermodal Bridge Transport – are going on strike to protest misclassification, wage theft, abusive treatment, and unlawful working conditions in an industry that has been allowed to operated outside of the U.S. labor laws that protect American workers from exploitation and dangerous working conditions, and benefits big box and luxury retailers like Target and Michael Kors, as well as the U.S. Department of Defense. Government’s persistent lack of enforcement of U.S. labor laws has been particularly harmful for the hardworking immigrants and people of color who haul the cargo off the docks to inland distribution centers and rail yards, as well as for those who handle the goods in nearby warehouses. Duped into the American dream that working long, hard hours will allow them to provide for their families and get ahead, that dream has been nothing more than an illusion in the lawless U.S. supply chain that is rigged to keep workers from fighting for their right to earn a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. Social Media Links - For more information on the port truck drivers’ campaign, visit www.JusticeForPortDrivers.org. - For more information about the warehouse workers justice, visit www.warehouseworkers.org - Like us at www.facebook.com/Justice4PortDrivers and www.facebook.com/WarehouseWorkerResourceCenter - Follow us on Twitter @PortDriverUnion - Strike hashtags: #WageTheft #1uWeRise ###
