LOS ANGELES — Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su on Tuesday, Jan. 3, hosted a roundtable discussion at the Port of Los Angeles about the benefits of having a collective bargaining relationship between truck drivers and employers at the port.
The discussion included truck drivers Jorge Mayorga and Todd Ellis, representatives of Universal Trucking, Sea-Logix, TTSI/Heavy Load Transfer and Pacific 9 Trucking, along with members and officers of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Local 848 and Port of Los Angeles officials, a news release stated.
“Participants highlighted the importance of improved pay, benefits, training and job stability that come with employee status and a collective bargaining relationship,” according to the news release. “They noted some drivers are owner-operators covered by the collective bargaining agreement. The companies noted the competitive challenges of following an employee model in an industry with rampant misclassification of drivers as independent contractors, and the need for strong enforcement to ensure a level playing field.”
In addition, participants focused on the importance of training investments, including apprenticeship programs, and the Port of Los Angeles described its efforts to develop a state-of-the-art training facility, which includes some of the promising models discussed at the event.
“The Labor Department appreciates the efforts these companies, workers and union have made to improve job quality and security for Port of Los Angeles truck drivers,” Walsh said. “Through partnership and shared values, we can create better jobs and more stability in our supply chain.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
