Los Angeles and Long Beach port drivers protest for safer working conditions amid coronavirus - The Daily Breeze

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Truck drivers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach circled — in their vehicles — LA’s Port Administration Building in San Pedro Thursday morning, May 7, to deliver a petition demanding greater protections amid the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 30 vehicles circled the building, along Palos Verdes Street, with signs reading “Enforce your laws, Port of Los Angeles,” and “We are essential workers and deserve PPE.”

• Port truck drivers from LA and Long Bech circled the port of LA’s administration building to deliver a petition demanding protections amid the COVID-19 pandemic in San Pedro on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

• Port truck drivers from LA and Long Bech circled the port of LA’s administration building to deliver a petition demanding protections amid the COVID-19 pandemic in San Pedro on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

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• Ricardo Hidalgo speaks to the media on behalf of the teamsters calling for ports to ensure trucking companies comply with worker safety rules. Port truck drivers from LA and Long Bech circled the port of LA’s administration building to deliver a petition demanding protections amid the COVID-19 pandemic in San Pedro on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

• Port truck drivers from LA and Long Bech circled the port of LA’s administration building to deliver a petition demanding protections amid the COVID-19 pandemic in San Pedro on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

• Juan Carlos Giraldo, a truck driver for Container Connection of Southern California delivered a letter and petition to Jaime L. Lee, president of the Board of Harbor Commissioners. Port truck drivers from LA and Long Bech circled the port of LA’s administration building to deliver a petition demanding protections amid the COVID-19 pandemic in San Pedro on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

• Port truck drivers from LA and Long Bech circled the port of LA’s administration building to deliver a petition demanding protections amid the COVID-19 pandemic in San Pedro on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Among those protesting were truck drivers classified as independent contractors. Union activists and many of those truckers say the “contractor” label is a misclassification and strips them of benefits the companies they work for should provide.

The Port of Los Angeles, for its part, said companies operating there should keep workers safe, citing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health.

“The port expects all of its tenants to adhere to those regulations for its employees,” said spokesperson Phillip Sanfield. “The port takes worker concerns seriously, which is why we donated 1,000 sets of gloves and 500 masks to Teamsters Local 848 and the same amount to the Harbor Trucking Association in March.”

Port drivers and union officials, meanwhile, say the drivers have faced deflated wages and denial of benefits, like paid sick leave and health insurance.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, my work at the port has slowed down,” Juan Giraldo, a port truck driver from Los Angeles, said in a statement. “And it’s become nearly impossible to support my family.”

The petition, signed by 270 drivers and delivered to the administration building, demanded appropriate personal protective equipment, paid sick leave, immediate cash assistance, free COVID-19 testing, social distancing procedures, and a suspension of payment requirements related to truck loans and leases. Independent contractors are also not guaranteed health insurance.

“We haven’t been provided with the masks and gloves necessary to stay safe,” Giraldo said, “and if I got sick, I’d be in an even tougher situation, since my company doesn’t provide me with paid sick leave. Enough is enough.”

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