The Port of Oakland this week saw operations at its shipping terminals shut down after hundreds of truck drivers began protesting the implementation of AB5, a state law mandating stronger language for labeling workers as independent contractors.
The law, adopted in 2018, was recently affirmed by the courts after the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to review it.
“We understand the frustration expressed by the protestors at California ports,” Port Executive Director Danny Wan said in a July 20 statement. “But prolonged stoppage of port operations in California for any reason will damage all the businesses operating at the ports and cause California ports to further suffer market share losses to competing ports.”
Truckers are vital to keeping goods moving, said Wan.
“We trust that implementation of AB5 can be accomplished in a way that accommodates the needs of this vital part of the supply chain,” he said, adding that the state is working to help truckers meet compliance.
