Banning Owner-Operators is Wrong, Says Daily Breeze Newspaper

State and local politicians shouldn't try to do the job of Teamsters organizers, the Daily Breeze wrote in their Dec. 12 article Focus on pollution, not labor.

"There's nothing wrong with the Teamsters wanting to organize truck drivers. But there is something wrong with local politicians trying to do their job for them, especially when it puts local economies at risk," said the Daily Breeze.

The article countered a previous Op-Ed written by Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz.  In the Op-Ed, Knatz said the concession requirements that were initially put into the Port of LA Clean Truck Program were "worth fighting for." The Daily Breeze described in a different way those concession requirements that would make it easier to unionize port truck drivers.

"It seems the port doesn't just want to clean up dirty diesels, but to do a big favor for the Teamsters union. Los Angeles tried to ban independent truck owner-operators in favor of big trucking companies whose drivers are employees, which would make it much easier for the Teamsters to sign up new members," said the Daily Breeze.

"Unions can't organize independent contractors, but they can organize companies with employee drivers. As the Journal of Commerce put it, the Los Angeles Port's plan is 'a thinly veiled attempt to foster unionization of drivers'," said the Daily Breeze.

The Port of Long Beach never included these requirements in their clean trucks program. "Everybody was welcome, as long as they drove clean diesels. ... And the Clean Truck Program has worked just as well there; 80 percent of the diesel pollution caused by trucks has been removed," said the Daily Breeze.