Few workers in America have a lousier reputation just now than truckers.
Since last fall, when an inflation spike first bubbled into public awareness, truck drivers have been blamed for contributing to logjams at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which account for 40% of the sea freight entering the U.S.
Drivers were blamed for not showing up for work in sufficient numbers to move backed-up cargo. The workplace rights they’ve granted by California law ostensibly interfered with the free flow of goods, prompting shipping companies to ask Gov. Gavin Newsom to suspend those rights.
Then came the truck driver blockades at important Canada-U.S. border crossings, some of which are still going on. Never mind that those blockades were aimed at protesting government COVID vaccination mandates that are supported by majorities in both countries. Never mind that the protests appear to be coordinated and financed by far-right activists in the U.S.
Here’s the truth: Truck drivers, notably the short-haul drivers who carry goods from the ports to regional warehouses or other transportation depots, are among the most abused workers in our economy.
They’re not the problem in the port backups. The problem is a system that steals wages by the millions from drivers. The problem is shipping companies that misclassify drivers as independent contractors despite consistent rulings over the years by judges and regulators that have determined they’re employees in all but name.
They just don’...
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