(The following story by Paul T. Rosynsky appeared on the Alameda Times-Star website on May 6.)
OAKLAND, Calif. — A fragile agreement brokered by top Port of Oakland officials to get independent truckers back to work shattered Wednesday as about 150 drivers refused to return to their rigs.
Saying the agreement did not meet their demands because it did not guarantee rate hikes, the drivers continued to block a port terminal and harass those who choose to work.
“It was a good solution for the long term, but in the short term, the drivers want what they have been asking for,” said Ruben Lopez, one of three drivers who negotiated with the port. “For now there is no money. They thought they would give us a little candy but we will not leave until we get what we want.”
What the truckers want are increases in the fees paid to them each time they haul a container to or from the port. Drivers have complained throughout their four-day protest that rates have not risen to match the increased costs of operating the rigs, which they own.
Port officials thought they had made a breakthrough Tuesday as they announced a tentative deal, which called for creation of a panel that would try to solve truckers’ concerns.
The panel was an idea put forward by port maritime director Jerry Bridges as he tried to avoid continued slowdowns on the dock that have begun to threaten the agency’s bottom line.
At least one railroad company, Union Pacific, has imposed an embargo on Oakland, refusing to accept cargo destined for the port. In addition, several shipping companies are beginning to feel the effects of the strike as containers are being stacked in terminals with no place to go.
The problem is magnified in Oakland because truck drivers at other ports along the West Coast continue to work. As a result, shippers could begin to send cargo elsewhere to avoid the slowdown.
“We are concerned about our business,” said Marilyn Sandifur, a port spokeswoman. “It is in everyone’s best interest to have the seaport under full operation.”
Added another port executive, “It’s chaos. They have no leader.”
Lopez said port officials expressed anger and frustration with the drivers Wednesday and threatened arrests of those still protesting. But no arrests were made Wednesday, and throughout the day the protest seemed calm.
Sandifur said activity along the docks had increased Wednesday for the first time since truckers began their demonstration last week but is still not operating at full strength.
Sandifur took the shrinking number of protesters as a sign truckers are finally realizing their complaints will be heard and dealt with.
“When you’re looking at a grass-roots movement like this, it is not going to respond as quickly as an organized group,” she said. “It takes time to get the word out.”
But the truckers who negotiated with the port said they did get the word out, and their fellow drivers weren’t willing to listen.
“We said we would try to get them to get back to work,” Irvin Dhanda said. “But what we need is the new rates.”
Port officials said they will move ahead with a scheduled meeting today that will bring together truckers, shipping company executives and truck company owners. The meeting is intended as a forum for the disgruntled drivers to air concerns and figure out a solution.
In the meantime, cargo continued to pile up at the port.
“The terminals are beginning to get full of cargo,” said Richard Cavalli, president of Local 34 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. “If this lasts too much longer … some of our cargo will get dumped elsewhere.”