Submitted on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 3:08am
By J. Pierce and Steve O.
The Bay Area IWW held an informational leafleting at a Starbucks cafe in Alameda, CA., at the busy intersection of Park Street and Central Avenue on Sunday July 6. Making good contact with the baristas inside, and a few passers-by who happened also to be Starbucks employees, we expressed our solidarity and offered our support in their efforts to gain more control over their jobs.
The demonstration was small, as it was organized at the last minute. The IWW members present made sure that the workers inside were aware that this demonstration was in solidarity with Grand Rapids, Michigan IWW member and Starbucks Barista Cole Dorsey and CNT Starbucks Barista, Monica. The organizers also made it clear to the baristas in Alameda that this demonstration did not target them and that the Starbucks Union is not (yet) calling for a boycott of Starbucks.
Submitted on Tue, 05/20/2008 - 4:09am
By: J. Pierce with Adam Welch
Independent truckers in California's San Joaquin Valley shut down their rigs on Friday, May 2nd declaring an open-ended strike. At $4.80 a gallon, sky-rocketing diesel prices top the list of grievances. As their main demand, drivers insist on doubling the rates paid for hauling a container. The second biggest demand is a fuel surcharge of upwards of 55%. The brokers currently pay surcharges varying from 30-40%. If drivers can keep the trucking bosses from stealing it, the increased surcharge would help place the burden back on those who can afford it.
"We're fighting for survival." That's how Gerardo Cordoba explains the struggle. He's been driving for 10 years and raises a seven year-old on what he brings home after costs. The rates haven't seen an increase in a decade and most truckers bring home less than $30,000 year. In fact, when asked how much an average driver earns, Dewey Obtinalla, a Filipino driver who regularly does long haul up the coast, replied, "If you're making $30,000, that's good, very good... With fuel, insurance, and registration, I don't know a lot of people who are doing that well." Brave strikers don't need to look far
for others willing to fight.
Submitted on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 4:33am
Once again a step ahead of intermodal truckers across the US, Stockton truckers, led by the majority Sikh drivers, launched a strike over the issue of fuel prices on Monday, May 5, 2008.
While many truckers participated in various protest shutdowns on either April 1st or May 1st this year, the 300-400 Stockton truckers working out of the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern-Santa Fe railyards have shut down their industry until their demands have been met.
Rather than demand the fuel surcharges paid by shippers but often pocketed by companies rather than passed along to drivers, the Stockton truckers are asking for a dramatic increase in the rates paid in order to keep up with increases costs such as fuel.
On April 26, 2004 Stockton intermodal truckers, inspired by rumors circulating of an LA port trucker shutdown, were the first to join what became a strike of west cost port truckers on April 30, and by June had spread to most southern and eastern ports as well.
Submitted on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 4:13am
By Reed Fujii - San Joaquin Record Staff Writer, May 06, 2008
For the second time in four years, hundreds of independent truck drivers
went on strike Monday against companies that hire them to haul cargo containers
out of railroad terminals near Stockton.
And again, as in 2004, the issue was the failure of freight rates to keep
up with rapidly rising fuel prices.
Ajit Gill of Stockton, a truck owner-operator and a spokesman for strikers,
said the truckers face fuel costs that have more than doubled since 2004, as
well as higher costs for insurance, stiffer inspection fees and more. But
freight rates have not kept pace.
"There is nothing raised," he said Monday by cell phone.
The drivers would prefer to keep working, if it was practical.
"Unfortunately, we have to stop," Gill said. "Nobody can afford $4.35
diesel."
Submitted on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 3:59am
Disclaimer: The action described here was not organized by the IWW.
By Francine Brevetti - staff writer, inside bayarea.com, May 6, 2008
OAKLAND — About 80 striking truckers from Middle Harbor Road at the Port of Oakland were ticketed and dispersed Tuesday after some of them committed vandalism, police said.
Some drivers had damaged a truck's window while the driver was operating the rig, Sgt. Peter Lau said.
Nevertheless, the protesting truck drivers who own and operate their own rigs vowed to continue demonstrating at the port for the rest of the week. They say motor carrier firms have been underpaying them for diesel fuel.