CLEAN AND SAFE PORTS - LATEST CAMPAIGN UPDATES |
March 21, 2008
Landmark Victory for Green Growth, Good Jobs
About The Clean And Safe Ports Campaign
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Good Jobs and Dignity for Truck Drivers; Clean Air for the Community
Clean Ports Advocate Maria Ramirez Looks Out for the Children. When a LAANE organizer visited her office and told her about the more than 16,000 underpaid truck drivers at the Ports of L.A. and the health impacts of the diesel-spewing trucks they operate but cannot afford to maintain, Ramirez joined the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports and began attending meetings of residents and reaching out to parents at Banning High School, where she directs the Parent’s Center. She sought to involve parents for the sake of their children’s health. "Every time I can help, I’m there." For more info on clean ports advocate Maria Ramirez: http://laane.org/newletter/0712/upclose.html
For more info: Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports http://www.cleanandsafeports.org |
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LAANE is partnering with the Change To Win labor federation and a broad range of environmental, faith-based and community groups on a campaign to dramatically improve working conditions for truckers who service the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. At the same time, the project will address air pollution emanating from the Ports—the number one source of pollution in the region—due to poorly maintained, idling trucks and fuel wastes from ships at dock.Some 16,000 "independent" truck drivers service the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, hauling containers to and from the docks. The drivers are not classified as employees, and as a result have no benefits and are forced to pay for maintenance and fuel for their trucks. After paying for the expenses of truck maintenance, the drivers typically net less than $30,000 annually – not nearly enough to support a family. The drivers have no control over their work, which is determined by the shipping companies (such as Maersk) and the large merchandise shippers (such as Wal-Mart) through trucking companies that act as brokers or middlemen.
The Clean and Safe Ports Campaign is an innovative effort that could become a national model for lifting workers out of poverty while enhancing public health and protecting the environment.
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