Port of Oakland Shut Due to Trucker Protest

The Port of Oakland’s three marine terminals were only partially operational on Thursday, and the biggest facility was shut down. According to the port, whose officials are pleading for an end to the suspension, the demonstrations, which began on Monday, are worsening the cargo congestion there.

Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) established the rights of many independent contractors as employees when it was implemented in California. Independent contractors claim it restricts the flexibility of their work arrangements, which is why they are opposed to it.

After receiving no response from California Governor Gavin Newsom regarding the contentious AB5 law, which aims to restrict the use of independent contractors and largely classify them as employee drivers, truckers have decided against the three-day protest they had originally planned for Oakland.The US Supreme Court has rejected reconsideration of the statute, upholding AB5. In California, some 70,000 truck drivers are making it known that they do not want to work as employees and own and manage their own vehicles.

“We understand the frustration expressed by the protestors at California ports,” said Danny Wan, executive director at the port. “But, prolonged stoppage of port operations in California for any reason will damage all the businesses operating at the ports and cause California ports to further suffer market share losses to competing ports.”

“We trust that implementation of AB5 can be accomplished in a way that accommodates the needs of this vital part of the supply chain,” added Wan.