FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 22, 2008
CONTACT: Valerie Lapin, 650-455-3300
California Mayors Dellums and Villaraigosa to Headline Massive March and Rally for Good Green Jobs in Oakland
OAKLAND – To build support for a sweeping green-growth policy model that could permanently rid California’s seaports of dirty and deadly diesel-spewing rigs, Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will kick-off a march to the Port of Oakland of over 2,000 port truck drivers, environmentalists, public health advocates, labor leaders, union members, community residents, clergy and environmental justice activists. The events begin Tuesday at the Marriot Hotel at 2:00pm.
Other elected and official guests include Teamster General President James P. Hoffa, CA Attorney General Jerry Brown, State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, Assemblymembers Loni Hancock and Sandré Swanson, Port of Oakland Commissioners Margaret Gordon and Victor Uno, along with representatives from the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, Pacific Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oakland ACORN,Sierra Club, Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, East Bay Alliance for Sustainable Economy, Workforce Collaborative, Coalition for Clean Air and Breathe California. Leaders from Change to Win and AFL-CIO unions will also participate.
What: March and Rally in support of a comprehensive Clean Trucks Program
When: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 — Events take place 2-5:30 pm – Mayor Villaraigosa kicks off march at 2 pm, Mayor Dellums headlines speaker program, other speakers to give remarks at 4:15 Port rally
Where: Gather at Oakland Marriott, 10th Street at Broadway. March to the Port of Oakland.
Visuals: Port truck caravan alongside over 2,000 chanting demonstrators holding signs.
Carrying “Clean Air & Good Jobs” signs, the marchers are demanding an innovative 21st Century proposal that economists say will jump start an alternative fuel truck market, stabilize a fragmented, broken industry and dramatically reduce the deadly truck emissions that contribute to a soaring cancer and asthma rate, particularly amongst West Oakland children. If enacted, Oakland would be the second in the nation to adopt a Clean Trucks Program-style policy, following the Port of Los Angeles, which unanimously approved the plan under Mayor Villaraigosa’s leadership this Spring. The truck replacement plan will reduce emissions by 80 percent by ending the industry practice of “independent contractor” haulers as a way to skirt employer responsibilities for their workforce and the clean, low-emissions fleet.
“Oakland residents and workers deserve a lifetime of clean air and good jobs too,” said Doug Bloch, Director of the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports, an alliance of more than 80 Bay Area environmental, public health, faith, labor, community groups, with a sister coalition comprised of similar local, statewide and national groups based in Southern California. “It is time for Oakland to follow L.A.’s lead and require the industry to take responsibility to clean up the toxic poison coming from port trucks.
Presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senator Barbara Boxer, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and the entire California Democratic Congressional delegation, Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente and Assemblymember Loni Hancock have all endorsed the policy which requires capitalized trucking companies – not underpaid immigrant workers – to purchase and maintain clean diesel or alternative energy vehicles to serve the ports. Leading economists say the new system would stabilize a broken industry by requiring trucking companies to act as legitimate employers of the drivers, would internalize the costs that taxpayers and community residents are currently burdened with.
Background:
Diesel trucks carry billions of dollars of goods through our nation’s ports each year. While big box retailers like Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot reap huge profits global trade, the surrounding communities suffer from deadly air pollution, and truck drivers labor in sweatshop working conditions.
The State of California recently issued new pollution emission standards for diesel trucks. Most trucks operating at California ports will have to be replaced or retrofitted with new filters. But who is in the best position to buy and maintain the new low-emission trucks to keep the clean technology running? Underpaid immigrant workers who haul goods, or the capitalized companies and industry retail giants who profit from goods movement? The industry has made it clear: they are for clean air as long as individual drivers continue to carry the financial burden.
What is the cost of the current broken system? Oakland port drivers and community residents pay the price with their health and sweatshop working conditions.
· Port drivers work 11-14 hours a day for as little as $8 an hour.
· Port drivers do not receive health or pension benefits.
· Long lines for loads mean engines idle, and drivers and residents breathe toxic diesel pollution.
· Exposure to diesel fumes doubles West Oaklanders’ risk of cancer over other Bay Area residents.
· Port pollution contributes to a soaring rate of asthma; 1 in 5 West Oakland children suffer.
Recognizing that dirty air was here to stay unless the economic conditions that led to the environmental crisis were reversed, the Port of Los Angeles adopted a comprehensive clean air plan in March. The Clean Trucks Program will reduce public health impacts, lift and enforce labor and environmental standards, and allow industry to grow and meet exploding trade demand. Port stakeholders have heralded it as the model to improve efficiency and catapult port trucking into the forefront of the green economy revolution.
The Oakland Port Commission is developing a similar Comprehensive Truck Management Plan, with a vote expected in the coming months. To ensure sustainability, the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports has urged the Port to follow L.A.’s lead and include the following key provisions in its plan:
· Require trucking firms to become concessionaires to enforce environmental, community and labor standards;
· End independent contracting to make the industry permanently responsible for clean trucks;
· Reduce congestion by keeping trucks off residential streets;
· Provide good jobs to local residents that protect their freedom to unite and bargain for better working conditions;
· Provide small business assistance to local trucking companies in need.
The July 22nd March and Rally are sponsored by the organizations that comprise the Coalition for Clean & Safe
Ports, the California Labor Federation, and the Alameda Labor Council. For more information: