Vancouver independent truckers go-slow protests port restrictions

VANCOUVER's independent container truckers rolled slowly along the highway in suburban North Delta to protest increasing restrictions on them at the Port Metro Vancouver.

The truckers go-slow action is taken because they are upset with a new C$300 (US$292) licensing fee for drivers, bans on older, dirtier trucks and lifting the cap on new licences for company drivers (which the VCTA says leads to more capacity and fewer owner-ops).

This mirrors the campaign in Los Angeles and Long Beach to ban independents from the docks as they are less able to meet demands of unfunded mandates from environmental regulations. Greens, big trucking companies and the Teamsters union favour such campaigns.

The Vancouver Container Truckers' Association (VCTA), responsible for a two-month port shutdown in 2005, have been threatening strikes ever since - have staged the rally with 400 drivers.

A Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union spokesman said the convoy was a more peaceful alterative than repeating the strike of 2005, reported Canada's Trucking Today.

CAW representative Gavin McGarrigle told local media that the port has failed to enforce the minimum rate standards that were part of the container truck licensing system mandated by federal Department of Transport (Transport Canada) in 2005 to end the strike.

Canadian owner-operators and the union have protested since the summer and appear on the verge of taking action. The VCTA is protesting both low rates and restrictions that raise the barriers of entry.

Mr McGarrigle said the truckers' want more transparency, noting the ports won't reveal which drayage companies aren't abiding by the licensing rules.
(Source:www.schednet.com)