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ruck drivers at Southern California’s two main ports may stage a one-day work stoppage over concerns about new overnight shifts, potentially disrupting cargo deliveries at the start of the year's busiest shipping season, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Unsigned leaflets being circulated at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach call for a “stop work meeting” July 23, the day that port operators are scheduled to begin late-night hours and implement a “Pier Pass” surcharge program to encourage more round-the-clock hours, Reuters said.
The peak-hours fee program sets of $40 per 20-foot equivalent unit, commonly known as TEUs, or $80 for a 40-foot container. During an initial ramp-up period of several weeks, PierPass will set the fee at $20 per TEU. (Click here for previous coverage.)
According to one leaflet, drivers are angered about having to work overnight shifts without any increase in pay, Reuters reported.
os Angeles and Long Beach, the busiest U.S. ports, form the primary cargo gateway to Asia, and shipments are approaching peak levels as retailers prepare for the onslaught of the Christmas shopping season.
The ports have thus far avoided last year's chaos, when port labor shortages left cargo sitting on ships. Still, the potential for worker unrest have many in the import business on edge, Reuters said.
