While this morning’s front page of the Los Angeles Times business section declared great news – the Clean Trucks Program is paying off – it appears one of the trucking companies who cried foul a few weeks ago is now the one not playing fair.

At 7 a.m., 50 port drivers who haul for Southern Counties Express paid a visit to CEO Brian Griley to deliver a letter and petition demanding direct employee status from Southern Counties Express. The drivers were accompanied by their families, supportive community members, and their environmental advocates in the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports.

Port drivers Lorenzo Justice and Jose Portillo led their co-workers into Mr. Griley’s office to insist that Southern Counties Express honor the spirit and intent of the Clean Trucks Program by directly employing them – instead of contracting them through a shady labor broker scheme. (see company memo 1 and 2) 

Lorenzo says he attempted to read the drivers’ letter to Mr. Griley, but Mr. Griley refused to listen and threatened to call the police. Lorenzo, who was surrounded by his wife and 9-year-old child, asked Mr. Griley: “How would you feel if you were being passed around like us? I have to feed my daughter. We deserve better, you need to take responsibility for us.”

Mr. Griley never accepted the petition, but the group delivered it at the reception’s desk before peacefully walking out chanting “Yes we can! Yes we can!”

Ryan Wiggins of Communities for Clean Ports, a partner in the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports, was among the drivers’ supporters. “Our lungs and our livelihoods depend on real enforcement of the Clean Trucks Program – its time for Southern Counties Express to legitimately employ its workers, so we can have true economic and environmental justice at the ports.

 

Jose Portillo was proud for standing up, but expressed concern over retaliation. “I hope our boss doesn’t punish or fire any of us for signing the petition and speaking out. All we want is what we deserve; we want to be recognized as his employees and continue to work so that we can keep taking care of our families.”