Councilman, Union Assail Harbor Commission Report

After a two-month study of whether thousands of truck drivers have been exploited by the companies they work for, the Los Angeles Harbor Commission concluded Wednesday that whatever problems exist are beyond its jurisdiction.

An eight-page report--produced by the port at the behest of the L.A. City Council--directs truck drivers who believe they are being cheated out of their proper paychecks or insurance coverage to bring their allegations to state law enforcement agencies.

The commission “does not have the jurisdiction nor the authority to control outside labor issues,” the report states.

Councilman Richard Alarcon, who initiated the request for the study, said after reviewing a copy Wednesday that it is “double talk.”

“They didn’t seem to want to find out whether these allegations were true or not,” he said. “I think the Harbor Commission needs to accept its responsibility relative to its contractors.”

Written by the port’s marketing manager, the report includes the phone numbers of the California Department of Insurance and the location of the nearest California Highway Patrol station, but does not suggest whether any companies abused drivers.

Union officials trying to organize the estimated 6,000 drivers accused the harbor panel of passing the buck and vowed to take their case to City Hall.

“They told us all the things the drivers already know,” said Michael Forzano, a member of the board of the Communications Workers of America Local 9400, which wants to have the drivers recognized as employees. “They don’t care what’s going on in their port as long as they get their money.”

Many of the largely Latino immigrant drivers have been boycotting work at the adjacent ports of L.A. and Long Beach since late April, but failed to shut down the flow of cargo for more than a few days. The drivers, considered independent contractors who own their own tractors, are demanding to be recognized as employees with benefits.

The port authorities governing both harbors have insisted throughout the boycott that they are only landlords of the property and that they cannot force the trucking companies--which take orders from retailers and then dispatch independent drivers to haul their cargo containers--to change.