NEW YORK — Independent truckers active in a fight for better pay and working conditions in the oil-producing Permian Basin, in western Texas, traveled here to hold a protest outside the headquarters of investment management company BlackRock Sept. 18. They were joined by members of Teamsters Local 804, which organizes UPS and other workers in New York. They brought an inflatable “corporate pig.” Signs held by the truckers and their supporters drew the attention of people walking by and truckers driving by, with many stopping to learn more about the action. The Texas truckers are members of the U.S.-based Truckers Movement for Justice.
“In the whole chain — from BlackRock, which owns many of the oil and gas operations, to U.S. and Mexican brokers and transportation companies — we’re missing out in our money big time,” Oscar Lovo, a truck owner-operator, told the Militant. He was referring to the long hours spent waiting to get loaded and unloaded, for which they aren’t paid. They also don’t receive compensation for the high costs of fuel, maintenance and other overhead they have to cover.
“Every single day thousands of drivers working in the oil fields in west Texas are cheated out of money. We want justice for truck drivers,” said Bill Randell, a leader of the coalition.
“We are supporting these truckers because there is a common struggle between the Teamsters and these truckers who have no union today,” said Christopher Williamson, vice president of Local 804.