Beginning last week truckers in Southern California protested a new law that greatly stimies private trucking in the state, by blockading a port in Oakland, which they claimed to do “indefinitely” until their demands were met.
On July 4th The WinePress detailed a new law that was passed in the state known as “AB5.” This bill would essentially be forcing approximately 70,000 independent truckers in the state to find a new job, or join a union, which would only exacerbate domestic shipping headaches even more than they already have been.
For specifics on what that bill entails, check out that article below for more details:
In response to the state’s and Supreme Court’s ruling, private truckers banded together to blockade a shipping port in Oakland – a port that is considered to be the 9th busiest port in the world – with all work coming to a grinding halt.
However, as of the 26th, the protestors have left the premises for now, but could return or hit-up another port.
The Load Star, a supply chain and logistics outlet, explains more details on what has and will be effected:
Cargo was finally flowing again through the US port of Oakland yesterday after a blockade by truckers had paralysed freight traffic over the past week.
And agriculture shippers hope there will be no repeat of the blockage.
“The port of Oakland has resumed full operations,” announced a relieved port executive director Danny Wan yesterday, after truckers had decided not to continue their action at the port’s gates.
In protest against California’s AB5 legislation on employment status, truck owner-operators, who constitute the bulk of drayage drivers in the state, had started action at the port of Los Angeles on 13 July, but shifted to Oakland the following week as their impact at the larger port had been negligible.
At Oakland, their protest had a marked impact: they blocked access to the port’s terminals, stopping the flow of cargo in and out of the port; and, in addition, longshoremen did not cross their picket lines, citing safety concerns, which meant ships at the port were not unloaded and remained idle at the docks, while a queue of waiting vessels grew. By Friday, the vessel backlog had risen to 12, although one ship cancelled its call at Oakland after three days of waiting and went to Los Angeles instead.
According to Project 44, dwell times of import containers at the port had risen to more than two weeks by Friday. Prior to the trucker protests, dwell times had been 10 days, but that was due to problems with intermodal capacity.
The blockade also took its toll on exports through Oakland, with fears rising among shippers that they might not be able to get their cargo loaded on ships before the end of this week, at the earliest. For many this was a dire prospect, as a large portion of the port’s exports are perishables.
Oakland is a key gateway for perishables exports, most originating in California, which sends over $20bn worth of agriculture products overseas every year. The port processes about $1.86bn worth of exports in a month, of which two-thirds are agriculture products.
According to some industry experts, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach could not handle the full amount of perishables that usually move through Oakland. Moreover, exporters would face higher costs slotting their cargo through the southern port complex.
The US Meat Export Federation was among the first industry groups to express concern about the trucker blockade of Oakland – the main export gateway for many of its members to ship beef and pork to Asia. It pointed out that delays of more than two days would force shippers to freeze their meat, which lowers its value and incurs costs for the refrigeration.
Dairy exporters were also on edge. The US Dairy Export Council and National Milk Producers Federation said the blockade added to a “litany of woes” that have beset its exports over the past two years as its members struggled to find capacity.
And California’s almond exporters had enjoyed a record-breaking June and were expecting a similarly strong July that would see between 200m and 250m pounds of the nuts sent overseas. The trucker protests put paid to that, as a week’s closure of the port of Oakland would reduce export volumes by 50m to 65m lbs.
The Agriculture Transportation Coalition also expressed concern last week.
“The supply chain is already in crisis. This is a huge disruption,” executive director Peter Friedman told the Wall Street Journal.
Oakland was actually about to step up its game in agriculture exports. In early June, port executives and US agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack announced new measures to bolster this traffic. A 25-acre site is planned for exports of agriculture commodities to bypass congested infrastructure and the government is offering subsidies to agriculture shippers that use Oakland, Seattle or Tacoma for their exports. It will pay them $200 per container of farmed goods and $400 per reefer container going through these ports.
Last Thursday, the port of Oakland took steps to defuse the situation on its doorstep and get cargo moving again, offering to act as liaison between the truckers and the state government, simultaneously setting up ‘free speech zones’ for the protests, where they would not disrupt the flow of cargo.
At the same time, it warned that continued blockades would be dealt with by law enforcement.
On Friday, there were signals of defiance from truckers, saying they would remain in place until AB5 was repealed, but the blockade was lifted for the weekend and did not resume on Monday. There was no official statement from the truckers, but individual operators said they did not want to hurt the port and its users, and that they needed to resume business to pay their bills.
While this returns the port to normal operations, there is a possibility it could see another spell of protests over AB5. One trucker warned that protesters would come back to the port if there was no progress on the AB5 issue.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Regulars of The WP are familiar with these climate goals, but a reduction and slowdown in shipping, both domestically and especially via ports, must occur. Just like so many of the other trucker and farmer protests we’ve seen in the last few years, these people are targeting ports, distribution plants, grocery stores, and so forth.
There are currently no freight ships operating without emissions, so shipping must contract [by 2030]. All shipping [then] declines to zero [by 2050].
National consumption of beef and lamb drops by 50%, along with reduction in frozen ready meals and air-freighted food imports [by 2030]. [Afterwards,] Beef and lamb phased out, along with all imports not transported by train; fertilizer use greatly reduced.
Some of the Absolute Zero goals
So, whether these truckers realize it or not, they are falling into the trap these globalist psychopaths wanted in the first. If these truckers stand idly by, then the truckers lose their right to be their own boss and make their own incomes; if not an exodus from the state or switching to a new career, which still helps these climate goals. It’s a lose-lose.
When I say these things, people get the wrong impression, that I do not believe in fighting back. This is not true. These truckers have every right to be furious and very much obligated to fight back, as I am sure I would as well. But I don’t have all the answers as what to do: I wish I did, but I do not. I am just the messenger pigeon reporting on what is transpiring, and giving my two cents on the matter.
Regardless of how it all plays out, the build-up to prolonged famine and supply chain shortages continue to grow, and hence, why you must continue to be alert and prepare the best you can for the road.
[17] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil. [18] And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: [19] Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.Jeremiah 29:17-19
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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Truckers and trains will be slowed down or ceased.
Farms and food factories will be burnt to the ground.
Shelves will be picked dry.
Also Jacob, the flooding in Kentucky, you got any word on that?
Thank you for this and all your articles. Much appreciated and God bless.
Those people at the top with those plans are all crazy in the head. I will never understand their motives to hurt others like that. How can they not feel any remorse?!
They seared their conscience with a hot iron, for the love of money is the root of all evil
I just found out there is Alex Jones case
https://rumble.com/v1eordv-why-you-should-care-about-the-alex-jones-trial.html
I don’t follow him just came across this video Don’t know her nor follow her just listened to whatS going On
It’s on my to-do list. The court proceedings were clown acts per usual. He’s been ordered to payout over $4 million in fees.