Truckers who haul containers in and out of the ports of Los Angeles-Long Beach and Oakland, Calif., are protesting high fuel prices and slow turnaround times at container terminals.
According to the Journal of Commerce, about six harbor trucking companies are affected in Los Angeles-Long Beach, while in Oakland, drivers are refusing to haul for Pacific Rim Transport, a subsidiary of Maersk Inc.

Pacific Rim Transport says it has instituted a temporary fuel surcharge for all of its operations on the West Coast, which is experiencing diesel prices near $2 a gallon. But drivers in Oakland also are demanding a 15% rate increase.
Port truckers in Southern California met last night at the Teamsters union hall in Long Beach. They are considering a harbor-wide port rally later in the month. The union is not sponsoring the driver protests, but offers the drivers the use of its union halls and gives the drivers advice on legal matters and other issues upon request.
The union also offered its support to a protest earlier this month at the port of Savannah, Ga.
The Teamsters are attempting to organize container haulers across the country. However, as independent contractors, the port drivers are legally prohibited from joining a union.