Truckers: L.A. statements deceptive

Truckers: L.A. statements deceptive    The American Trucking Associations is accusing Los Angeles city and port officials and the Natural Resources Defense Council for misleading the public and press about the purpose and results of its lawsuit against the concession plans of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
   “These parties continue to mislead the citizens of Los Angeles and Long Beach by claiming that ATA is trying to kill the ports’ Clean Truck Program,” said Clayton Boyce, the trade association’s vice president of public affairs. “ATA has supported the Clean Truck Program, including the ports' container fee for financing the replacement of older trucks, the banning of older trucks and the ports drayage registry, and continues to do so. ATA has opposed only the ports’ concession plans, especially the Los Angeles ban on independent owner-operators.”
   ATA said, “the deception goes beyond public relations spin,” and may be aimed at lowering expectations for the port’s unsuccessful defense of the lawsuit and “to distract from the reason that Los Angeles, but not Long Beach, bowed to union influence and banned owner-operators. Requiring that drivers be trucking company employees will allow unions to organize the drivers.”
   On March 20, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth District ruled that all or part of the concession plans interfere with in interstate trade and sent the suit back to a lower court.
   The ATA’s statement is available here.