The Port of Oakland, California — one of the country’s largest and a key hub for global commerce — has been brought to a standstill by a group of truck drivers angered over a state labor law that could upend their business model.
The protest, which entered its second day on Tuesday, escalated to a near complete shutdown of the port as more than 100 protesters blocked terminal entrances halting the flow of goods. Many dock workers also refused to cross the truck drivers’ picket line, which forced the port to stop loading and offloading ships at the main terminal, a port authority spokesperson said.
“We want to show everyone that if our trucks stop, America stops,” said Harnoor Singh, who runs a company of four truck drivers. “We’re going to keep going until something positive comes out of” Sacramento.
