Here are five things worth knowing today: As they await a ruling from the California Labor Commissioner on their wage and hour claims totaling in excess of $6 million, on Tuesday, Sept. 12, port drivers from Pacific 9 Transportation (Pac 9), who say they have been misclassified as independent contractors, have entered their 11th week on strike, according to the Teamsters Port Division. They plan to continue picketing at the company’s Carson-based yard and conduct “ambulatory picketing” at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and at customers’ warehouses and distribution center, threatening to further exacerbate persistent congestion at America’s largest port complex.Workers at a major warehouse at the Port of Los Angeles that serves Amazon, Lowe’s and other major retailers will strike tomorrow, according to the Warehouse Worker Resource Center. The group declares that workers are on a campaign demanding dignity, good wages, health and safety, and “an end to wage theft at the warehouse, operated by California Cartage on Port of Los Angeles property.” The workers are employed by – or contracted to – California Cartage, a division of the California Cartage Company family of companies, which is also a major port trucking company serving the nation’s largest port complex. Beginning this morning, workers planned to walk off the job at California Cartage and begin picketing at the rear entrance of California Cartage, at intersection of W. Willow Street and Middle Road, Long Beach, CA.Big carriers are pushing to make double trailer trucks longer, while police and many others – even some within the trucking industry – oppose the proposal due to safety concerns. According to the Indy Star, proponents say longer trucks will be more efficient, noting the increasing number of goods being shipped around the country. Opponents say the longer double trailers would increase wear and tear on roads and cause safety problems. The Indy Star has more. Illinois law makers are saying 16% of the state’s bridges are unsafe and structurally deficient, according to a report from WIFR.com. The state – along with the rest of the country – is waiting for Congress to pass a long-term transportation bill to help fund major road and infrastructure projects. Illinois is in the middle of a budget crisis and more than 80% of the state’s transportation funding comes from the federal government, WIFR said. The U.S. Department of Transportation announces the launch of its new Connected Vehicle Basics website, which describes the basics of connected vehicles. The technology wirelessly connects vehicles to one another, roads and personal mobile devices so they can exchange information about their position, speed, brake status, and provide warnings and recommendations to drivers. The technology asks what type of connected vehicle user you are and will then benefit the selected user type – from bicyclists and pedestrians to motorists and commercial truck drivers, according to DOT.
