Repost from OaklandLocal.com
Scene from Occupy Oakland’s Nov. 2 General Strike and protest on the Port of Oakland.
Abdul Khan is one of 2,000 truck drivers, contracted to haul containers in and out of the recent Occupy Oakland target: The Port of Oakland.
Last night, Khan spoke to a large crowd of community members including union workers, environmental activists and Oakland youth advocates at a “People’s Port Teach-in” held at the Bay Area Christian Connection Church.
A port driver for more than seven years, Khan shared his acute frustration regarding the lack of fair wages that he and his co-workers endure due to lack of union representation. Khan explained that as private contractors they were allowed no healthcare benefits and “don’t even get to set rates as ‘independent’ drivers.’”
Kahn struggles to support his family of two children by working an average 60-70 hours a week. Yet, he only makes an average $25,000 a year.
“Sometimes I don’t make anything in a day” he said.
For example, his next day’s trip would garner him a mere $30 since his cargo was only to be transported to nearby Hayward.
“That’s not even enough money to cover my 130 mile round-trip commute” he explained.
In fact, Khan and his family were recently forced to leave their home in Fremont to live with his brother in Dixon because they could no longer afford rent. When asked what he thought of Occupy Oakland’s call to shut-down the port on Dec. 12 he said “At the very least, protesters should reach out to vulnerable contractors such as myself who stand to lose a day’s wages due to the march.”
And, if it was any consolation, Isaac Kos-Read, director of External Affairs for the Port of Oakland, stated emphatically that port officials would “work hard to keep the port open on Monday in collaboration with the local police force.”
Remarkably, the teach-in speakers avoided mention of Occupy Oakland’s plans to shut down the port. Instead the evening was focused on campaigns that organizations such as the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy – EBASE – and The Coalition for a Safe and Clean Port have been working on for years.
Urban Peace Movement activist Haniyah Muhammad, 19, works with the Revive Oakland campaign and explained that “instead of closing the port, we are fighting to open it further to include more economically sustainable jobs for Oakland young people.”
Meanwhile, workers like Khan continue returning to haul shipyard containers.
“We are also affected and obviously part of the 99 percent,” he said of himself and his fellow truck-drivers.
