Posted on 01/02/2020 8:02:58 AM PST by C19fan
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new California labor law from impacting more than 70,000 independent truckers. The law, passed late last year, makes it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees, who are entitled to minimum wage and benefits such as workers compensation.
U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego on Tuesday granted a temporary restraining order sought by the California Trucking Association while he considers imposing a permanent injunction.
He said the association is likely to eventually prevail on its argument that the state law violates federal law. He also ruled the truckers would otherwise be likely to suffer irreparable harm, and that temporarily blocking the law from applying to truckers is in the public interest.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Isn't trucking one of the most lucrative blue collar jobs out there?
Progressives want to destroy any opportunity for Americans to make a living on their own, according to their own terms.
I seem to recall a lawyer telling me that the US legal system is very much set up to inhibit attempts to prevent people from making a living. This was many years ago.
Also, don’t most of the illegal immigrants make money by means of the “gig economy” ? Is California’s “gig economy” law going to go after them?
I’m of divided sentiments. One one hand I think the judge’s ruling is a step in the right direction. On the other, I’d be sore tempted to stand back and let California implode on it’s own intelligence vacuum...
“Isn’t trucking one of the most lucrative blue collar jobs out there? “
Two things. By good jobs, she means union jobs. But the state’s real problem with independent contractors is how the state taxes are collected. The 1099 workers write their checks, assuming they do write them, once a quarter or once a year. The state wants their money every two weeks.
Hence minimum wage: if you can’t produce enough, you’re not allowed to produce at all.
The perspective on “produce enough” looks awfully different from ivory towers, vs those not allowed to earn lunch money.
The contract truck driver owns a rig that costs over 150K, and owns a house, and still takes vacations. Some make upwards of 200K a year. The Assembly Woman is working for the unions, wanting to reduce that pay, and force all truck drivers into the unions where they will have a reduced wage and reduces hours and they will not longer be able to own their own trucks. “Returning jobs to the trucking industry” is code word for retiring independents to the low paying Union Jobs of the Teamsters.
Depends. All the rules, regs and issues within indie’ carriers are killing them. Like the DEF fluid regulation, etc.
A lot of them have quit, leaving the roads open to immigration drivers, some who cant even read road signs in English.
Think I am kidding? Just hand around a truck stop and look at the drivers who come in.
The common carriers-bigger companies, still have some good drivers, and even they have issues, like Swift. You would be appalled at the quality of some drivers.
I blame a lot of the lack of quality drivers on the dispatchers within the industry. The adds read “Home Weekends” ya right!
This cannot be a Dorkbama judge, can it?
After all, this judge actually seems to have some knowledge of the law.
And the Constitution.
A Bush (W) judge.
Not anymore... that once was true.. but not remotely that way anymore.
California (and New York) have gone a long way towards creating a large black-market economy. I deal with some small immigrant distributors for a food-chemical ingredient we sell. They pay us cash, up-front, every time. I know they sell the product for cash also. Someone in their extended family has registered a company, but I doubt they pay any taxes at all. Its not huge business, but not small either ($50K per month). Keeps them eligible for welfare as well, I imagine.
I once lived in CA. I hired “gig” folks to do jobs. Shoe my horses, maintain the swimming pool...
So now I would have to hire them as employees and do a payroll for them?
Progressives want to destroy any opportunity for Americans to make a living on their own, according to their own terms.
This also, hurts a lot of deplorable voters.
Progressives want to destroy any opportunity for Americans to make a living on their own, according to their own terms.
This also, hurts a lot of deplorable voters.
“The 1099 workers write their checks, assuming they do write them, once a quarter or once a year. The state wants their money every two weeks.”
If this goes through, the tax sucking thugs in Sacramento will not be getting many checks.
Returning jobs to the trucking industry is code word for retiring independents to the low paying Union Jobs of the Teamsters.”
Then, they can jack up delivery costs as there will be no real competition.
There is an even worse version of this law being fast-tracked thru the NJ legislature. It will effectively kill all independent contractors and freelancers - editors, proofreaders, photographers, you name it. It’s F’d up.
“I seem to recall a lawyer telling me that the US legal system is very much set up to inhibit attempts to prevent people from making a living”
He was lying. The legal system is set up to provide for LAWYERS to make a living.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.