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Teamsters to try to block
Mexican trucks
JESSE J. HOLLAND
AP
Thursday Aug 30, 2007
The Teamsters Union said Wednesday it will ask a federal appeals
court to block the Bush administration's plan to allow Mexican
trucks to carry cargo anywhere in the United States.
The union said it has been told by officials in the Transportation
Department's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that
the first Mexican trucks will be coming across the border on Saturday.
Teamsters leaders said they planned to seek an emergency injunction
Wednesday from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
"What a slap in the face to American workers, opening the
highways to dangerous trucks on Labor Day weekend, one of the
busiest driving weekends of the year," said Teamsters President
Jim Hoffa.
Joining the Teamsters in seeking the emergency stay were the
Sierra Club and Public Citizen. "Before providing unconditional
access throughout the country to tens of thousands of big rigs
we know little to nothing about, we must insure they meet safety
and environmental standards," Sierra Club executive director
Carl Pope said.
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in a statement,
said: "we believe this lawsuit is without merit and that
our program will benefit consumers by reducing the costly practice
of requiring all cross-border shipments to be hauled by three
separate trucks operated by three different drivers and provide
U.S. trucking companies the opportunity to expand their business
into our nation's third largest trading partner."
The Bush administration said last week it would start the cross-border
program once the Transportation Department's inspector general
certifies safety and inspection plans.
Leslie Miller, a Teamsters spokeswoman, said attorneys for the
federal truck safety agency advised the union's lawyers that they
expect to get that certification on Friday. She said the Teamsters
also were told by the agency attorneys that limited authority
for trucks to begin crossing the border will be approved Saturday.
The Teamsters got a powerful labor ally in its protest.
AFL-CIO president John Sweeney said in a news conference "the
real issue there is the situation of safety and how this involves
the delivery of food or product of Mexico to United States and
vice versa.
"It's an ongoing dispute and we don't think the Mexican
government is enforcing their laws in that situation," said
Sweeney in support of the Teamsters, who left the AFL-CIO to join
a rival labor federation in 2005. "I think the Teamsters
are taking the lead in this situation and rightly so deserve support."
Supporters of the plan say letting more Mexican trucks on U.S.
highways will save American consumers hundreds of millions of
dollars.
Labor and driver-owner groups have been fighting the measure
— part of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement —
since it was first proposed, saying the program will erode highway
safety and eliminate U.S. jobs.
A one-year demonstration project would allow 100 Mexican motor
carriers full access to U.S. roads. It can begin as soon as the
inspector general certifies that safety and inspection plans and
facilities are sufficient to ensure the Mexican trucks are as
safe as U.S. trucks.
Since 1982, Mexican trucks have had to stop within a buffer border
zone and transfer their loads to U.S. trucks.
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INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
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