The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the Canadian Teamsters Union have condemned the truck blockade. Most of the protesters are not professional truck drivers. The main demand is an end to the vaccine mandate and mask rules, which would make the current pandemic worse. If the blockade continues, the auto industry will likely close.
Protesters say the truck blockade is a way to force the federal government to do something they don’t like. The truckers say they are upset over a government mandate to have truck drivers take COVID-19 vaccines. The protesters are saying the measures will hurt their business and leave many stranded.
A few hundred vehicles remain in Ottawa’s core. They insist they will not leave until the COVID-19 curbs are lifted. The truck blockade has caused disruption in commercial trade and traffic along the border. It has also drawn criticism from some Canadian truck drivers, who have vaccinated against the disease. The Canadian Trucking Association has condemned the protests.
Why are the Truckers Boycotting?
Truckers have been refusing to make deliveries in Colorado in protest of a sentence given to an illegal immigrant in Colorado after a deadly crash in 2019. Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, a 25-year-old Cuban immigrant, was found guilty of killing four people and injuring six others in the April crash. Since his conviction, truckers have been mobilizing under the hashtag #NoTrucksToColorado.
The truckers are rallying in Colorado and Texas, calling on Gov. Jared Polis to commute the sentence for Rogel Aguilera-Mederos. The truckers argue that the driver should not have been given a CDL and should never have been dispatched to haul lumber.
The trucking industry has been protesting for years about costly regulations and mandates. But, last November, the government announced an exemption for truckers. In this exemption, trucks without COVID vaccines are not subject to quarantine at the border. However, this exemption is only granted to truckers with ministerial invitation and is rarely used.
Why are the Truckers on Strike?
A week ago, independent truck drivers began a strike in California to protest the actions of a trucking company. The strike is not affecting the entire fleet, but it could have a major impact on trade. The port of Oakland is already backed up by shipping containers, and truckers are worried they will not be able to get their goods to their destinations.
In the past, the trucking industry has fought against laws to classify truck drivers as independent contractors. AB 5 is a new California law that tries to codify that decision, imposing a three-factor test to determine whether a truck driver is an employee or an independent contractor. This law was passed despite the opposition of unionized dockworkers.
AB5 is the cause of the strike. The law aims to make the truckers’ work as independent contractors more difficult by imposing more red tape and higher costs. The truckers say that the law is designed to dismantle independent trucking and essentially kill the industry. Fortunately, the US Supreme Court has denied a petition to block the law until 2020.
What is Trucker Issue?
The trucker issue has been in the spotlight recently, thanks to a Canadian truckers’ shutdown of North America’s busiest land border crossing to protest Covid-19 mandates. Meanwhile, American truck drivers have long complained about poor pay, long hours, and weeks away from home. But when the pandemic hit, these issues were put in the spotlight once again.
The protests against vaccine mandates have triggered a wide variety of reactions. Some truckers have gone so far as to paralyze Ottawa with their demonstrations. Some have even taken to waving Confederate flags. But while the Canadian government has said they do not support truckers’ protests, many other Canadians are disapproving of their actions.
The convoy of truckers began as a protest against the mandatory vaccination of children under the age of two, but gained support along the way and eventually became a broader challenge to the government’s restrictions on public health. It eventually made its way to Ottawa, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau strongly condemned the protests.
Why are Truckers Protesting in Detroit?
If you’re wondering why truckers are protesting in Detroit, you’re not alone. The protesters have been delaying traffic for hours. It’s the result of an international border crossing that is the busiest in North America. They’re also protesting against mandates to administer the COVID-19 vaccine and strict testing rules.
The Canadian Auto Parts Manufacturers Association has disavowed the protests. Regardless of the cause, the shutdown could disrupt production for at least five hours, resulting in layoffs and other costs for automakers. The Biden administration has urged the Trudeau government to use federal powers to help the truckers.
Truckers are blocking the Ambassador Bridge, a key crossing between the U.S. and Canada. Protesters have shut down traffic on the bridge, resulting in major traffic jams. Fortunately, the protests have since dispersed and traffic is moving again.
What is the Ambassador Bridge Protest About?
A convoy of demonstrators is blocking the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Canada and the U.S., causing a massive traffic jam. The mayor of Windsor, Ontario, has warned that the situation is becoming dangerous. Some demonstrators have even said they are prepared to die for their cause. Some Windsor residents are already tired of the protests.
The local court has ruled the protests illegal. However, some protesters are still refusing to leave and block the bridge. Windsor police arrested several protesters and towed two pickup trucks that were blocking the bridge. Fortunately, the Ambassador Bridge reopened late Sunday night.
The protesters are reportedly demonstrating against the introduction of new restrictions and mandates for COVID-19 vaccines. The protesters may also organize similar demonstrations in Washington, D.C., causing a massive traffic back-up and a potential Super Bowl disruption. If the protesters continue to block the Ambassador Bridge, the ensuing shutdown will disrupt transportation across the United States and Canada. It will also impact the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, causing a traffic backup at the bridge.
What are the Truckers Protesting in Colorado?
No Trucks to Colorado is an online movement encouraging truck drivers to boycott the state after the driver of a semi truck was sentenced to 110 years in prison. The semi driver was involved in a crash that killed four people and damaged 28 vehicles on Interstate 70 in April 2019. The truck driver was found guilty of vehicular homicide and sentenced to prison for his role in the accident.
Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, a truck driver from Houston, was sentenced to 110 years in prison following the crash that killed four people in April 2019. Aguilera-Mederos had been driving the truck when it lost brakes and crashed into stopped traffic on the freeway. The crash caused an explosion and caused a pileup.
After the crash, many truckers refused to drive through Colorado. They wanted to make a difference and free Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, who was 23 years old at the time of the crash. Organizers of the truck blockade have drafted a petition demanding that the governor grant the truck driver a pardon. It has over four million signatures as of December 19, 2021.
Do Us Truckers Have to Be Vaccinated?
The American Trucking Association has warned against mandates for truck drivers to get vaccinations. It says this would further damage the already strained supply chains in the US and drive away truck drivers. Already, the country is facing major supply chain disruptions due to a shortage of truck drivers. Moreover, the mandated vaccinations could force as many as 13% of truckers to quit the industry.
The mandate is aimed at protecting the public health of essential workers crossing the border. However, the mandate is not yet in effect for truckers. The United States government is working to enact a similar requirement for other essential workers crossing the border. In the meantime, the Canadian government plans to expand its mandate to include border-crossing truckers.
Truckers have already begun protesting the mandated vaccinations. Some of them have begun organizing convoys and plan to drive from California to Washington D.C., with the goal of bringing the message to lawmakers. In Canada, protests have already created a political crisis for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. It is also possible that the protests may become a political issue for Vice President Biden in the near future. A Facebook group for truckers has already gathered more than 67,000 members.
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