Health care and truck maintenance costs keep port truckers and their families in poverty.

Originally from Mexico, for the past 20 years Narciso Roman Perez has called Long Beach, California "home." But after two decades working as a port truck driver, Narciso is still struggling to pay rent for his family's small apartment, cover hospital bills for his son who suffers from asthma. On top of that, port drivers are classified as “independent contractors” – not employees – and therefore must carry high cost of gas and truck maintenance out of their own pockets.

"In less than two weeks I've spent something like $2,000 in maintenance for my truck," says a frustrated Narciso. "I'm making $450 a week; it's not enough. I have to borrow money… Often times we don't even make anything."

To make matters worse, Narciso has also been dealing with an injured knee for the past few years, pain that comes from spending countless hours sitting in his truck waiting in line to pick up a container.

Despite these challenges, Narciso has hope that workers can join together and help change the broken system that keeps his family and the families of other drivers in poverty. That’s why Narciso has joined other port truckers in the fight to improve working conditions at California’s ports.

At a joint meeting of the commissioners of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Narciso testified on the poor working conditions and low wages port truckers earn. His testimony persuaded commission members to instruct their staff to include provisions for drivers in the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) - a historic plan designed to reduce pollution in the region over the next five years.

Learn more about Narciso and his co-workers efforts to improve their lives – and the environment! See www.cleanandsafeports.org. The Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports includes members from the Teamsters, SEIU, the Laborers and UNITE HERE.