A bipartisan bill has been re-introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that would ensure truck drivers are fairly compensated for overtime hours. Sponsored by Senators Edward J. Markey and Alex Padilla, as well as Representatives Jeff Van Drew and Mark Takano, the measure seeks to overturn the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 that restricts truckers’ time-and-a-half wages.
“Truck drivers have been denied overtime protections for nearly 100 years,” President of Teamsters General Sean M. O’Brien reportedly said. “The Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act rights this wrong and would end this inexcusable abuse to hundreds of thousands of drivers across the country.”
It may seem ironic, but the Fair Labor Standards Act helped establish a minimum wage and employee rights, including time-and-a-half wages after 40 hours within a week. The early 19th-century law focused on companies and employees engaged in interstate commerce. Although the Act was amended numerous times, hard-working truck drivers were ignored.
“From the food we eat to the medical supplies we use in our daily lives, truck drivers make sure consumer goods and commodities reach their destination on time,” Sen. Markey reportedly said. “However, for almost a hundred years, obsolete labor regulations have denied truck drivers their rightful pay, leading to high turnover and supply chain disruptions. Senator Padilla and I are re-introducing our Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act to fix this injustice and ensure that these vital workers receive their hard-earned overtime pay.”
The Biden Administration reportedly tasked the U.S. Department of Transportation with conducting an industry analysis and publishing a Freight and Logistics Supply Chain Assessment in February 2022. At the time, the driving issue was the rising truck driver shortage and the inability of companies to retain qualified CDL holders. The Department of Transportation’s report recommended wide-reaching changes, including repealing the Fair Labor Standards Act exemption.
“America’s truckers keep our nation’s economy moving, and without the hard work of these men and women, our supply chain would grind to a halt. Unbelievably, trucking is one of the only professions in America that is denied guaranteed overtime pay,” Todd Spencer, President of OOIDA, reportedly said.
Proponents of overtime wages have indicated better pay would likely improve driver retention and attract a younger and more diverse workforce. It’s also ironic that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours of service rules include 14-hour drive times and 70-hour work weeks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Labor_Standards_Act_of_1938
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations
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