If the International Brotherhood of Teamsters succeeds in establishing a presence at the Port of Charleston, SC, it could mean better wages, paid waiting time and benefits for port truckers. The union had a rally June 1 to encourage drivers to join.

IBT is planning to open a hiring hall for independent truck drivers who haul containers in and out of the port. Representatives from the union said the office could be open as early as July.

This would mark the first time the Teamsters would have a local unit in South Carolina, according to WIS-TV, a local NBC affiliate based in Columbia, SC.

Approximately 80 percent of the truckers that operate out of the Port of Charleston are independent drivers. Because federal anti-trust laws prevent independent drivers from participating in collective bargaining, many are asking how joining the Teamsters could help them make a profit.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association reports it has a number of members who are Teamsters and who successfully participate in a “two-check system.” The owner-trucker earns the first check by becoming an employee of a company using union labor. The second check is generated from his/her truck – which under a separate deal, is leased to the carrier and therefore earns the owner-trucker a separate income.  

The Teamsters claim they already have 150 drivers ready to sign up.