Oklahoma Trucking Association supports fight against anti-contractor legislation

Investment in the California Trucking Association’s effort to defeat a law classifying owner-operators as employees signals willingness to partner for the good of the entire trucking industry

The Oklahoma Trucking Association announced today it has contributed $5,000 to the California Trucking Association (CTA) to support its efforts against anti-contractor legislation in the state.  CTA is currently challenging Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), a law enacted in California in 2019 that legislates if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.

“While presently a California issue, AB5 is really an industry issue,” said Jim Newport, president and CEO, Oklahoma Trucking Association. “Similar legislation has been attempted in some states and is likely in others.  By making this contribution to the CTA’s efforts to defeat AB5, the Oklahoma Trucking Association is demonstrating that it understands the potentially widespread impact of the law, is being proactive in addressing the issue, and is willing to partner with others for the good of the industry.”

California’s AB5 legislation is opposed by the trucking industry because it likely forces companies hiring owner-operators to classify the independent contractors as employees. AB5 was signed into law last fall and on December 31, 2019, one day before it was scheduled to go into effect, CTA won a preliminary injunction to prevent its enforcement against motor carriers. Currently, the injunction has been appealed by the State of California to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which will hear CTA's lawsuit challenging the law.

“The Oklahoma Trucking Association’s carrier and allied members take pride in being part of an industry that represents one of every 15 jobs in the state,” said Jo-Don Clanton, General Manager at Pioneer Transport and chairman, Oklahoma Trucking Association.  “Issues such as California’s anti-contractor legislation threaten the over 75 percent of Oklahoma’s communities that depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods.  The Oklahoma Trucking Association is proud to look beyond its own state borders to support CTA and the entire trucking industry.”