California truckers win $2 million in wage theft suit

[Arcadiasix]

By Steve Gorman





LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Seven Los Angeles-area truckers have won a $2 million claim against an international shipping company accused of stealing their wages by improperly classifying them as independent contractors and charging them to lease its trucks to drive.

In a decision with implications for hundreds of companies and thousands of truckers in Southern California alone, a San Diego County Superior Court judge held that the seven plaintiffs should have been defined as employees of Pacer Cartage under California's labor law, not as independent owner-operators.

Judge Jay Bloom ruled the seven drivers, who were Hispanic and spoke little English, were entitled to reimbursement for the money California-based Pacer deducted from their wages for the truck leases, insurance, vehicle maintenance, fuel and other out-of-pocket expenses.

That judgment, returned on Wednesday after a 14-day non-jury trial, came to just over $2 million collectively, the same sum previously awarded to the seven truckers by a state labor commissioner and appealed to the court by the company.




http://news.yahoo.com/california-truckers-win-2-million-wage-theft-suit-035218522--finance.html

[elleng]

1. Good. Let's see if it holds.

[flyingfysh]

2. how much would they actually get?

After the lawyers take their cut?