Independent truckers block Oakland port in protest

The drivers object to a law requiring companies to hire them as employees rather than independent contractors

Truckers protesting against a California labor law effectively shut down cargo operations at the Port of Oakland, one of the busiest in the US.

The protest began on Monday, when hundreds of independent big-rig truckers blocked the movement of cargo in and out of terminals at the port. On Wednesday, port officials warned that the shutdown would further exacerbate the congestion of containers.