Long Beach Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal believes port truckers are working in conditions of "modern-day indentured servitude."
Lowenthal made her statement Tuesday evening near the conclusion of a Tidelands and Harbor Committee study session focused on port truckers.
The ongoing controversy around the harbor is over whether the more than 14,000 truck drivers who move goods between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach should be considered employees or independent contractors.