WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, IW Features, the independent journalism and grassroots storytelling arm of Independent Women, released a new series highlighting female truckers who oppose a Biden-era Labor Department rule that negatively impacts the livelihood and flexibility of independent contractors. The series, titled “Behind the Wheel: Women Truckers Fight for Their Independence,” features Angela Masterson, Sheryl Myers, and Jeanette Lonergan.
The Biden administration’s Labor Department rule went into effect on March 11, 2024, harming tens of millions of American workers who rely on flexible work arrangements, such as gig work, freelancing, and self-employment.
[Photo by: Rivera Eye Photography for IW Features]
Masterson, who transports highly-sensitive U.S. defense freight across the county with her husband, explained to IW Features how the new rules could hinder her career and even threaten the country’s national security.
Masterson told IW Features:
“We don’t want more control by an employer or the union. We want to manage our own time, our own money, and benefits. We want the freedom of choice as an American citizen to pursue the American dream.”
[Photo by: Karen E. Segrave for IW Features]
Myers, a former freight broker who currently drives a truck transporting items for the U.S. Defense Department, is also sounding the alarm and warning that the Labor Department’s regulations will slow the U.S. supply chain and negatively impact the country’s economy.
Myers told IW Features:
“This will cause prices to rise. It will cause huge supply chain issues, and it will cause a bottleneck in the workforce that could be an absolute detriment to our economy.”
[Photo by: Nick Sokoloff for IW Features]
Jeanette Lonergan, who with her husband transports crucial military cargo, explained to IW Features that the Labor Department’s rule for independent contractors threatens the trucking industry’s stability.
Lonergan told IW Features:
“If we wanted to be company drivers, we would be company drivers. Clearly, the Biden administration doesn’t look at independent contractors as an integral part of the economy and country. But independents, we made this country. Every big business once started as a small business.”
Andrea Mew, managing editor of IW Features and producer of the series, said: “If we don’t protect the rights of independent contractors, we lose what makes this country great. Female long-haul truck drivers like Angela Masterson, Sheryl Myers, and Jeanette Lonergan are doing more than just hauling freight; they’re standing up for their right to work on their terms. Overreaching rules and legislation to reclassify independent contractors doesn’t just threaten these women’s livelihoods –– it risks tearing apart entire industries and communities. The Trump administration has an opportunity to restore hope for American workers by standing up for the independence they deserve, as we hope they will take it.”
Patrice Onwuka, director of the Center for Economic Opportunity at Independent Women, said: “Flexibility is a main attraction for Americans, especially women, who choose independent contracting over traditional employment. Some want to be their own boss or work. Others seek to work on their own schedules to balance earning income with other priorities such as caregiving and health issues. Truckers are a great example of a profession that grants men and women rewarding and fulfilling flexible careers. Owner-operators depend on their independent status as self-employed individuals and do not want to be classified as employees. The Biden Department of Labor ignored the outcry of truckers, freelancers, professionals, and gig workers when it finalized its independent contractor rule last year changing the standard to determine worker status. This rule heightens confusion and uncertainty crippling businesses and leading independent contractors to lose their independence and flexibility.”
Angela Masterson’s story can be found here.
Sheryl Myers’ story can be found here.
Jeanette Lonergan’s story can be found here.
For more stories featuring those impacted by independent contracting crackdowns, visit IW Features’ “Chasing Work” page HERE.
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