LOS ANGELES: Striking Southern California port truckers who accuse shipping companies of wage theft took their grievances on Friday to City Hall in Los Angeles, where they gained new political backing for their cause. The City Council voted unanimously in favour of a resolution voicing support for the truckers and calling on the companies doing business at the city-owned Port of Los Angeles to abide by federal and state labour laws. The truckers also delivered a petition bearing 27,000 signatures from members of the public to Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office urging him to weigh in on the drivers’ behalf. Scores of drivers have been on strike this week against four freight-hauling companies they say are denying them fair pay by refusing to recognise the truckers as full-fledged employees and illegally misclassifying them instead as independent contractors.