Union Update!

[Rikk]

Hi,

Some would figure I would be for this BUT....

Like one of the posts stated look at the closed Ford plant, I throw in GM upcomming layoffs, Delphi, etc... There is also one other thing. The union has 2 guns to use. Legal, and strike. OOIDA is there for the legal and impeding interstate freight shipments is a federal no no... so, striking is out. What is left? Health care? OOIDA, contract protection? OOIDA.

I at one time part of the IBEW, take your money and do nothing.

The unions will also kill the small companies, is that fair?



Rikk

 

[Tennesseahawk]

As far as having clout on the hill, the teamsters are already on board, fighting the same fight as OOIDA against the HOS and proposals of the ATA. I'm all for the teamsters struggling along side us, but I'd rather not be in their organization. Unions tend more toward hourly work, rather than "by the job", so how would that work for us anyways?

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

But look at all the good things the unions have done for GM, Ford, and Delphi!!!

Three companies, one union, three bankruptcies either here or one the way.

Go Unions! Go away!

 

[Made In Detroit]

I don't see anything wrong with unions, heck the UAW has served me very well. They even paid for my first truck. I say union-yes! As for the nay-sayers, my retirement is secured, is yours???

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Your retirement is secure, what about your conscience? Knowing what the unions have helped cause would make me toss and turn at night, if I were a member.

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

>I don't see anything wrong with unions, heck the UAW has
>served me very well. They even paid for my first truck. I
>say union-yes! As for the nay-sayers, my retirement is
>secured, is yours???


Suuuure it is, just like the steel workers' retirements were secure.

As soon as the company starts to flounder, the first thing to be jettisoned will be the "secure" retirement funds.

 

[Made In Detroit]

New laws in place that protect my pension; Check. Clear consience; Check. Union-Yes; Check. Any Questions???

 

[Bugsy Siegel]

I wouldn't hold my breath on anything the government does, law or no law. Just as the majority in the house can change, so can the mood and the wind. The government can, and will, change laws to benefit themselves and leave us little people blowing in the wind.

I have to refer again to the fact that there are a lot of industries out there that are pillaging their retirement funds (steel, airline) in order to save their hind ends.

Here is one example of the government making a promise to help cover retirment and then just not following through:

http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=3&newsID=62861

 

[lanier1]

>I don't see anything wrong with unions, heck the UAW has
>served me very well. They even paid for my first truck. I
>say union-yes! As for the nay-sayers, my retirement is
>secured, is yours???

I had a friend that worked in the Doraville GM plant, built transmissions on the side in a shop at his house. He would get layed off for a month or two and draw 85% of his pay while working full time in his home shop. He loved the union as well. His co-workers with less time who are now looking for work were'nt quite as thrilled.

At what cost is your retirement secure? How many jobs have been lost because of overpaid UAW workers and retirees? By the way, your first truck was not free. Maybe free to you but someone, somewhere paid for it one way or another.

You don't have to look any further than the UAW to determine why the big three can't offer a product for sale that doesn't have to be propped up with rediculous rebates and finance rates.
:'(

 

[Made In Detroit]

Not so much worried about the pensions in the UAW, they're too powerful, especially with the Democrats in charge for the time being.
Let me rephrase: 401K fat and juicy; Check, IRA's and Mutual funds secure; Check, absolutely no debts whatsoever; Check. Retiring from a job that paid me well enough to do theese things; Priceless...
Guilty conscience?; No Way!!!

 

[chuckwagon]

Please, union is not the fault of all these companies going into bankruptcy or others falling flat on their face.
Well, you can not blame the union by themselves.
How about the big turds on top of the companies making several millions and the hundreds of vice-presidents of these companies pulling in millions as well.
How about all the cons stealing people's retirement monies with those utilitiy companies and investment companies?
GD it - the shirt and tie turd balls rip us blue collar workers off every day and we stand around and take it - just to move on to our next job.
Hell - even the companies we sign on with - give us the big woodie every time they send us on a load. No FSC, or a BS one at that - no deadhead pay, no waiting at the dock pay - they tell us to hurry hurry hurry to get it there on time only to give us the same ##### pay some OTR regular tractor driver gets for taking three days to get it there.
OK - enough- I can hear some of you all ready going gee chuckwagon if things are that bad - fine something else to do!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I am here for the long haul and for the big fight! WE HAVE TO STAND TOGETHER - WALK TOGETHER - FIGHT TOGETHER to get this BS changed!
Enough of these companies taking advantage of us!
LET US UNITE!
Yea, that may sound corny as hell - but GD it - we can no longer fight this one job at a time, one driver or o/o on his own, WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER!!!!!!!!

 

[greg334]

Hey Chuckwagon,

you said; "Please, union is not the fault of all these companies going into bankruptcy or others falling flat on their face."

look into the history of labor and the auto industry. once upon a time the union leaders understood that a succesful company gave thier rank and file success through prosparity. They asked for fair things to help their members but now look at this cr*p that has been forced on the company, first you had health benfits (which is ok and justified), then rehab for the drunks and drug addicts, then free education, then profit sharing and a whole bunch of other stuff. The cost to many of these companies of these things sometimes surpasses the base wage.

I pointed out to a UAW memeber (soon to be forced to retire) that it is really funny that the leadership of the UAW acts surprised on these plant closures but they have people on the board of directors who make these decisions and know exactly what is going on - makes you wonder what their motivation is, it is not to protect the workers is it?

 

[Made In Detroit]

Whine Whine Whine!!! Greg seems to Forget that these are the terms agreed to by both negotiating parties at the bargaining table. Nobody is being forced to do anything. By the way, Toyota and Honda workers in the U.S. are paid a higher hourly rate than I was, have the same health coverage that I did, and have a pension plan as well. Also, employer-provided rehabilitation services are a mandate in most states, it is covered by workman's comp. insurance, not an out of pocket expense to the employer. Greg, how many times do I have to tell you that you should first do your homwork before you start braying? Some people will never learn. Facts are always more powerful than hear-say.

 

[are12]

Maybe Unions were good at one time but not anymore!

My father, Uncle and brother truly believe in Unions and you know where it got my Dad?? In the wallet!! There's my Dad, retired for 18 years - still pays union dues - and they knocked out his health cover and prescription plan. Thank God, he invested wisely so he can still live a comfortable life and not worry where his next meal will come from to pay for his medications.
My sister worked a union job for 23 years, the union thought they did her a favor by getting her a months severance pay when the plant closed it's door and moved to Mexico.
Sorry, I don't feel we need a union to represent us.

 

[greg334]

Whine Whine Whine!!!

No ones whining. I got tired of the cry babies I grew up with and seeing things first hand made me sick. If the people who are members would take their union seriously than they would all be better off.

I guess you are right with everything you said., I just find that it is not worth talking about a union like that. I witnessed enough to say if I was represented by the UAW, I would sell my trucks and work at McDonalds. IBEW, IOE or any other is worth the consideration.

Oh by the way – Toyota is a union shop.

 

[chuckwagon]

Greg -

I never mentioned the UAW when I started this post anyways!
If I was to consider any union it would be the Teamsters or one of the others you did add on there.
Now, I have joined the OOIDA and have made on contact with them, so I am willing to give them a little time to take my conversations and discussions seriously.
I am not here to BS anyone on this subject - we need changes - we need representation - we need a voice.
For those of you who do not thing we do a few simple questions:
(1) Why are you in this post then bitching
(2) How has your talks went with your carrier on your own - are you getting what you want - if so then do not join the unions or the OOIDA and continue to screw over the rest of your fellow drivers!

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RichM]

Chuck are you for real,what in in the hell do you think you will accomplish with these posts. You are a Independent Contractor,not a Employee. Unions exist for employees not IC's. Do you honestly think that several thousand IC's will pound the bricks for .05 cents per mile more. What gives you the idea that FedxCc,Panthe,triState, Bolt,LEA, and many others would cave into your demands. Wake up and smell the Roses as this is as good as it's going to get. It used to be a lot better but capacity is greater then the market return.

 

[greg334]

Chuck,
I apologize for that but I am supporting you and completely understand where you are coming from. As for the UAW, look that is ‘The Union’ we all hear about and many of us are sick of it, so any chance we get – well you put it together. I think the Teamsters may be the best but there are a bunch of others, even the garment workers of America may even be good, I just don’t know.

As for the OOIDA, I went ahead and move my membership from January to the other day because of what you and Leo said. I also threw in there on the other thread about life time memberships so people understand there is such a thing.

One other thing I got to add, I find that you need to also promote civil responsibility as something that is important to all of us. It may not help us with our carriers but Washington does actually listen. I won’t post what I wanted to do on EO but I can tell you this much, many of us do not vote, have never written to their representatives or even care about it. Many have this “they only listen to big business and lobbyist†attitude – this need to be changed to help us all.

Oh, one last thing, please don’t take the posts in a thread personal, if it goes off subject be patient with us – we mean no harm.

 

[Jefferson3000]

I don't understand why an independent business own would want to have his hand held by a union as the key to success. Isn't that the reason we ARE NOT employees driving a brown truck? The only reason a business owner needs a union such as the UAW is that he has no business plan by which to succeed in this business. Much easier to live off the open doors that someone else provides.

I will leave you with a very timeless principle that I live by:
[em]"A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men."[/em]
(Proverbs 18:16)

If your abilities aren't bringing anything to the table for your carrier, you will surely reap no benefit from them. If that is so, maybe it's time to find a line of work where you have something to offer.



Drive Safe!

Jeff

 

[chuckwagon]

Rich - dude for a moderator you are some sort of lack of class act. Unions exist for WORKERS - sure there would be some legal adjustments the attorney's would have to work with the NLB but it has been done before to adjust to independent contractors. AND YES I KNOW BECAUSE AT THAT TIME I WAS A UNION STEWARD.

Also, it is much more than more cents per mile, its about deadhead miles, pay for sitting in an area by company demand, FSC, its about improving the overall economic condition of the industry!

For your comment about the carriers giving into demands - I am not saying they would - what I am saying is it is this old mentality that people like you have that have us stuck in this situation - you are just willing to sit there and ALLOW THEM TO do whatever they want because they know we do not have a choice- but we could if we stood together.

If you can not see that doing something to improve this situation be it with the OOIDA or a union would be better than standing by with our hands up our but - you know what you have been doing for years.