Union - Could it work, is it needed?

[greg334]

Bryan
You said; "Instaed of a union I think we just need better communications with our carriers.A little less whining and a little more creative criticism."

Ok there are attempts being made to appease us. We have a thread about Panther's attmept to put together a council but I pointed out that it would not work because of the assumptions I see being made.

FedEx is supposed to have one but I only know of one member of it and when I was at FedEx I asked about it with no reply. To me, this is one of the few things I am unsure of with FedEx. I would like to see more communications within the FedEx contractor community and a lot less crying but I know from others in other divisions that this is looked upon as something that is considered anarchy.

OOIDA is a voice for all of us to a point. Politically forget about it, it is a small part of the leverage we all have. on the legal end of it, it matters and is somewhat effective. I say somewhat because I am not a memeber yet but will be within a few weeks - hence I don't know all that is offered by them. Politically I know.

Unions have lost a lot of respect from the public becuase of the UAW and the Air Traffic Controllers.

I hate editing, I have to take my time writing and get the cat off the keyboard.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

What would you say to your union rep?
"They gave me a late when there was snow on the road."
"They gave me $15.00 dh when it shoulda been $16.50."
"They won't negotiate this load with me."
"The dispatcher is being snotty to me."

That's what you have contractor relations (or whatever it's called in your company). Granted, it would be better if the contractor relations ppl weren't towing the company line, and actually had OUR best interests at heart.

Want the union to get a rate raise? As soon as they do, another NON-UNION company would charge less, and get the load that shoulda been on your truck. There's a reason JB, Swift, Werner, and others in the ATA are so big. They hall freight in their mass-produced, mass-discounted trucks with know-nothing puppy farm trainees, and charge next to nada. And if a union showed up in expediting, and got rates to go up, guess who would start buying straight trucks? The ATA runs the show, sets the rates, and spits on everyone who disagrees with them.

What we need is OOIDA to be bigger than the ATA. However, not many join as we are independant, and thus have independant thoughts. It's hard enough to get everyone on here to agree on something simple. Think of how hard it would be to get anything done. Want a countrywide shutdown? Won't happen cause, as truckers, we are a STUPID bunch of idiots... collectively, not individually. We are stingy, lazy, ignorant opportunists. 100,000 can shut down to protest, and 100,000 will take advantage of what we leave on the docks. Not enough will give in the short term, so everyone will have in the long term. There is no SINGLE voice.

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

 

[chuckwagon]

Keep in mind - gee please - I just brought it up for discussion. As I said I am fairly new at this and it just seems like we don't have a voice. Unions worked where I was at before - I am NOT saying they would work here - just brought it up for discussion among those that have been here for awhile. SOBing man - dont shoot me for bring up the subject.
I agree that the OOIA should get off the slow track and step up!
I think I will join here real soon where I then have a right to about what they do and don't do!

 

[greg334]

chuckwagon
From my point of view, I think you bring up a good point.

Don't think that the you are wrong in asking.

 

[geo]

join ooida and don't forget to vote in nov
if we had memeber's ship number's like vfw and american legion , fleet res, nra
people would list all the way around

 

[yaaintdeadyet]

Take a look at this discussion from these 3 viewpoints. Consider the standards, wages, benefits and expectations union membership entails. Re-consider your ability to undercut other drivers and O/O's if you aren't working through an organized body. Would you leave the expediting industry if it were organized by a union. Sell your units, leave your fleet owners. The whole enchilada.

 

[yaaintdeadyet]

Would you leave the expediting industry if your only means to it's employement were through a union? Excuse me for dropping the focal point of my post. A phone call and the worlds best cup of coffee at the same time disoriented me.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Chuck... I didn't mean to come off like I was jumping on you. Sorry bout that. All I'm saying is we, as an industry, are as disorganized as a bunch of cavemen. Could you imagine the clout we'd have if we had a common voice? Not necessarily a union in the traditional sense; but more like an organization where we were forced to participate in, for the sake of our livelihoods. Dammmm... now I'm sounding communist. LMAO Seriously tho... truckers need to look out for themselves as a group, as well as individually.

Geo... who would you suggest I vote for? Neither are for the small business or trucking in general. The Republicans and the NTSB cowtow to the ATA and ignore OOIDA. The Democrats are crazy as loons.

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

 

[raceman]

Nice topic for discussion sake but please drop me a note if and when you get it organized as that is when I am changing businesses. There is not enough room on here for me to say what I feel and think about this. I also have no desire to hack everyone off nor am I open to other sides ideas on this topic.

Just notify me when it is organized so I can move on.

Raceman
OTR O/O

 

[bryan]

Hi

I'm not a loon.I feel more like a mallard.Maybe a swan.:9

 

[chuckwagon]

All I am saying is we need to be orgainized as a team - as a profession - as a group of dedicated hard nosed businessmen.

We need to have a voice - we need to demand a voice - and sometimes, sometimes that is the only way others listen is to the voices of the masses.

Right now all we have is a a driver here, a driver over there, a driver right down here as well - wanting the same thing, bitching about the same thing and seperatly getting nothing done about the problems that repeat themselves day in and day out - the bs freight, the long deadheads, the low pay-per-mile, the sitting around and waiting but not getting paid anything for sitting.

Certain things need to change - we need to remove this old mentality of well we are independent contractors - we need to watch out for ourselves - f*** the other guy.

We need to stand united, somehow, somewhere, be it as a group, union or organization to get things changed - work to change things where the future of expediting will be bright not dim - where we can all prosper not just a few - where the driver the company the owner operator can all make money.

Stop living in the past, living by the rules set two, five and ten years ago - let us move forward not live in the past.

##### thing sounds like a frickin politician now so I will stop here!

 

[Turtle]

Hello, I'm Oggie Ugh, President of Caveman Local 237.

I am pleased to announce that after many long and hard years of blood, sweat and tears, mostly blood, mostly ours, we have finally eliminated dinosaurs from any and all positions of management. They will no longer present us with any problems.

<applause applause applause>

With that barrier removed, we were able to negotiate with the current management that all we have to do is go out each morning, kill something, and drag it home. Management will handle all gathering of nuts and berries, as well as the fire preparation, cooking of meals, caring for children, and washing our animal skin clothing in the river.

<applause applause applause>

We still retain the final say on when and how we have sex with our cavewomen.

<resounding applause...standing ovation>

And on that note, we will now adjourn the meeting and break into smaller groups to discuss the sun, moon, stars, and I believe Oowey Oowey Dak is holding a seminar on cavewall graffiti.

Thank you for your support.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Turtle... got a good laugh out of that one! :7

OOIDA could be a force to be reckoned with, if they'd get the word out on what they plan on doing. I hear JBHunt advertising left and right on Sirius, why doesn't OOIDA do the same aggressive campaign on the radio to try and get new members and shore up existing ones? I'm sure if they came on telling they're battling the ATA and NTSB over rules and to try and get overall rate increases, they'd get plenty more members. OOIDA has its heart in the the right place, it just isn't big enough.

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

 

[LDB]

THawk, I'm afraid even if OOIDA advertised during every break they'd still not get nearly as many members as they should. Some of the people participating in this thread aren't members of OOIDA but will say how much we need "a union", "to be organized", "a common group working on our behalf". It's already out there as OOIDA and they don't steal the dues money like the union bosses! Of all the organizations out there OOIDA is the only one that truly works for our best interests. It isn't like it's expensive either. By using a current member name and number as referral it only costs $25 a year and can be renewed at the discount rate at any truck show.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[bamamule]

I wish that panther would go union
why
I don't work there anymore LOL

 

[TeamCaffee]

OOIDA is a great organization and just getting the Landline magazine is worth the dues. Everyone needs to be a member.

 

[ftp000]

I was in a union for 15 years at the Post Office, pretty much everybody in the building was getting paid the same money, I worked my a$$ of night after night (I was a night shift mail handler) but I still made the same money as the deadbeats who did little or nothing shift after shift. I got into expediting after being forced into a medical retirement by 5 elbow surgery's, 2 left and 3 right, caused by repetative motion (unloading trailers and throwing bundled magazines to sort them by zip, I told you I worked hard) I would be off work for a couple of months with an elbow surgery then return to find lazy employees claiming back pain using doctors notes to get out of the hard work causing me to do their work for them, hence 5 surgery's. I now find myself enjoying life , seeing the country, and able to make good money if I work hard and smart. I'm doing fine. If you were to take a vote about a union you'd find that those who are working hard and making good money will say "no way", but those super truckers who never unkey the mike on their CB and can't pass a petro without stopping in for a cup-a-joe, the ones who turn a lot of loads down then complain that the dispatchers hate them, they'll be all for a union, they've always thought it was unfair that they were away from home for as long as anybody else but just couldn't catch a break and make as much as the other guy, lets spread the wealth! Yuck, unionism is communism, it removes the incentive to work hard with claims of fairness, don't believe me? Finish this sentence. Russia was once known as the Soviet _____________ .

 

[yaaintdeadyet]

Stealing dues? Membership dues guarantee so much more than an individual could procur for the wage standard, working conditions, job requirements, health benefits, retirement package, political clout, and legal representation they create. If OOIDA could offer any perks close to what bargaining unit dues promise there would be more members.

 

[LDB]

Stealing dues. Unions are full of corruption with the high union officials lining their pockets at union expense. One union I know of used to buy very expensive Kimber pistols for the officers and guess where the money came from. Payment was with a union check. Thousands of dollars over time. Imagine that. Read the post above. Unions are a sanction for the lazy and shiftless to slide by on the least work possible. Read my post farther up about the union seeing to it the auto workers are paid for 8 hours when they only do 4.5-5 hours every single day. Yaaintbrainwashed unless you think unions are all good stuff. Their day has gone. They started right and did good things when they got people out of 14 hour shifts at poverty wages. Then the union organizers and management figured out they could steal a lot more money by raising dues more and more. OOIDA may not provide insurance at premium prices (the combination of the cost plus the outrageous dues) but for $25 annually you'll never find better representation. Not just no thanks but no way! I'll keep my money in my pocket not put it into the union bosses pockets.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[tec1959]

ftp000,Great post and you are 100% right on that unions are for slackers and losers.And Leo your right I've been there before someone waiting for a HOT LOAD and say the shipper has to break for 30 mins to and hour for lunch and everyone else has to wait,Plus all those 15 min coffee breaks heck they get about 10 a day lol...