why oil hauling is going to the crapper

Paying union guys a few extra bucks is worth far more than seeing any disruption in the movement of oil.

You say finding good drivers to haul out of the patch is tough. Its an isolated area. You're going to have to pay a premium to get people to work there in the first place.
So I can figure its safe to assume that anyone who would work through a work disruption or strike would want to be paid Very well to do so.

Unions will also put an end to the LMOs which you imply that are going to destroy the patch.

 

Not as isolated as one would think. DB you around Lloyd?

 

So it's not isolated by any means. grimm there is some civilization in the patch its not all bush and mud.

 

"Pipeline on wheels" ????

 

I went to work for a company in Saskatchewan who had two trucks on with Plains, 5 on 5 of,one truck and tridem was hauling infield, emulsion, water, clean oil. I was on super b on the infield from the tank farm to the well head, new oil sales. After three days my truck was parked. Sent home and then called back 9 days later to haul infield with the tridem. Just got 3 days in again. On the days that I worked I was doing 9 loads per day, the other driver was doing 5. They told me that that more work was on the way and to hold on. So I did, as I had not hauled oil before and they trained me. One Day and set me lose to do 9 loads a day for them. I thought I owed it to them to be loyal. At the pipeline I meet up with a couple of other o/o. They asked why they had not seen much of me. I told them. They both offered me a job starting right now, although I said thanks but no. It has been two weeks and the company I was with will not return my calls and I did not get paid for the days I put in.
There is always two sides to every story and I know this is not always the case.
And for me, an individual I know in Grand Prairie said to be true to the one that gives you a start. I did and it did not work for me.
This is not always the case I know.

 

This crap happens a lot more than you might think. Plenty of "owner operators" out there that should not be employing people.
Just take the better offer and move on. Lodge a complaint with the Labour Board/Employment standards and let them handle getting you your money. If you want to you can take it to civil court if you think it's worth the hassle, depends how much your owed if it's worth that hassle. The labor board loves tracking down these scum bags that deduct from your pay or don't pat at all. It takes time but they get them in the end.
Take the better job offer and keep moving forward with the better job. Once you get on top of things financially then you're the one with the time to wait for the labor board to get you your money from the last scum bags you worked for. There's plenty of opportunity in fluid hauling , it just takes some time to learn "who's who in the zoo" , once you been around a while the better job offers will be coming in daily. And those pricks who ripped you off will not even be worth worrying about!