You Canucks are alway so agreeable!
I do hope you know I was kidding about the job.

This is going 2 be a long story but I will make it as brief as I can. This is MY personal dealings with unions. about 9 years years ago I was working 4 a beverage company (well known beverage company) and decided 2 join the union which was teamsters. I heard in the past that the teamsters union was the best union in the world 2 be in. I decided 2 go ahead and join since most of the other workers had belonged so I figured what the hell what do I have 2 lose. I meet with our Union Rep and he told me the basics of how the union works and how much the dues are and the benefits blah blah blah. I was sucked in hook line and sinker!! LOL! So I belong 2 the teamsters. A little later on down the line I'm noticing that I did not receive my annual raise that I was intitled. I call up my Union Rep and he tells me to talk it over with the shop steward. I said OK but the bad thing about it was I had NO clue who the shop steward was. I later find out that my shop steward got fired and nobody replaced him. I again notified my union rep of this and he said OK I will look into it. About a week later he calls me back and says "the reason why U didn't get your raise is because u had recieved a write up during your probationary period." I said that I never had a write up and that information was false. He than told me that there will be an investigation. about another 2 weeks goes by and I call my union rep back 2 see what was going on with the investigation and he tells me U R sceduled for a meeting with your management and I will also be there 2 represent U. So we have this meeting and the company totally lied about the write up and had absolutely NO proof of the write up (IT IS COMPANY POLICY THAT IF YOU ARE WRITTEN UP FOR ANY REASON U MUST SIGN THE WRITE UP) I never signed ANY write up.My union rep was a snake in the grass and did absolutely nothing 4 me and the company stuck 2 there guns and I did not get my pay increase.Right around that time there was a union hall meeting that members could attend.I wanted 2 bring up what happened 2 me so I made damn sure I would show up. I get to the meeting and noticed that ALL of my managers were at the union meeting!! WTF?!?! I was like what the f r they doing here? and a colleague of mine said they are in the union!! can u believe this? MANAGEMENT IN THE UNION? this was a total conflict of interest and I pointed it out in THE UNION HANDBOOK!! NO BS!! They never did anything about it and they never did anything about my raise so I said the hell with this and I quit.Then I found out later on that the company was sold so ALL those ######### managers were laid off because the new owners brought in their own people!!! KARMA is a Mother!!!

Well I have another story to tell all of you fellow truckers. A friend of mine had talked me into driving a taxicab. He was telling me how much $ he was making and all this bs so I was like OK I'll give it a try. So I go through his company because he would get a $100 bonus so I did.Well I went 2 my interview 4 this cab company and I was hired.They told me all this BS I have 2 do like go get a physical drug test etc. and then take this referral 2 the Taxicab Authority (taxicab police) and u have to get fingerprinted and take an 8 hour class with them on Cab driver awareness.All this #### is NOT free of charge either!! I think I spent about $300 for all of this and another $90 to get my Taxicab Permit. Anyway I went through all the motions and now I am ready to drive a cab WRONG!!! I go back 2 the company and they tell me that I have 2 go 2 their local union hall & get a clearence through them BEFORE u can drive. I told them that I was a little reluctant 2 do this because of my past experience with the Union. They basically gave me an alltimatum that I could not work there inless I get a clearence from the Union. I was like WTF? they then told me that it was up 2 me if I join or not. I talk 2 my buddy and he's like yeah I know u had problems with teamsters in the past but this is an entirely diffrent Union it's alot better. I was like OK whatever I will go and see what they're talkin about.I get to the union office and conversed with the company union rep and he is telling me the same bs that my teamsters rep told me.Again like a ####### I joined the union once again!! so im driving a taxi for awile and its not bad. Then I get pulled pulled over by the taxi police for picking up a flager (flager is a person on the side of the street that flags u down 2 pick them up) I get a ticket for this and was told by my union rep if u ever get stopped by the police then we would take care of your ticket 4 u. So I did just that and handed my ticket over 2 the union rep.So now I am thinking everything is cool the union rep with take care of my ticket and all is well YEAH RIGHT!! about a few months down the road I get a letter in the mail saying that there is an outstanding warrant 4 my arrest because I failed to appear in court and therefore I was held in contempt. I couldn't believe this!!! I immediately called my union rep 2 see what the hell he did with my ticket since he said he would take care of it. He lied 2 me and said that he did appear in court 4 me and it was dismissed.I asked him then why the hell do I have a warrent out for my arrest? he said that I shouldn't because the case was dismissed.I then went to the taxicab authority 2 try and resolve this matter myself and explain 2 them what happened and praying 2 god that I would'nt get thrown in jail. I go to the taxicab authority office and explained what happened and luckly they were WAY cool about it. I met with a hearings officer the following week and he DISMISSED MY CASE and I no longer had a warrent. Again my union rep 4 this company was another worthless piece of like the other 1. I then told my buddy about it and he had nothing 2 say. Meanwhile I was pissed off because he was the one 2 talk me into this ####.Anyway that all being said and anyone with a half a brain that lives here that can tell u off hand that the unions r very weak here because the Casinos have 2 much power over everything right down to the governor himself.So at any time a casino can tell the union to go themselves and the union just lays down and licks their nuts every time, in this state anyway

I just wanted to apoligise for my profanity when writing. I just get so mad that they just come out.So again I am really sorry and I promise u it will never happen again

I can respect that. I didn't think that u were a goody goody or nothing like that brickman. I should of followed the rules. I can respect u and the owner of the sites wishes

Ronnocomot,

Again, I ask what part of the trucking industry are you invoved in? I think it is a legitimate question don't you? The least you can do for the drivers on this site is to be honest with them.

thelasvegasone,

I am sorry to hear of your bad experience. From what you have said, your problems should have been brought to the Joint Council. I have never heard of a raise being withheld for the reason you gave. Raises are automatic per the contract. Did your contract specify that a write up can allow the company to withold your raise?

As for stewards, they are voted on by the members. If one has been terminated, the Union must hold a vote for a new steward or appoint one if the members do not wish to have an election. As for adverse action, did you read your contract? Most contracts have a verbal warning, written warning, suspension and then termination clause. As in the case of the first three, an employee signature is required. You can exercise your Weingarten rights and request that a steward or business agent be present to protect you.

As for managers belonging to the Union, I have never heard of such a thing. That is a deffinate conflict of interest. Would you please let me know which local this was and what agent? I am sure the Joint Council would like to know as well.

Drive safe

I've already answered that question before, I'm retired. I do however maintain a connection to the industry through investments.

I'm not quite sure what my employment status has to do with my opinions about unions, though.

Mornin Ron, anyone with a quote from the former president, Ronald Reagan... We already know your anti union.. He did some damage to the union.. Imagine had he not, those states with very high uninsured health care, u know those mid west states and southern states, cough cough, wyoming... Might be further ahead with insuring workers, instead of those nonunion busniess owners, short changing workers and passing on there cheapness and greed to tax payers.. But your retired now and im sure you will give time back to your community, maybe you can be one of those candy stripers at the local hospital, for all those mexicans u want to come with there familes, to Wyoming

If management or shop stewards our allowed to attend a union meeting, its dirty.. I wouldnt belong to 1 of these for that very reason.

If u reside in a right to work state, its a conn.. And smoke and mirrors.. When i moved to TX.. went around looking for work, they asked me if i was a union man.. I can work union or non union, Im refeering to skilled trades.. Iron, Welding, Fitting, Boilmaker exct.

They were very cautious of me.. So heres a story.. Back in 97 i moved here, my wife is from here..
I went to first wave ship building, pelican island.. did a fitters and welder test.. Went thru way to much to qualify.. So im sitting in HR Dept. This woman is translating why her husband couldnt make it to work for 3 days..
Im sitting and listening to this.. Im now thinking about safety if im working around a bunch of spanish speaking workers and they drop something, im not going to know, whats coming down on my head.
Then this HR guy offers me a job, $12 per hr to start, working nights.
wait a minute, I just left $18.60 hr job, everyone knew english.
So scracth that, went around got to c more, the quality of work that i seen on plant tours was garbage..
Then i figured they would rather hire a couple of wet backs to figure out the job, at a cheap rate, then 1 guy who knew the job.
I also did a per man hr. rate there chrg in TX was maybe $3.00 less per man hr, then Northeast, even if u did a cost comparision for living, between Houston and Philly, Hou is 2k less per yr to live, then Philly, ,meanwhile Philly pay rate is 7K to 10K more per yr. Thats what ive learned about the right to work states, u got the right to get screwed! Truck driving they got to keep at a level playing ground, just because a driver can work for any company in any state, if they let mexicans come in, that will set us all back, not to mention those border towns, will close down.. Other then truck stops and video porn shops. This is what i believe.. Not ment to change other peoples views. thats why theres apples and oranges, to decide.. what u like better!