One problem I have seen with union "shops" is that workers who are dedicated, do good work etc often times are not promoted or moved up the "chain" because a union contract says that the employer must follow certain rules to do so based on employees time worked, time in union etc.

These types of rules in a union contract allow workers who may not be all that devoted or hard working to get moved up instead of someone who truly deserves it.

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LuvMyHubby
Proud mom of an Army Man
Wife of a trucker

When negotiating the company doesn't have to allow that. UPS doesn't.

That is something people seem to forget when blasting the unions for some of the stupid work rules. Why is the company absolved of poor negotiating. The company always has the upper hand. The golden rule...he with the gold makes the rules. Look at the big 3. Their contract problems were in large part not just greed on the union. The company officials signed off on those deals. They also used the wage and benefits of the union workers to justify their big ### comp packages that they recieved.

Union leadership(including my former union-teamsters) has made bad choices. But, the company leadership hasn't been there either. The companies aren't victims of anything but there own laziness and apathy, and the belief that the good times would never end.

Let's see this picture of my neighbor who works for ''YELLOW'' for 27 years now....

He wakes up at 6:00 a.m. in his $200,000 home,next to his beautiful wife of many,many years..He gets in his 2008 beautiful pick-up truck and drives 20 miles to his terminal.When he arrives his truck is running and very warm.His pups are all hooked up for him and he has his coffee and relaxes before he drives..

He then takes off down the road and he runs 250 miles to the other terminal and drops his pups and re hooks his set of pups.He then takes a coffee break and then starts his journey back to his home terminal..all the while doing this totally LEGAL...

He is now back to his terminal and round trip is about 11 hours a day.He then goes on home to his 200,000 paid for home to be with the people he loves and adores.He does this routine 5 days a week monday - Friday and gets overtime sometimes on Saturday.

His family are great people and they have had mommy and daddy IN THERE LIFE AS THEY GREW OLDER.The kids turned out wonderful.They are in collage now and guess who is paying for that?.

This man makes top pay for yellow,and i think it is around 25.00 an hour or so..With all his overtime he makes a great living for his wife and his children.This man has great medical for his family and a great 401k not to mention a hefty pension...In my own opinion he is not a lazy person..I have watched this man totally remodel his home alone and he keeps a perfect yard,that he works hard at..He works out at the gym 4 times a week and he plays baseball 3 times a week..He is a regular good man that actually has something that resembles a good life.

This man and his family happen to be great friends with our family and he is just a good hard worker that has paid his dues and worked hard all his life. MOST OF ALL HE HAS BEEN A GREAT PROVIDER FOR HIS CHILDREN AND HIS WIFE.NOT TO MENTION HE HAS BEEN A GREAT FRIEND TO ME AND MY FAMILY DURING MY TIMES OF TROUBLE IN MY LIFE..

Know for the life of a common carrier truckload outfit.

You say goodbye to your wife and kids and you hit the road running.You work 18 hours a day screwing around on docks and playing in traffic for a big amount of money(.34) a mile..

Your day is filled with a ton of stress and mass confusion from a dispatcher that does not have a clue.But he or she has an associate's degree.(LOL).They run you here and there and everywhere..You are lost half the time because of no directions.You finally get to the shipper's or receivers' and they (hate) you because you are bringing them work...They treat you like you owe them a favor and look at you like your just a nasty old smelly trucker.They tell you that you can not even use there toilet to take that #### you been hanging onto for the last 200 miles.They tell you to go in your truck and shut up wait your turn and put radio on channel 13.You sit for hours on end at there mercy.God forbid you tell them how you really feel.Can't do that!!! I will be sitting here all day.(LOL,LOL).

You sit there pissed off and you call dispatcher.(like they care).They need the customer more then you.(LOL,LOL)..They lie to you and said they called.(LOL)..You believe it and sit there another 5 hours..Not to mention you are debating if anyone will no if you take a dump in your truck????hmmmmm.

They finally get your load off and you call dispatch..No detention,no overtime and no compensation for what you just been through.What does dispatch say?

Go find truck stop and we will call you...(LOL)..Now you are ready to go nuts.why? because they could of found you something while you sat from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm..You call back and everyone went home..(LOL).call tomorrow,night dispatch tells you.

By this time you are spent..You go to the parking lot and get on the C.B. radio and tell everyone your sob story and begin whinning.You just hate life at this point..You begin to look at what you made for the day and for 18 hours of screwing around you made $120.00 bucks and $15.00 went to food...Now your steaming...Alone again in a parking lot and everyone else is where they wanna be..HOME WITH THERE LOVED ONES.

You wake up in the smelly truck to face the day again and it slowly begins to unfold like yesterday...You are starting to feel it..Your dispatch calls and gives you the run you hate most and all hell breaks loose again.Pissed off all day.Caught in an endless cycle..

Your kids are feeling the pressure and so is your wife..When are you coming home daddy?,I have little league game and i need you there...You die inside another day....Disappointment seem to be your best friend....
Son i will be home in 3 weeks for 34 hours and we can be a family for 34 hours..

In all the while being caught in this endless cycle you are bringing home $300.00 a week,crappy medical that aint worth nothing,no good benefits and killing your body,your mind and your family while your gone for so long..

You finally arrive home 3 WEEKS LATER and it feels different.Like no one even know's me..HELLO....THEY DON'T NO YOU....YOUR THAT GUY,THAT MAN....WAKE UP..

I could go on and on about the life of a truckload common carrier.But you should catch my drift...

The moral of the story is this.....

TAKE YOUR PICK...THE UNION JOB OR TRUCKLOAD COMMON CARRIER?


THIS IS A NO BRAINER...........................

Seniority based advancement is total BS! The hard workers should be promoted PERIOD! I don't care if you have been in a company 20 years! If you not up to snuff you shouldn't be promoted!!!

Unions are not the way to go and infact are over rated...

Unions had their hayday and now really do nothing except the folowing

• Price workers out of a job
• Keep unworthy employees around
• Task companies with absorbatant pension plans that eventually bankrupt them or worse
• Collect dues

I for one would not be in a union based temester company. I choose to work for companies whom take care of the folks that do a honest days work for an honest wage.

If you take care of your work force there is no need for a union at all..

just my 2 cents

Ask the big 3 about unions

The big 3 created their union problems. That is a fact.

Thanks! You just made me realize how much my life sucks!!!

when the union driver makes what the non union driver makes what will the non union driver make