Teamsters' Hoffa leads border rally protesting trucking program
12/5/07

Quote:

SAN DIEGO – Saying he was here to fight for the safety of America's roads, Teamsters union General President Jim Hoffa led a rally Wednesday morning at the Otay Mesa border crossing to protest a pilot program that allows long-haul trucking across the U.S.-Mexico border. “The big money boys want to have trucks coming through here that are dangerous,” Hoffa said over cheers from dozens of Teamsters and the roar from Mexican trucks leaving the U.S. inspection station on Enrico Fermi Drive. “Wake up America, fight back,” Hoffa told supporters.

signon>>>

__________________



The Truckers Report Merchandise

Hoffa is an opportunist.
He had a good mentor.........JESSE JACKSON!
Think he got his "mouth" from that Ted Turner guy.
Beware....a wolf in sheep's clothing!!
Obviously, I am a fan of any union. Talk about making the rich richer!
If the Japanese ever invent a shovel which will stand up on its own, we will have hundreds of thousands of construction workers out of work. Yes, that is what a union can do for you!!!!

ok - you have gone from thread to thread with your anti-union spiel...



this is the 3rd one I have seen today...


please post your views where they are appropriate.

thanks.

__________________
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 100


Faster than a 60 MPH bullet....

Personally, I think there is more than meets the eye here. Hoffa did some good things in that past months.

But, he is way off the mark here. And I feel the same as he "claims" to feel.

Any Union drivers want to fill me in on the current status of the union driver in Mexico ?

We all know that UPS, Yellow, Fed-Ex, CFI/Conway and Swift ALL have terminals located in Mexico. And they aren't using "dangerous equipment".

How many of them actually have drivers that belong to ANY union? And is this (dangerous trucks) really the issue to begin with?

__________________
.
I'm gonna kill the next SOB who tells me I look stressed out.

--Unknown

There's another thread here I think in the political area that has a different angle on this. A quick sum up of it was a Minuteman protest showed up at a Teamster rally at the border. He saw Teamsters trying to organize these Mexicans and their "Dangerous" equipment. I don't know it seems that there are those that don't mind allowing them in as long as they get more dues paying members. If that's true then that is sad.

[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

Found that thread I mentioned.

__________________
Bad spellers of the world...UNTIE!!!

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.

all Union carriers in the USA that have operations in Mexico employ Union workers on site there... same as in Canada... - For my company (Roadway) we operate Reimer in Canada - and Roadway Express (name the same in Mexico) in Mexico.

Drivers in Mexico that are organized typically make 10-15 times what the target of Hoffa's campaign make.

But the Union companies that run freight across the border make sure that the cross docks are maintained - and that freight transfer keeps everyone in their own territory.

The issue is not with Mexican drivers - but rather with the rogue Mexican companies running 30 year old un maintained junk into the country all the while piloted by untrained and unsafe and unprepared drivers.

Border crossing Mexican truckers need to be up to the same standards as we are held - and the Teamsters have been fighting to make sure the playing field is FAIR and EQUAL... BEFORE they start crossing - The Teamsters do not want to wait until they are already here to sort out the rules and compliance - We want it now - and knowing that the Mexican transfer companies have a long way to go - we want a halt to the process until they catch up and get their act together.

The biz practices of some of these Mexican companies are unsound and the working conditions for their drivers are not only illegal by Mexican standards - but horrific by ours.

(even a swift driver who has not been home in 2 months and has been running 2 logbooks and doctoring his pages because his dispatcher told him so would cringe at what some of the Mexican companies do - and have their drivers do...)



without the Teamster stepping up and raising a lot of ruckus about this subject - the Mexicans would all ready be running all of our roads - and most of us would be out of jobs since Mexico is filled with millions of guys who would love to be able to roam north America making 5 time their villages average...


think about it - if the original plan were to have been implemented 5 years ago - with no Teamster intervention - there would be close to 40K Mexican drivers running unchecked and unmonitored all of the country and allowed to work non stop until their 30 day visa ran out..


that is they could come north of the border for a month at a time and run pickups and deliveries all over the place - all while making an average of 16 cpm...


sounds like a good deal for logistical companies huh?


Instead of badmouthing the Brotherhood - some of you may want to think about how your job would be altered or eliminated had it not been for the legal action the Teamsters have taken.

__________________
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 100


Faster than a 60 MPH bullet....

I have a huge issue with the Mexican trucking program from a safety standpoint, but I also believe that many people are making more if it than it is currently set to be.
The Mexican drivers would be able to haul freight into the US, and back out. That is it.
Same as Canadian company's, they could not legally run point to point within the US.
I am sure some would, but with the GPS tracking being put into all of there trucks, and it sending up a flare every time they cross a state line, this would be difficult to get away with as it is set up now.

Thousands of these crappy trucks are in the US border area every day, and they are not safe. I would love to see them gone. But at least the arguments need to be based on the facts, not on the fiction of allowing these trucks to run point to point in this country. If I am wrong on this, please find it in the reg. where it allows it. I could not find it, and could find where it was not allowed for Mexican or Canadian trucks.

I can't believe there is such an uproar about "unsafe" Mexican trucks on U.S. roads.

Ever see some of the death traps owned and operated by U.S. companies?

Take a ride on any expressway in Chicago at any time of day and tell me all those trucks are safe.

I suppose crappy trucks are like crappy chldren...

as long as they are your own - you do not mind them as much as the neighbors brats

hehehehehhehe

__________________
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 100


Faster than a 60 MPH bullet....

Although I dislike Unions (long story) I couldn't agree more with what you or Hoffa are saying.

He has led the charge on this...while OOIDA and others have completely dropped the ball IMO

I do fear he has other motives driving him though.

"Conspiracy time" --- There does seem to be the makings of a perfect storm, as related to the transportation industry within the US. The cross border pilot program, which is getting hammered left and right. Increased fuel prices, which started way before this current spike. And was caused by decreased production of diesel. And brokers driving rates down, along with some companies.

Based on the last Census, I doubt very seriously that there are enough men left in Mexico to mount a serious threat to the trucking industry, from there. They're already here, doing other jobs. 1 in 5 Mexican nationals now reside in the US, legally or not.

__________________
.
I'm gonna kill the next SOB who tells me I look stressed out.

--Unknown