Folks,

While I as well as others appreciate your thoughts on the economy, we are straying from what the original poster asked. It's just my opinion but I am looking forward to hearing responces from those that work for "non union" trucking companies.

I am curious as to why they think it is better or not. I would like those individuals to back up these claims with pertinent information, both pro and con. All types of drivers read this post and it would be a benefit to many in helping them make a choice.


Drive safe

I worked for a mom and pop operation in the food service industry while in college. Worked my way up from warehouse teen to part time driver. Graduated went into the finance industry. got fed up after 8 yrs of that(thank god I got out of that). Went to work doing 911 dispatch, where I was a teamster for 3 years. 2 years were great, the 3rd year almost killed me, so I banked some money and left while I was still sane. Made the decision to go back to trucking(don't ask why). I think there are some good non union jobs out there, and I probably will never be able to land a union job. But, the conditions I see people subjected to(not me so far, as until I have some recent time in Im stuck at a bottom feeder), and the number of people who believe that "this is just the way it is", is astounding. I was waiting to get my truck fixed($40 just for sitting, oh boy!), and they roomed me with a guy who got canned for idling excessively. No kidding. I'm not worried long term for myself, because I have contacts in segments and with the magic year in I'll move on.

But people, Ive said this before and I'll say it again. Safely operating a commercial vehicle may not be brain surgery, but it is more involved and more important to our economy than flipping a burger. If you are OTR making $850, it is equivelant to what a burger flipper working 70 would bring in at 8.50/hr. Don't tell me this is appropriate.

To have issues with Union tactics and leadership is very understandable. But to take sides against the idea of fairness for workers in our industry, is showing support for the swifts, werners, sni etc. And that makes you not an anti union person, or a free market patriot, but an immoral piece of dog crap.

Please explain the statement " take sides against the fairness of workers " . I really don't think you have a clue about the industry . There are plenty of drivers out there working for nonunion companies making $1,000 a week or more working far less than 70 hours a week . If you're stuck at a bottom feeder you are the one accepting the conditions and supporting the megacarriers . I've often said driver abuse is self abuse . If conditions aren't acceptable , leave . If you aren't good enough to get hired by a decent company find a new career .

Well, I reread my original post, still don't see where you get that I was attacking all owner operators. I like alot of things about the union work rules and such, but my first few years driving back in the day was for a great non union company.

As far as your contention that I got kicked out of driving school for cheating....lets not get this thread locked down. Make general attacks or one pointed to points of the post. I don't really care but the mods do.

I had a Georgia Pacific (Union) worker load my truck leaving one pallet on the dock, I thought he was done.... But I saw that last pallet sitting there, he came back from lunch (30 minutes) and finished me and then said sorry but they (who is they?) get mad if I work passed the buzzer... What the ? Thanks Union! Were talking one pallet... Another issue I had was at Fred Meyer in Clackamas and I was told to put my trailer in door #xx (dont remember) but there was a trailer sitting in it.. So I asked the yard jockey sitting next to that door if he could move it for me, and told me to ask a different yard jockey. Turns out this yard jockey was a Fred Meyer employee (Union) and the other was a Market Transport employee (non union). I just dont get it... Union guy wasnt busy, and he couldnt help me. I wont even get into the union warehouse workers (again), Thankfuly since ive been with Crete, I dont have to deal with Union warehouses anymore. I guess its the Union attitudes (stuck up) that bother me, Im not sure. DRIVE SAFE

Fair enough. My point in this, and this goes back months on these threads...is not that it has to be union or nothing. My point is that the union at least is out there fighting some of the poor conditions that exist in the industry. I know plenty of happy people in non union companies. Don't have any issue with people who don't like unions(as lots of union members enjoy union protections, but don't support some of the tactics of their leadership). I will probably never again have a union job myself. Your point of self abuse is right on. But tell me, why is it that every other job out there is entitled compensation for time given to employers, while in trucking its only if you work for a good company? What I see as fair, treat the trucker like any other profession. The union works to do this, while some segments of our industry, fight this tooth and nail.

The thing is newbies will work for one of the companies with poor working conditions for about a year then quit and leave the industry thinking all companies are the same . If they'd all quit within a month after seeing how things were these companies would have to change their policies . Newbies need to avoid these "free" training programs that obligate you to a year or more of driving . Why do you think companies are doing that ?
As for being "forced" to violate HOS , it's a felony for management to force or allow drivers to violate HOS . Carry a tape recorder and record orders to violate HOS and threats if you refuse . Fines and jail time can change attitudes . But then there are drivers that want to run 18 hours a day and work 80+ hours a week .

I highly doubt that the Fred Meyer driver is allowed to move a foreign trailer. I was a yard jockey at a non-union foodservice warehouse, and moving a foreign trailer was GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION due to the liability of moving another co's equipment. As for not working past breaktime, it's funny how you didn't say that the employee said that they would get mad if he worked past the buzzer. Perhaps he didnt?

__________________
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 200

If OSHA protected everyone - then there would be no reason for them to have 23,000 people on their enforcement payroll busting companies who operate illegal and unsafe.

laws alone do not mean compliance.

One of the great things about Unions is that they "force" a company into compliance...

(example - Roadway has never EVER asked me to violate my 11 / 14 / 70 hour rules. In fact if you were to try any "special" logging you would be fired. and the Union would be the first to smack you in the head if you tried to argue with all of the common OTR excuses found in non union drivers like "I was only 10 miles away - I cleaned my logs up a bit for more hours - no one will ever know..."

There is no "payback" or animosity if I were to shut down for fatigue..

and.. all of our facilities are well lit and safe. (inside and out).

another thing is that before we leave the house - we are not dispatched unless we have enough hours to run out - and come back... (in less than 3 bed periods)

The Union makes sure the company keeps everything legal and on the up and up...

I could tell you horror stories of OSHA - dot violations... but you already kn ow them - and 99% of the time they do not involve a Unionized trucking company.

As for LTL - a lot of the same crap goes on there amongst the non union LTL carriers...

I had lunch with a non union freight driver yesterday in Indy who was knuckle rubbing his head because he was 1. sick 2. could not afford to take off to see a doctor 3. had driven in from a starting point 880 miles away (yikes) 4. looked like death warmed over

But he said it was cool - since the company promised him an extra half day at home in 3 weeks... (wow - sounds great)

Without the Teamsters checking our runs and times - and keeping everything to the letter of the law - I fear that Roadway too would slip into the kinda free for all that happens at the non union companies more concerned with profit than safety and creating a place where you can work and retire from.

__________________
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 100


Faster than a 60 MPH bullet....

OSHA is not just protecting unions. They also protect non union workers.

Teamster protection on the contract that limits the hours is good. Also the checking of the logs are a plus. The average trucking company is only interested in the profit, not the employee.