No Strike , Protection under Federal Labor Laws.

[scotty]

Bottom line is money and better protection under Federal employment laws. Seems that when when Carriers have a slow down in fright the drives pay is cut along with the benifits. Recently I read were a comany that wanted drivers were starting the new drivers at .29 cents per mile that was a rate over 18 years ago. The main problem is that are no up-to date laws to better insure this part of the American work force and the major carriers know this! This is why they are willing to spend an adverage of 475.00 per new driver only to lose them in a month or two at the same tome complaine about shortages of drivers. Companies are starting to demand more of their drivers like fix small repaires on the truck, get your own cell phone, no pay for down time and thiers no compensation to the drivers. Putting Drivers under the protection of the Federal Labor board and the Federal Wage and hour would insure better pay. But the question is power in that the Department of Transportation has over the American truck drivers and the high power lobbyest the trucking companies have.

[Hawkeye001]

Originally Posted by scotty

But the question is power in that the Department of Transportation has over the American truck drivers and the high power lobbyest the trucking companies have.

We do have a voice! Our lobbyist groups are the OOIDA in the USA and OBAC in Canada.

But our biggest strength is standing together, as one large industry.

How do you think these big companies get their way? They have large numbers behind them, and large wallets.

These large carriers are building their businesses at our expence. If you don't believe that, just ask yourself, how many times have you hauled a load for one of these large carriers?

Even just once, they are making promises to their customers to provide a service, and you helped them do it!

They will give you the little bits here and there, keeping the guaranteed load and high paying load routes to themselves.

We fool ourselves that they will look after us in the long run. Reality is, when things get tough, you're out!

[Mooney]

Why would a worker want, or need a right to strike?

Don't like your job, quit and get another one.

That's the American Way.

[walleye]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye001

We do have a voice! Our lobbyist groups are the OOIDA in the USA and OBAC in Canada.

But our biggest strength is standing together, as one large industry.

How do you think these big companies get their way? They have large numbers behind them, and large wallets.

The Teamsters have done and will do more for truck drivers and the American worker the OOIDA can ever dream of doing,...

[latanea]

Originally Posted by Mooney

Why would a worker want, or need a right to strike?

Don't like your job, quit and get another one.

That's the American Way.

I like America!

[dammyankee]

We have the resources to affect change. A strike will only turn the American people against us. Let folks lose a days pay, or a kid die, because we did´nt deliver the freight and see what happens. We have to be smarter than that. The problem is that we have too many Jethro Bodines in this business. When the media go out to interveiw a trucker. They get some guy that looks and talks like Festus from Gunsmoke!

If every trucker in America was a member of OOIDA we would have more pull! We could press OOIDA to sue states cities and cops for official oppression! shippers and receivers for lost income, trucking companies for screwwing us! OOIDA would have the resouces to hire an articulate spokes person to educate the public on our issues and how it effects them. We could have a powerful voice in Washington. We could have our own Political action committies! We could, through information deter bad companies from hiring. They would have to change for the better or go under!

We have to start demanding better if our brothers of the road! When they attempt to push a car out of the left lane, throw trash around, leave pee bottles strewn around, don´t bathe, dress like the worst trailer trash or gang bangers it reflects bad on us all!

Will there be resistance? YES! But most things worth while in life are not easy! We could do so much to effect change if we truly have the will!

[dammyankee]

Spoken like a non trucker that cannot comprehend the issues truckers face! Get a CDL, get a trucking job, drive for at least a year, then get back to us!

[dammyankee]

Mr. Mooney is not a truck driver. He dose not understand that the problems in trucking are across the industry. He seems to not understand that unless drivers act as one, united in our cause, we will be continue to be treated like slaves. Running from the problems will not solve them. Confronting them intelligently will. I don´t think Mr. mooney is a fan of truckers.(just an observation). So Mr. Mooney get a CDL, get an OTR job and drive for a while then get back to us. We will welcome your new insights!

[Mooney]

Originally Posted by dammyankee

Mr. Mooney is not a truck driver. He dose not understand that the problems in trucking are across the industry. He seems to not understand that unless drivers act as one, united in our cause, we will be continue to be treated like slaves. Running from the problems will not solve them. Confronting them intelligently will. I don´t think Mr. mooney is a fan of truckers.(just an observation). So Mr. Mooney get a CDL, get an OTR job and drive for a while then get back to us. We will welcome your new insights!

There are many thousands of truckers who are quite happy where they are. Whether or not I am, or have ever been, a trucker is beside the point. Furthermore, if you are not happy with your employment situation, it is up to you to change it. If a company sucks, and you work there, you have two choices, stay and take the abuse or find another company that treats you better.
The beauty of at-will employment is that you are not required to remain in a job that you do not like.

Finally, lose the crayons and use a grown up font.

[Mastertech]

Mooney, the folks here are welcome to use whatever font or color that the software, and Wiseone allows. Usually the only time we edit posts because of fonts, is when someone uses a really big font, or if they use a color that may be hard to read.