EEOC Brings Class Action Against Prime for Sex Discrimination

While people can be adults I can understand a company policy of this sort. While individuals should be able to make this decision for themselves I understand the companies stance in this age of ignorant lawsuits. They like I could see a frivolous lawsuit being filed when a female/male student is given substandard marks by a male/female trainer claiming it started with sexual harassment. Hell it happens now sans the sexual part.

 

It isn't my self control that would concern me. Most of the time there would probably not be a problem. But, it would only take once for a woman who was not doing well to file a suit or accuse her trainer of misconduct. There could also be a problem with the male trainer who might not control himself. Then there is another situation where problems could occur. Let's say that a woman is getting a divorce or having trouble at home. Her husband could file suit against the mentor or more likely the company for alienation of affection. Injun, you know as well as I do that there are some women would would yell discrimination if she felt that it was to her advantage. Some might even take it further. When a man is accused of most anything by a woman, it is usually the woman who is believed.

Were it not for all the litigation, I doubt that it would be much of an issue. But, every time one of these lawsuits are filed, it makes it much more difficult for the next woman to get a break. I think that most women who are out here driving are only interested in earning a decent living. But, I have seen other things out of some of them and while they are a small minority, they do exist. Just like there are some men who are jerks. They get on the CB and yell and say things to women. Some might even try to go further than just talking. It is these types of people that make it difficult for those of us who are out here only to make a good living by providing for our families.

If companies are to continue to have men and women working in this type of situation, then there should be some safeguards.

 

We have seen this in other types of discrimination legislation. The most qualified may be terminated and the organization is forced to hire less qualified applicants solely on the basis of their minority status.

 

And college applications, small business loans, home mortgages, insurance policies...........

 

It goes on and on.......Minorities have been given extra "points" for no other reason than the color of their skin or gender, when it comes to certain jobs. Government jobs, in particular, have a policy where those who are less qualified are given preferential treatment due to their minority status. One reason we have had such a problem with home mortgages is because the government forced lenders to make loans to minorities who could not qualify for the loans without their minority status.

Minorities have also been given preferential treatment when it comes to being admitted to colleges. I remember when I took the LSAT in college that minorities were given extra points only for the reason that they were considered a minority class.

Giving one group preferential treatment over another is discrimination, regardless of the reason. If we are to eliminate discrimination then there should not be points or preferential treatment because they are considered a minority. Everyone should compete totally on their own merit and talents without consideration of gender, race, creed or any other qualifier. The most discriminated class in this nation are white (Caucasian) men.

 

There are a lot of women who want to be trained only by another woman. That is a choice she should be allowed to make. There is a woman in my fleet who is a mentor. She refuses to train women.

I believe a fair policy should be, that the choice should be available, like it was for me. If a woman wants to holler sexual harassment because she is not doing well, look at the trainer's history. If nobody else ever had a problem and the trainer has turned out good drivers, place the faltering woman in a woman trainer's truck. If she still does poorly, it's not the trainer. Obviously.

But pressing for women to be trainers can create its own set of problems, like one we were discussing in another thread: someone who was not much of a driver to begin with becoming a disaster as a trainer.

Prime did press me to train. I refused. I went broke. Connection? Perhaps. Up to that point, I had been doing fine. Rather than succumb to the financial pressure, I left the company.

 

more female trainers would be a good thing but its up to the female drivers do they want to train its not easy 60,000 miles yeah prime could change there policy but still its up to the females there

 

it would be good for female trainees and if prime has to change there policy at the end of the day its up to the female drivers at prime its not they dont have enuff female drivers they do but they dont want to be trainers

 

I understand what you are saying about some not wanting to train women. What if a male trainer doesn't want to train women? Should the carrier force the guy to train them? If they did, they would probably lose the guy. Noone wants to be forced to do something that they don't really want to do. What if the male trainer is married and his wife has a problem with him training female drivers? Perhaps the male trainer is afraid that he could be accused of crossing the line and lose his career?

 

Here is the problem as I see it:
If you have a male trainer and the female student doesn't like what he demands (professionally), she can cry 'sexual harrassment' and cause unholy misery for the male trainer, even when he's found innocent. It's generally accepted that when a female cries foul against a male, there's a basis to cause an investigation.
Now reverse the rolls. If a male student cries 'sexual harrasssment' against a female trainer, it's likely to be ignored, or swept under the carpet.
There just doesn't seem to be the same believability factor when you reverse the rolls.
I agree with Emul. this has the makings of major changes in the industry if it continues, and not necessarily good changes.