What to do if there is a Nationwide Strike. Dec 22, 2014

Yep. We tried it in the early 90s. It failed.

 

Apparently you don't understand business if you're worried about diesel prices. Diesel prices are controlled by worldwide demand. The industry has developed and adopted a great way to combat fluctuating fuel prices with the fuel surcharge. If this was 2002, before fuel surcharges were widely adopted, you might have a point, but it's not.

 

I will not be working on December 22, but I cannot support your strike. Sorry. If you're strike supported another position, such as driver working conditions, HOS, ELD's, etc. you would possibly have my support. Striking for the intent of price fixing and minimum pricing goes against my capitalist principals.

 

All of the negativity in this thread is exactly why a strike would fail.

Did our founding fathers come up with the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution in a single session or with one man writing them? No, it took several weeks and drafts. They all came together to discuss and layout what they felt would be the proper way to stand up to the crown. When drafting the Constitution they negotiated among each other for less than 100 days.

In so much as we truckers feel that we are under appreciated, over worked, underpaid, unrepresented, and generally disregarded by our elected and appointed government officials; we are much like the colonies prior to the Declaration of Independence. If we desire to enact change in legislation, working conditions, pay, and the like; we must come together and lay out our thoughts and desires prior to organizing a strike.

If we organize and layout our demands prior to announcing a date for a strike perhaps we would stand a better chance of having a successful campaign. In order for a strike to win support among our peers, it must focus on what we all believe to be the issues present within our industry today. Certainly a couple of major points have already been addressed in this thread. Company driver pay, Hours of service regulations, mandatory EOBR's, lack of parking, detention, inflated pricing, increasing insurance rates, lack of restroom access, etc... We would need to address the needs of all truckers, we cannot focus on one segment of the workforce.

We also would need to be aware that we would have to negotiate on our points and be willing, flexible, and understanding of the need for change. Being willing to allow EOBR's to be installed in all trucks would be a great bargaining chip provided the HOS were structured in a manner that supports the proper use of our time, taking into account all of the delays we are subject to. We cannot expect to "get" everything without "giving" something.

So before you say a strike would not work, let us understand the impact of what would happen. Within 72 hours of the start, all gas stations in the country would be out of fuel. Within one week all of the grocery stores would be out of food. Within 2 weeks all manufacturing facilities would be out of raw product and would be overflowing with finished product.

If we would organize, the President would take notice and intervene, we would be ordered back to work within 72 hours. But we would need to stand our ground and ignore the order of the President. Our deeply divided Congress would not act on our demands if we crumbled and went back to work. It will take some sacrifice on our part, but our collective voice is one that the government cannot and would not ignore.

So my final thought, a strike could and would be successful if it were properly planned and marketed. More of our brothers and sisters would support a collective effort if it were properly planned and addressed all of our needs. Don't stand by and let the opportunity to enact change be hindered by your desire to be an individual. We must come together as a TEAM... and as the old saying goes there is no I in TEAM.

 

I agree here what we need to get started,1st we need to get down to the nuts and bolts;What exactly is it that we DRIVERS want and need/More of a Need factor.2nd we need just one truck driver from every state to represent all TRUCKERS from that Division 3rd We need to team up and partner with The ATA and Organize what locations,what times and what dates we will MEET UP FOR A FORMAL MEETING FOR DEADLINES AND FINAL SUGGESTIONS.Organize ALL MEDIA SITE PAGES NOW FACEBOOK,TWITTER,INSTAGRAM,YOUTUBE, AND GET ORGANIZED GET THE PEOPLE TALKING NOW.MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT WE MEAN BUSINESS.

 

A huge problem with organizing a strike is the selfishness and apathy demonstrated by many of the "drivers" out here, not to mention the fact that you can't get two drivers to agree on where to go for breakfast.

Oh, and as far as partnering with the ATA? Forget it. They like things the way they are. It keeps money in their pockets. We don't call them the "Anti Truckers' Association" for nothing, you know.

 

Strike? Hahaha. I'll believe that when I see it. Every year I hear about it, then it's just a couple of dumb yahoos getting busted for trying to shut a road down or something. Just like that protest run last year, it turned out to be another "I don't want my gubbermint bein' run by no black guy" gripe session on wheels by stupid rednecks.

 

Here's how effective that protest last year was:

What protest? I never knew there was a protest last year.

 

he means $1.75 per mile minimum as supposed to the .85 a mile rates that are being posted

 

sounds good and all but never happen cause that day you will see rates shooting up to $6.00 a miles then they will go right back to where they were the very next day. truckers will say screw the strike im making money besides you all do realize that close to xmas is our slow season want to grab there attention do it during our busy season.