***the Lumper Scam***

Union Stockyards; Exchange Ave and Halstad St., shut down in 1971. All the old major packers have gone by the wayside. Armour, Rath, Swift, Cudahy, and Hormel.Too inefficient. Cattle were out on the plains. Packers in Chicago, St Louis, and KC.
In the 70's IBP (Iowa Beef Packers) started up in Storm Lake, Iowa. New concept in buying from the feedlots, hauling short distance, and walking a steer in and processing into the railcar to ship out in 37 minutes. IBP and Conagra/Monfort were the big players. I believe you will find the prepackaged meat (steaks, ribs, briskets in Wal-Mart/Kroger/ Buy-Rite/ and any other large grocery chain all come form these same places. Packaged per their specs. Tyson bought IBP a year or so ago I believe.
Most stock is moved from growers in NE, KS, SD to feedlots in or near Iowa, fattened up and packed . No continous long hauls - Too much shrinkage and bruising.
Example: In 1957 I would haul "stocker" cattle (450 -600lb -various breeds) from down south up into central Il. They would grow them with that tall green corn up to 850-1000 in feedlots, haul 100-175 miles over to E.St Louis, Il for the packers. Have hauled 1000-1200 lb fat steers out of Omaha back to West Point, MS. Only way he could get cattle to cut prime grade.
Go in your favorite super market, look over the meat and talk to the meat manager- He is not a butcher. Then go over to Wal-Mart and inquire about some similar cuts you are interested in. Talk to him, then mumble that you are going back over to your (name store) and buy, you think he has better product. Right quick you wil learn from him who packs for all of them.
There are probably some specialty packers up the East Coast that get cattle hauled in. Small family operations providing to upscale markets and restuarants. Bull haulers are actually "gentle people', their passengers require it. End of book......

 

as a driver for a company ,never unload a load.talgateing is OK if company is paying you to do so ,must have it in writing . when your on the road whether your a company driver or a owner operator your not on the road to do any favors to the company are to any receivers , or to make there job any easier . and never ever pay any one to unload with your money ever.all so here's a butt saver ,get your self a fax machine for your truck. tell your company ,to fax all loads to you and how many miles the delivery pays .this will save your butt when pay check comes in if there rate of pay for you is different then you have a leg to stand on or have the broker fax you this info ,never leave for the run till you have this info in you hands . I've seen many a company screw there drivers to many times. this is a business your in ,whether your a owner op or company driver .if company is not willing to send you a fax then they may as well be telling you if we do send you a fax then we cant screw you out of money you worked for . when going with a new company ,always get this in writing ,right from the get go ,just tell them your in the trucking business to make money and that this is a requirement and have them syn it and all faxes must have their Leger name of the company on it at the top of the page .this info comes to you from a lawyer i had to get because the company i was driving for screwed me out of almost $3,000 when i was a owner op.

 

The bad thing about unloading the truck yourself and taking the pay, is most every company (that I've ever worked for) stipulate that in order to receive the money, you have to log it "on duty not driving".
When asking "why" they will pay a lumper $300.00 and only pay me $100.00, I was told it was because they really don't want the drivers unloading, because it takes away your available hours to drive.
Then you have the ones that are mandatory "driver assist" that want to refuse to sign your bills. Talk about a driver "breaking bad" and showing their uh, butt,....
Walgreens..Moreno Valley, CA.

 

The next time you have to hand over that 300 to a lumper, ask him how much of that he has to pay the dock as a kickback. Better yet, as your DM how much of that 300, 200, or even 100 a lumper gets to take home. Don't be surprised if your DM thinks you're and idiot and tells you "all of it". Don't be surprised if that lumper gives you a dirty look. Last time I asked a lumper how much of the wad I gave him he got to take home, he couldn't understand me, as he was from south of the border. I had to ask his boss, the guy who owned the lumping service, how much his lumper ###### got to take home. I thought I was gonna get a brass-knuckle sandwich right there on the dock.

I'd guess a lumper takes home 1 dollar in 3 you give him, IF he's a US citizen. If he's an illegal, he probably takes home 1 dollar in 5. The rest goes back to the dock as a kickback.

 

Many hundreds of years ago when the teamsters where just a gleam in Hoffa Sr eyes ALL DRIVERS Worked as drivers/dock workers (lumpers) then the Union was organized and drivers drove and dock workers lumped

Fast Forward 50+ years and the union is like a toothless lion that can only roar it's discontint and we find the price of lumpers sky high and drivers being reverted back to the "Good Ol Days".

This though should be nothing new late 70's early 80's the practice started to make a strong come back, frozen food warehouses especially.

RedFang

 

I don't know about anyone else, but I feel that having to pay a lumper to get product off-loaded is nothing short of legal extortion.

I mean, the receiver has ordered the product, expects it to be delivered on time, and yet, when you get there, you are told they WILL NOT unload, until AFTER the lumper fee is paid. WTH?
I've got to PAY THEM, to get THEIR product off of my truck...

IMHO, extortion, plain and simple...

Judi Kay

 

Yep. But its extortion that the purchaser and receiver agree to. That being said, I would never pay for a lumper out of my own pocket. My company or the broker should always be reading me an express code to pay them, I don't care what time of the day or night I'm delivering.

Not defending the practice, but sometimes the big grocery warehouses, like Supervalu, will receive and warehouse for many different chains. Lumper fees are their way of making sure that each chain gets billed for the labor on that account.

 

i could not agree with you more. it stinks i say

 

Thanks, t-bundle.
We do get reimbursed by our company, but our company is eating this cost....basically, paying for the privilege of delivering ordered product...I know this is not my problem...yet...until the company finds some way to get that money back out of the driver...

I still feel that it is legal extortion..

Judi Kay

 

(early 90s at a grocery warehouse in Florida. Brought down a load of cooking oil...heavy stuff)

Lumper: That will be $200

Six: $200 for what?

Lumper: If you want us to unload your truck, the cost will be $200

Six: You want me to pay $200 to get your product you ordered off my truck? Theres nothing on the bills that says that the driver is respinsible for unloading.

Lumper: You can unload it yourself or pay us $200 to unload

Six: Seems like this customer just refused this load. Adios

Clerk: Where are you going with our product?

Six: I'm taking it back to where I got it from. My name is on the bills and its legally mine until someone else signs for it.

Clerk: SECURITY!!!!

Six: Boy, I suggest you get out of my way unless you want to fight to the death.

Security: ummm....ahhhhh...ummmm

Clerk/Lumper/Six : Idiot!

Security: (gulp)

(phone rings)

Dispatch: What the hell are you doing?

Six: These idiots want me to pay $200 to unload their product!

Dispatch: Just fill out a comcheck and...

Six: Youre going to pay this?

Dispatch: Yes. Why?

Six: Well, I dont agree with it.

Dispatch: All you have to do is fill out a comchek.

Six: Nope. I dont want no part of this and I'm not going to be a secretary for something I dont agree with. You'd better talk to the lumpers and they'd better have their own comcheks. I'm not gonna do anything

Clerk: We dont ever want you to come here again.


Got kicked out a couple Publix (they really hate me in jacksonville), FoodLion in Lakeland,FL, Bi-Lo in SC, Albertsons in Katy all for the same reason. Cops were called. Feelings were hurt. And it ended my reefer career. Dont care.

For the life of me, I dont see why you reefer peeps put up with it.