Shilling in the Trucking Industry

Awesome Fun · Mar 31, 2014

already gone said: ↑

this is one of the best topics ive seen discussed on here, my employer US Foods seems to use them, we have a new hire who has "done it all" , his stories that he butts in with get more unbelievable every day. he seems well acquainted with management, and does nothing but sing the praises of how this is the perfect job. .....

i would normally write him off as another know it all, but his stories fit together so badly, and he is almost eavesdropping whenever guys with seniority are talking.

...i always figured the union busting organizations in this country had idiots like this up their sleeve......
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I worked for a time with a new truck hauler (no names!) that was overrun with what has been referred to as shills. The company is in a complete mess at this point; has refused to comply with the NLRB Arbitration rulings, created a shell company to get out from under its labor agreements and it's employees are now talking of going on strike. I believe that if a company is so mis managed that it has to resort to employing the services of shills then it is probably doomed and is living on life support at best. Can't rep you as the icons aren't showing up for some reason. Perhaps I don't have enough 'rep power' LOL!!!

Note: 'Thanks' icons appeared after I posted my comment.

Cavendish97 · Nov 16, 2014

Very surprised this thread has stagnated. No interest? The trucking industry appears to be overflowing with shills; how can everyone appear to be indifferent? Suspecting people aren't responding due to the clandestine nature of the business. I took a job a few months ago in the 'truck haul' industry, hauling new trucks. A complete riot and the veterans tell me it is 'clean and quiet' compared to just a few years ago. I can only imagine. I've noticed a number of truck haul threads, all stagnate. May attempt to revive one or more as time permits.

Mack Way · Dec 3, 2014

Cavendish97 said: ↑

Very surprised this thread has stagnated. No interest? The trucking industry appears to be overflowing with shills; how can everyone appear to be indifferent? Suspecting people aren't responding due to the clandestine nature of the business. I took a job a few months ago in the 'truck haul' industry, hauling new trucks. A complete riot and the veterans tell me it is 'clean and quiet' compared to just a few years ago. I can only imagine. I've noticed a number of truck haul threads, all stagnate. May attempt to revive one or more as time permits.
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I'm still for the 'goose' who lays the 'golden egg'; meaning an 'insider' or former 'shill' will see this thread and relate how this 'industry' functions from the inside. It's wholly probable and expected these people are required to sign 'non-disclosure' agreements under penalty.

Rockford · Dec 4, 2014

Mack Way, do you have a link to where this landmark study was published?

Mack Way · Dec 4, 2014

Rockford said: ↑

Mack Way, do you have a link to where this landmark study was published?
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This was a 'leaked memo' and never published to my knowledge. Was told by people in the know this should never see the light of day.

Your contributions to this thread are most welcome.

Rockford · Dec 4, 2014

You were obviously given a copy of this study to read since your first post contains many statements that the respondents gave. Could you not post your copy? Also, who commissioned this study and who was the person that was able to stop it from being published?

MrEd · Dec 4, 2014

It seems to be a common consensus amoung many on here that company management doesn't care in the least what drivers think. Why then, would they spend the money to employ shills?

Wicked Good · May 3, 2015

Mack Way said: ↑

The landmark study has just been completed; a special thanks to all who participated.

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The single greatest asset the modern trucking company has may very well be the shill. Without the shill, the poverty wage, homeless truck driver would realize he/she is being badly abused by the company and force some positive changes like living wages, equitable work rules, tolerable working conditions and not failing to mention the elimination of bullying - intimidation tactics while at work.

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A few online definitions:

shill (shl) Slang
n.
One who poses as a satisfied customer or an enthusiastic gambler to dupe bystanders into participating in a swindle.
v. shilled, shill·ing, shills
v.intr.
To act as a shill.
v.tr.
1. To act as a shill for (a deceitful enterprise).
2. To lure (a person) into a swindle.

and:

Slang a confidence trickster's assistant, esp a person who poses as an ordinary customer, gambler, etc., in order to entice others to participate
[perhaps shortened from shillaber a circus barker, of unknown origin]

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In the trucking industry, shills are not hard to spot. Common characteristics:

Always making grandiose claims pertaining to their massive earnings(?) while everyone else knows what the shill states just doesnt add up;

Try to position themselves as the elite and the go to people of the group despite questionable histories and experience;

Often act as company bullies attempting to intimidate those with more experience, know the truth and question the status quo (troublemakers);

Belittle the internet as the bastion for untrustworthy information;

Attempt to position themselves as authorities on the trucking industry despite a lack of a real working knowledge;

Seem to interact most often with the office staff, management and amongst themselves;

Many use the same common phrases and empty arguments with little meaning other than attempts at intimidation.

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Shills often have poor safety and customer service records. Many reported that shills working for their employer have more than their share of vehicular accidents, many involving large $$$ pay outs. When confronted, the shill will typically respond with Im a producer or the company cant do without me or something similar. Many report that had anyone else experienced even a fraction of the vehicle accidents or customer service complaints they would have been shown the door long ago.

In a non union shop, shills are used to great effect at intimidating and belittling those who question the obvious discrepancies in the workplace. A common tactic is for the shill to declare Im my own man/woman and I deserve just what im getting and/or I can stand up for myself and dont need help from anyone else. Anyone attempting to stand up for whats right are quickly branded commies, union sympathizers, weak, incompetent, unqualified, etc.

In a union shop, things are only a little different. Its being reported that shills will often put on the show of the stereotypical union thug and the rude, demanding, unreasonable union fool. Yes, they are often used as bullies by management and occasionally by the weaker, incompetent union representatives who have been exposed as pawns of management.

Also in union shops, shills will often belittle questionable contract votes/results by stating we didnt need it as it cost the company money or that provision was abused despite effective arguments to the contrary. When confronted about about obvious misstatements, the shill will most likely go on the offensive by stating they were union reps at some point in the past and they know what theyre talking about when its obvious they dont have a clue but are just trying to control the conversation through intimidation.

*******************************

Shills can and do move in often predictable patterns, apparently being positioned to have the greatest influence at a targeted location. It was reported that shills at one company often seem to know shills working at other companies, leading many to believe these people are supplied and/or trained by outside labor relations consultants organizations.

Many reported there are shills who never seem to leave the property despite having been dispatched. Shills often show up at many locations without a credible story on how they arrived there.

Respondents working at a major employer (past and present employees) reported that incoming new employees (shills) seemed to be already acquainted with the existing shills. One respondent for the same employer reported she was invited into the new employee training program only to quickly realize her trainees were shills who were somehow acquainted with the shills already there. She stated she left the training program and wanted no part of it. The same respondent also reported she witnessed a newly hired shill training a new employee and stated that many people noticed the new employee appeared to be a shill supervisor who departed after only a few days.

Also at the same employer, it was reported by nearly every respondent that shills wholly and very publicly supported an extremely unpopular manager who was fired for still publicly unknown reasons. The manager in question wouldnt hesitate to use questionable and openly dishonest tactics against those who he didnt like for whatever reasons; the targets often had immaculate records and many years of service with the employer and werent afraid to stand up to the dishonest manager.

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The darker side of shilling is obvious; the use of shills as bullies and enforcers. It was consistently reported that shills would work in coordinated human waves when a single shill failed to intimidate an employee. The usual common phrases, body language and facial expressions lead most to believe these people received specialized training.

Most interesting were respondents reporting on the availability of shills for hire. These people were often connected to customers (often customer employees(?), security people at various common locations where employees would congregate away from the employers main facilities and unknowns who would target employees at random locations not associated with the employer or customer.

One respondent stated he recently delivered to a customer where he had excellent relations with for years. All contacts were by appointment and he was on time. The first thing he noticed was the people he normally dealt with were missing and no one could say where they were at. Their replacements were openly hostile and provocative while (strangely) bringing in an outside contractor to off load his equipment when this was always done in house before.

It quickly became apparent the new employees and the outside contractor were working in tandem and were completely transparent. The respondent felt he had been targeted once again. Many other similar stories were reported leading one to conclude the shill for hire network is widespread.

A couple of respondents reported that a very prominent shill at their common employer openly carried a sidearm while on the job despite the companys prohibition of carrying any type of weapon on company property or inside of company vehicles. The shill presumably carried for self protection against other employees and was effective when undesirables were fired.

Another respondent also reported that when he was fired, an existing manager showed up with a sidearm while backing a newly hired general manager who was firing the long time employee. Racial and sexual orientation issues were involved and the respondent was completely surprised when the long time manager who he had been on friendly terms with showed up armed. At the employer in question, shills were effective in maintaining a very lopsided racial and sexual orientation balance of employees.

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No doubt that shills are the worst (or best?) kept secret of the trucking industry. However, there is a wall of silence about the origins and training these people receive. Thinking it must pay pretty well as these people continually boast about their above average earnings, always well above the typical line employee if true.

If you have experienced 'shilling' at your employer please feel free to post your experiences here.

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At first, I didn't understand why the OP posted this important topic into this category. Now, I do.

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