International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Amen. The days of needing a union for protection from the employer are long gone. In fact, unions have a greater prevalence these days of keeping poor employees employed where they should normally have been let go for negligence or otherwise.

Raises should be based on merit and hard work, not time spent wasting oxygen and resources.

 

I used to belong to Local 638,in Minneapolis. The best thing I could say about it was the guys I worked with. We didn't have any other unions or job designations in our shop. We were all the same union, the only difference was. Some were hired just to work the dock, while the rest of us drove and worked the dock.
I did get screwed a couple times by higher seniority guys, who wanted the gravy I had.
Until they found out i was going to be the one training them to do the route, and then realized it was a lot more work than they thought it would be.

 

I used to feel exactly the same way. Trust me, that's VERY FAR from the truth. I don't wanna say too much on that, but I can say that with 100% certainty.

That being said, even though I'm a Union member, I'm not as passionate about it as other union members. If it was too bad I'd just leave. But then again, who wants to leave a pension, employer funded 401k, 6 weeks vacation, 8 personal days, every BS Monday holiday off?

 

Here's my 2 cents.........

To everyone that is in a union.. "Bravo"

I made a big mistake years ago by NOT joining a union..Representation is key to a healthy,happy life.
The trucking Industry NEEDS representation for their drivers..PERIOD, No debate,No discussion..And Yes I do know what i'm talking about.

You hear all these guys Badmouth unions and such,Yet their Miserable in their Lives Losing their Homes,Their Families,Living in trucks Barely Getting by. NOT A WAY TO LIVE.

Fortunately for me..I was able to create a Life through harder work than it needed to be..If I were to do it all over again..You better Believe i would have Joined 705 or 710 Chicago teamsters

I work my tail off as an independent...Yes I make great money ,BUT it all goes to get the same benefits that the teamster men and women get..

Do the Math..And I admit I was Stubborn and thought I knew everything when i was young......For all you younger folks out there...You want to live better? Drive for a union carrier.

 

I was with the teamsters for 17 years till the company I worked for came in a week before Christmas an closed our terminal. now i'am an owner operator . we had really good benefits .

 

ditto

 

I was in a union once. Unions are an example of legal prostitution because you're paying someone to #### you.

 

To me it is just voluntary socialism.

 

I'm not pro union or anti-union per say . I just happened to slip into this job and there is just no way to make $70k with these type of benefits based out of Tucson with my experience without a Hazmat endorsement.

So far I have no complaints , if you have any specific questions let me know I have the book in front of me.

We get paid for fueling,pre trip/post trip,unloading,loading,stop pay,tour of duty pay,,$18.50 per hr while detained or sitting in bad traffic,.42 cpm while doing linehaul(not great) 19.50 per hr while doing yard goat work,$30 per month toward the cell phone, $11 per week for BCBS very good insurance,Guaranteed 40 hrs per week at $19.50....After you put in 5 years you're guaranteed a pension

I would say a negative about this union job is you seem to get more pay upfront however less stock options down the line ..Also what happens if the union goes haywire ? Also the seniority thing is kind of funny, there are people making over $100k and they sleep half the day on duty in the truck while I'm soaking wet with sweat in 110 degree temps

 

Yep, and the pension fund is bankrupt. The days of the big union pensions for life are over. It's all on the Central States Pension Fund website which you can Google for. The big shots running the Teamsters blew the money living the high life with their "meetings" in Las Vegas, etc. and giving millions to Democrats running for political office.