Am I the ONLY one that actually wants to go OTR?

Teamsters here have different contracts with different outfits, I am not sure how it works. I think they are on par with operators on construction jobs, but not sure. If I drive a gravel truck or hot mix or what ever on a davis bacon job, my pay is 60 bucks and change, which I think is based on teamsters pay plus benefits, but no dues. I know the teamsters whine that we make a lot more than they do, I also know our over time does not pay on the whole 60, something like 16 of that does not count as far as overtime, but suppose to be what benefits would be if they were holding them out.

You might check and see how it works in Nevada, my daughter drove for valentine, she was not union but they paid her union scale and the benefits too, seems like she was right up there with the operators on wages.

 

Yeah they are probably paying prevailing wage.

Most companies will flip the hell out if a teamster does an operators or laborers job because the unions get on their ### but they leave us alone because we are so small.

Tbh, it’s not a big advantage to be an operator here right away, they make like two bucks more an hour than me and my pension is good and so is theirs.

Once you get into the big iron is where they make way more money but an operator on a paving crew will make two bucks more running small stuff.

I’d be fine being a teamster in Nevada, west coast pension is strong and I’ve always wanted to pull some rocky doubles. I’d be an operator too as long as their pension is good. I really don’t care as long as I like the job and I can make some good money. It’s just fun to have access to so many machines and they let me run whatever I want or at least try...

Your daughter drives up in Alaska?

 

It depends on the outfit here and where the job is how strict they are on union rules, depends a lot on which union hands are on the job .For some reason even though a union contractor has the job, he can use non union truck drivers, at least for contracted trucks. One small company I haul for when the job was close to the end and they had to cut my truck lose, layed off a union driver and I drove their truck. lol

Operators there must run a little different, I used to belong to local 450 out of Texas, and the only operator jobs that paid less were water pumps, welders, air winches and the like, as long as you were on an actual piece of equipment, you drew top dollar. which was only 2 bucks an hour over light duty.

 

Basically if you’re on a union commercial job it’s union only, if you’re on a state job it’s prevailing wage if you’re non union.

At my job we’re all highway heavy so that’s the highest paid teamsters and I make close to what a operator makes running a roller or skid. The bigger the truck the higher the pay, same with them, bigger machine bigger pay. We don’t run any big stuff except for our loaders at the quarry and plant. They have a better pension though, mine is good, theirs is amazing. That’s why I’d switch and a couple bucks more an hour is good but I’m really not complaining about my pay especially when I can work more than them so it’s a wash.

 

Yea, when I had my book, we only had two classifications, light and heavy, any equipment was considered heavy. Up here it is different, lots of different contracts with the union, quarrys and pits pay less than working in the field, from what I understand, I am not sure how it all shakes out, but most companies use the same hands for years, instead of just calling the hall.

 

Yeah, you work for so and so and you are a member of local ___. It’s not like I can’t go get a job at xyz if people are on the bench. I talk to the company not the union.

And yes they can make up their own contracts here too and have the employees vote to pass or not. That’s how it was at my last job. Here we just go off highway heavy contracts and no one cares. We’re pretty laid back.

 

A wealth of knowledge. Great post and thank you.