anyone ever had to cross a picket line in your truck ?

#1)

If you are speaking of making a delivery OR pick up, then all I can say is that I called my company first and told them of the situation, and LET THEM DECIDE as to whether or not I cross a picket line in my company truck. This way, if my tires get flattened by all the nails then it's on MY COMPANY for making THAT decision, NOT ME.

Luckily, over the years, I only had once such time when I had to make that call, and dispatch told me to book outta there and call back in about an hour. To which I was sent someplace else. Now, IF I were to have been an o/o? I'd get out of there, as it would be MY truck that gets damaged in any union BS at the picket line(s).

#2)

#3)

As for #'s 2 & 3..??

I had worked at a union shop myself, didn't really like it, so I DID move on.

As a consumer, I will NOT honor a picket line at say a grocery store that is (right now literally) .4 of a mile from my house, just to go to another store, actually 2 miles away! And why should I?

Most times, the picket lines nowadays are "informational", out front of the stores/businesses. It is usually the picket lines at the delivery door that they (the strikers) would appreciate the drivers and other delivery people not make any deliveries. I have NOT made any decisions on my own to cross a picket line as a driver.

As a person, yes I have crossed them, as I WILL not go out of my way to satisfy the picket line. And if by some chance, someone on ANY picket line do me any harm??

Well, I just happen to have 2 lawyers that I am a client of, I am sure they will make ME very happy with a nice big settlement against the union!!

 

The good ol' debate of picket lines and union vs non-union.... Another thread poised to shut down..

Now I am not going to get into a big debate here but I am going to say something that seem to never get realized here.. Some people just think too much that unions are bully's and workers are lazy..

1) Safer working conditions, better pay (min wage too!!), benefits etc you can take the unions for taking care of that.. If it was for unions pushing for stuff like that years ago we probably would be just starting to get this stuff within the recent years.

2) ANYONE who has the label of "bullies", "lazy workers", or think we are feel a sense of "self entitlement" (and the list of names can go on) need to rethink the choice of words they use.. Being a union worker comes with lots of stress (depending on what you do and who you work for), I work VERY hard for my money and put up with a lots of BS... I work harder doing my current job then I have with any other trucking company.. I don't stop for breaks or lunch.. I am always driving a truck or operating a loader.. I haul more weight then other carriers who haul what we haul...

3) Everyone has a job too do, I understand people need to make a living (union and non) therefore I don't agree stopping truck or whatever from entering picket lines as long as they are not doing the jobs of the picketers.. So if that company isn't a trucking company then your not taking there jobs, just the products in the buildings... But once the product is moved there will be a shortage and well the workers are on the line so it will only last so long.. Unless management tried to fill the void if the company is too big then forget that idea..

All I am saying is not all union workers are your stereotypical lazy worker... The same goes from non-union... Both have lazy workers and both have good workers.. The one thing I hate about unions is the the idiots of the workplace are protected.. We have guys who damage equipment, abuse sick time, don't pull their weight (drags our department down).. These are the people the union shouldn't be protecting.. Like my union guy told me the other day.. It's like being a lawyer, Your paid to represent a client even if you don't believe your client.. Your not paid to like him or agree with him.. Your there too represent him.. So what he is saying is, the union members pays the dues they are entitled to representation from the union regardless if the union official agrees with that member or not.. That in part is what drags unions down.. The lazy workers which gives unions bad names..

I don't see the problem with wanting fair wages too live my life in a comfortable manner.. I am no millionaire, I won't get rich from my job.. I get by life with my wage. Heck I couldn't imagine getting paid minimum wage.. I'd have to live in a cardboard and ride a bike to work... In case you people haven't realized the world is turning into something terrible and union bashing will only help the cause more... That problem we have is.. Soon we will no longer have a middle class society.. We will have the RICH and the POOR.... I'm willing to bet the majority of this forum is middle class, well keep union bashing and putting more money in your bosses pocket.. Don't come crying to me that you don't make enough to support your family and are not poor..

Unions may seem like bullies or something ask for too much but in the end they are protecting what is right... Do you really think it's ok for the workers to basically say $30,000-$40,000/year when the CEO's and the like are getting paid $200,000-$500,000 or more... No one needs to make that much money that is living a lifestyle that you DON'T NEED... WHAT you DO need is a house to live in and food to feed you family all the extras are just for fun... Have you ever looked at how much money bank managers make, or how about not-for-profit organizations??? How the heck does a not-for-profit big wig make $300,000/year????

I think priorities are mixed up with non-union members.. Think about yourself and not the big wigs around the world making huge coin more then anyone needs... GOOD non-union companies that actually don't take advantage of the employees are few and far between...

Anyhow that's all I am gonna say cause don't want the thread closed down and these discussions always get to heated..


So in answer "no I wouldn't cross a picket line" ... I'd respect the workers doing that they need to do.. Heck I bet you some of them on the line don't even want to be out there... A few years back (2009) we went on strike in Toronto and it lasted 39 days.. I didn't agree with some union tactics as far as what what happening on the line.. And I sure as heck didn't want to be out for 39 days.. I (and many others) lost a lot of money, I know guys who needs bank loans to pay mortgages... What we gained on the contract, we lost being out for 39 days... I was one of those people on the picket line that didn't seek self entitlement and I was more then willing to have my hourly rate frozen and some changes to benefits just so I could get back to work.. So not all of us are bullies

 

Yeah, not to debate and get this closed, as I have said, I did indeed work at a union shop. It was "just ok" to me, but others down right loved it, I suppose some hated it, but yet they stayed.

Yes, benefits like health bene's are important. Many employer's simply do not either offer benefits, or have the lousiest health bene's out there, and I know, as I had some "doozies" in the past.

I think that with state and federal labor laws, unions have lost some leverage along the way. What I have seen too, is unions "bleeding" companies out of business. Oh sure, many will speak of "mis-management", but sometimes that's said all because the union workers are mislead by the unions into thinking the companies have MORE to offer.

Now, if THAT is true, then why have many companies shopped for LOWER health care benefits? Why have some union companies AGREED to pay cuts? That list can go on and on.

So in the end, union shops can serve a purpose, sometimes not. I guess it all depends on whether or not the union bosses and high ranking execs, need a new Lear jet that year or not, to take them on a month long, union paid (spelled worker paid) trip to Vegas.

 

most of non union truckload drivers complaints about hometime, demurrage, and layover were answered by the union contracts negotiated in the 50's and 60's. its interesting that no one seems to make the correlation between the downfall of trucking being as good a job as it used to be, and the downsizing of the Teamsters involvement in this industry.

I don't really need to explain it, as the information is out there, unfortunately, it seems as if ignorance is the soup of the day, every day anymore. Drivers did BETTER when the Teamsters were a major force in the industry. The ATA has no reason to do anything but drive down wages, and beat back labor laws. as it is, most drivers are putting in 2 hours shy of a double shift every day, and a LOT are doing more than that, illegally.

I don't really care for most truck drivers ignorant attitudes, as that attitude is also why the job is looked down upon anymore. I am proud to be a Teamster, and will work in another industry with representation before I'd ever consider living the pee lot dream in a box for weeks on end.

The worst part about it is, I could show an irate OTR driver a copy of the NMFA contract, and the language that would address most if not all his gripes about the job he has, and he/she would then sit there and make excuses as to why that's why unions put companies out of business.

 

But its the drivers that think its OK to be mistreated as long as they still have a bad job that make companies think they can treat ALL drivers that way..Well not this teamster..not now, not EVER..

 

I wonder how many of these drivers that give away their valuable time, would expect any other person to do any work for them for free..Try asking that taxman whose gonna do your taxes to do the first two hours for free, Ask the guy you have paint your house to work the first two hours for free, ask that plumber whose gonna fix the leak to do the first two hours for free...they would all laugh in your in face..If a truck company tells me the first two hours of detention is free I LAUGH IN THE RECUITS EAR...