Are truckers no longer in unions?

That's what happened to Lake Erie

 

I respectfully decline to answer on the advice of my legal counsel.

 

Removed post.....

 

How did J.B.,Schneider,Swift ,ect. take the truckload O.T.R. business away from the big union carriers? Simple,no boys and girls the answer is not better service. They cut the rates. How can they afford to do that? Equipment costs everyone of the big boys about the same $$,fuel same deal,ect,ect. Three guesses and the first two do not count. Beat up the work force. Lower pay ,lower benefits. That's how they cornered the majority of the market. Spread the wealth with the driver. OH NO!

 

used to be the union schneiders had a squared off "S" in a box..havent seen one for a long time maybe they dont use this logo or maybe no teamster schneiders left ?? anybody know?

 

They're still out there.

 

I would rather pay $100 for the plumber that knows what hes doing and how to fix the problem and guarantees his work rather than $40 to a guy in an old van that has no clue what hes doing and takes no pride in his work and when it falls apart hes long gone and into another line of work like a fly by night paving company...before people start and say all because your union doesnt mean your better than a non union worker this is true union and non union both have good and bad but if you pay well with great bennies you have a better chance at retaining the best...example.I work out of a union terminal we have had 1 driver quit in 12 years...this is not the industry standard at most companies...just my 2 cents..

 

There may be 10 of those drivers left.... I took this a few years ago at a local truck stop. These guys run local in Green Bay and maybe run Chicago. I see them once in a while...pretty grouchy smart ##### if you ask me.

 

I am a proud member of the CUPE union (Canadian Union Of Public Employees - Government)

We just went through a big issues getting a deal which I am going today to vote on the tentative deal.. We have give up concessions and gained some back that The City Of Toronto wanted to take from us.. Year of working for better working conditions, pay, seniority, pension, sick time etc... The union realizes the economy right now is not really towards unions which is why this round of bargaining was the hardest bargaining for unions this ever and unions from all over were watching what was happening with our union and the city..

I just shake my head and laugh at people who say "Union workers don't work", "City workers don't work and are lazy", "Unions have no place in todays society" ... You know why I laugh... Cause it's all VERY untrue and people seem to clump everyone together.. It doesn't matter if your union or not.. You will ALWAYS have the lazy workers, mediocre, and hard workers.. I fit in the "hard" worker spot.. I go above and beyond my duties.. I fix my own truck when we have mechanics to do this... I do not use my breaks or lunches I just go, go go with my drop (this most of the time hits MY wallet as I don't get the overtime.. I would if I took lunches and breaks).. I go all day non-stop I am either in a loader loading my truck or I am driving the truck to the plants and then off-loading the truck... So like I said I work non-stop.. Do we have lazy workers in the City?? Sure we do.. Do we have hard workers that either do the job they are paid for and other who go above what is expected of them? #### right we do... It's no different then non-union you have lazy people and you have hard workers...

I am not saying everything that happens in a union is right but you have to take the good with the bad... I don't like the fact that lazy people get away with it.. I don't like the fact a guy who screwed up will mostly likely get there job back.. I do like getting paid what I am worth, I do like having good benefits and pension.. I like having a safe working environment and good surroundings.. My union job of course i a little different then a private sector union job because I get paid through the residents taxes and government workers tend to get hammered on more then private sector unions because of the fact we get paid with tax payers..

The problem isn't the unions as far as I am concerned.. Everyone wants to blame the unions and the workers.. I am sorry but I feel that unions help employees get paid what they are actually worth rather then a company paying you low wages but making LOTS of money that they can afford to pay you more, but they don't because it's CORPORATE GREED!!!! Let me ask you people who think it's ok to blame unions.... How do you think it is fair that the workers that are doing the hard work and make the difference in the company should get paid little bits of money while the executives, managers, councillors, mayors etc all get paid crazy amounts of money?? So what they make some decisions and sign some paper work.. If it was for all the little workers down below producing product or moving it around they then the hire ups wouldn't even have jobs because they wouldn't have employees to produce whatever it is the job requires... Let me tell you sometime.. You can't run a company without employees or products... But you can run without managers and bosses cause it's not all the high ups that bring in the money.. It's the workers that are producing the products or transporting them making the money for the company.. A company is nothing without it's products....

People seem to forget that it's not the workers.. It the "suits" that cause the issues... Tell me one good reason why say a mayor should make $170,000/year when he doesn't make decisions.. It's a joint venture with councillors who are making $100,000+/yr .... So what he is a public figure, signs some paper works and goes to meetings.. That pretty much rounds it up.. Or how is it that a person high in ranks show up to a company to do some clean up work, leave 6 months later and get a severance package of $60,000 (no top of what they had made in those 6 months on a 100,000+ salary) which is more then a lot of people make in a year...

Unions don't just help members.. Choices and contracts also affect how non-union companies get paid.. So don't kid yourself.. You may not be union but in a way it affects you.. In a good way.. It's time people stand up and say enough is enough.. Why am I getting paid $10/hr busting my ### doing hard labour while the big guy up stairs is making $100,000+ pure year to have a glorified pencil pusher job.. I am not saying the high ups aren't worth more then say a non-skilled job or even some skilled jobs... I am simple just saying that make way more then they are worth.. While the low employee gets crap pay, produce a product, has a hard time living life on low wages, gets hurt more at work cause they are actually doing hard work and the company turfs you cause you got hurt...

Sorry I am gonna stop ranting.. I just hate when people point fingers at unions about lazy workers that are over paid.. Get educated and actually think before you talk.. I know people (friends) who are lazy workers that are non-union.. I don't go point fingers at all non-union workers saying your a bunch of lazy bums... Cause I know better.. I know ever workplace has lazy and hard workers.. Maybe back in the day union-workers works at a slower pace and were lazy way back when unions were powerful (I have been told stories from guys at work about how it USED to be... KEY word USED)... Now in days unions are not like that you have more union guys actually doing work because of the way the world is headed..

I am not anti-union nor am I pro-union... I just like to have the union there to protect me, get me safe working conditions and decent pay.. Cause I know one thing is for sure.. I bet you non-union works would like to have a union at your side when after 28yrs of service a company cans you so that they don't have to pay you pension or whatever...

Just my thoughts..Again sorry for the long rant...!

 

This gained jobs in IN already .

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/12688/caterpillar_moves_canadian_work_to_low_wage_american_workers/
Caterpillar is also bringing 1,400 jobs from Japan to the U.S.
http://carycitizen.com/2012/02/09/business-caterpillar-shuns-illinois-for-cary-area/