Deregulation and Unionization

Unfortunately, at least half of us have not clue about DISCIPLINE, RESPONSIBILITY and SAVING HABITS!! because of them, all of us are screwed by brokers, shippers, receivers, FMCSA, DOT, mega carriers and everyone else in this industry. How can we help each other to be strong in this industry? we got to do something about it, don't you think? we have the technology on our side. we have very smart people here in this forum, YouTube, tick tock , Facebook and every social media. I believe that we must start having this conversation, otherwise, we will continue getting screwed by the same people I named above.
Ive had parked my truck for 4 months and I did it, because my discipline, responsibility, and my saving habits. It is not easy, but I care about this industry.

 

Working conditions at unions. I never seen a union driver in a stretched Pete with 2050 ft lbs engine with chicken lights. Only throw away trucks and sometimes single screw. No thanks, I’d take my world over theirs. Instead of a communist union card I got a belt buckle and grease on my arms, instead of collective bargaining I have control of my own destiny. After years of driving there won’t be a union pension and healthcare but I can pass on a trucking company to my kids. I’d take that over a 401k. There are truck drivers (occupation) and there are truckers (culture). Merca!

 

It is the same rate of pay, but the guy with more experience gets the better runs. He definitely makes more money if he chooses to, or he has a really easy day if he chooses to. He gets first pick.

Seniority is EVERYTHING at a union company.

And yes, to the other responder. $40 per hour, with OT after 8.

 

Good speech! My first iron worker job, I walked into yard shop and asked for the owner. Got talkin about work and asked if he needed to see my certs, he said no just asked if I can work. Started the next morning 5am sharp. You make what you give. That’s how it should be. It’s important to have rising structure in the workplace. Innovation or pursuit of excellence would happen way less if everyone got the same.

I could go on and on about the proper way to structure the workplace of the trades. Many years of welding, I’ve learned pretty much all there is to know about how NOT to run a shop. Unionizing, in the current day would not be good.

 

Yeah I've worked as a welder myself a fair bit. Never have needed to be officially certified, although I could easily enough if I had to. About the only cert I wouldn't be confident in tryimg to get is my "R" stamp for welding on pressure vessels... I would have to do some studying for that one.

The other day a guy came into work and was talking to my boss about having a good welder. The boss pointed at me, then the guy said "But does it come with a warantee?" The boss just nodded and gave him the look that says "Oh yes it does." LOL, made me chuckle to myself.

 

AMEN...

 

The suggestion that a first day employee and a 20 year employee are "doing the same job" is the false assumption. The first day guy doesn't know the work flow, doesn't know when to let the support staff know he's going to run out of supplies, doesn't know that one of the boxes of supplies is the wrong grade, doesn't know when he has to hustle to keep others from standing around. He doesn't know what has priority to keep the customer from shutting down.

I can't let a first day employee go by himself, he needs more supervision, more coaching, more #####ing at. I can't move him into another job for an hour or two because he doesn't know it. I can't let him talk to a customer a bout solving a problem, because he doesn't even know there IS a problem, nor what to do about it. I can't get a first day man to do a work plan, an inventory, a production forecast or a supply order.

All that assuming he can do "the job" as fast, as well, as clean, as consistent as a 20 year veteran.

 

Welding is one of my favorite trade environments. Nothing beats the day better than a good project done clean.

warrantees are given by grinders, not welders. Lol

I’ve got my 6g cert, and various certs on stainless, aluminum, titanium, inconel (tube and sheet), only had to show proof once. The shop foreman usually only cares about a visual test and blueprint reading

 

Fun Fact about UPS even though they are a Teamster Union Shop that consistently pays the highest wages and benefits in the trucking industry, it's the most profitable company in the trucking industry and who’s stock price makes it the most valuable company in the industry with a market value 3 times higher then fedex.

 

One would hope, they had a 60 year head start.