Deregulation and Unionization

At one time almost all the owner op steel haulers we're around here if you were going to the city. They don't like it when a non union guy shows up to a union job site. My dad had 10 years in it. Union benefits and all

 

Log haulers used to be the same way. Not sure if they still are.

 

Nope

the customer sets the amount they will pay through the market, period.

this industry is huge, there is money around every corner but it is also customer centric, we can not live without the customer - notice I am not saying shipper, they don’t always pay for the shipment.

the customer sets the rates by demand of performance, they agree on a price overall when they are given a rate but will adjust their shipments to fit their needs, like consolidation and using different services to get product delivered, which is what you don’t want.

An owner or carrier or broker can’t make demands that they will haul for a larger rate than the market. The market adjusts to the customers needs, not the owner or carrier or brokers needs.

This downward pricing is one reason why the fuel surcharge is being used, to adjust the revenue to keep carriers running without the shock to the market in order to prevent other services to be used.

 

I'm not sure what you and other drivers call poor conditions. It could be a hell of a lot worse. This is probably the easiest job I've ever had.

 

A typical Teamster Contract used to have full pay parity in 18 mos. I think that’s a fair amount of time. Parity started getting extended, usually up to 36 mos. Along with 2 tier pay rates, These things were initially negotiated in return for keeping Health benefits. Literally pitting the Older Members against the newer members. This was the beginning of the end. Greed always wins. Plenty of blame to go around. The Unions caused their own demise. Greed, corruption, by Leadership. Selfish Members, selling out the new Workers. It all adds up to a big mess. Too bad. Union Drivers had it pretty good. Everyone involved got greedy. Putting personal short term gain above long term survival. Trucking is microcosm of Unionism, pros and cons. Probably the best example ever, is the Teamsters. They literally imploded, with no one to blame but themselves. From the Corruption at the top down to the Drivers themselves.

 

AMEN!!!!!

 

That's interesting... You said TOP PAY was $34.26 when you left and claim the average today is $40. My quick little dip into some numbers says that the average delivery driver for UPS in my state makes $20.62. FedEx averages $20 here. The UPS guy now also has to pay $51.55/month to the union, whereas the FedEx guy doesn't. That's essentially 30 cents off his hourly pay, making it only $20.32.

Not saying the UPS guy isn't making more, but your claim is nearly twice the realistic number today. Its only $0.32/hour more, not $20.

 

Top pay for UPS are the ones that drive the feeder trucks, not the ones driving delivery vans.

 

maybe a part time driver is driving for $20 an hour but for your state MN UPS is under Teamsters Local 638 but full time drives start at close to $30 and top out at $42 after three years with their health insurance paid for their family by UPS and a full pension for all drivers. This includes the local UPS guy dropping parcels off at you home or business full time not part time drivers. Again you can look up the UPS Teamsters contract for local 638 it’s online.

 

I don't usually have a local UPS driver dropping packages at home or work. It would seem they have found a loophole and are using contractors in their personal vans and SUVs. The last few UPS deliveries I had came from a guy in his personal Tahoe.

 

Your right, saw that too here in Texas... sad very sad.