My Thoughts on Strike

---This is a response to a previous poll and questions. Personally, this is the only way I see any positive outcome that would come from a strike.---

So many questions and so, so, many possible replies. I'll try to keep it simple and stay away from "what if."

My thoughts on a stike: Since we have not had a "pay raise" since the 1980 deregulation and truckers are not covered under federal employment law I would stand up for a strike.
The best way is to simply shut down where ever we are. At a dock, in a store parking lot, at a truck stop.
The downside is to a strike is our economy would see wild temporary inflation as goods become scarce (starting in about 3 days as local supplies dry up). So much for the "Just in time" deliveries companies are so fond of today. In about a week the economy would falter as people are unable to get to work because of fuel shortages. In a month all out chaos would ensue against truckers. About 2 weeks is all the economy could take.

The best way to do it: Safety and public support is at the top of my list. While blocking off Washington D.C. sounds good, shutting down the federal government would have an impact far beyond truckers and we lose public support. No federal paychecks sent out, dockets go unfinished, legislation is halted. We lose even though we got peoples attention. Not to mention the citations we get could bankrupt some drivers.
We shut down at shippers and receivers, nothing goes in and nothing goes out. The ones that need a wake up call are the one's that see first hand what we can do. They after all dictate our pay by what they are willing to pay to ship and receive from afar.
Truck stops would not care much as we will of course shop and eat there. They make out like bandits.
Shut down in parking lots. The public first hand see and hear our stories and we gain their support through sympathy. Hey it works for "feed the children" why not us?
The most we can get cited for is trespassing which is a misdemeanor in most areas and a small fine. Unlike impeding traffic and possibly causing an accident by shutting down on the D.C. by pass.

As for what I would demand: I can't argue very well for a pay increase as most of us make well above minimum wage. Based upon 60 miles per hour 7 cents per mile is federal minimum wage. 0.32 at 60 miles in 60 minutes is $19.20.
What I want to see changed is speed limiters taken off trucks and better training (standardized) for new people. No more CDL Mills. I believe training is set to become better in near future. However, no truck lane restrictions, no split speeds where we have to travel slower, and no parking restrictions (can't use) in rest areas.
Truth in advertising for companies. "Earn up to .41 per mile" is misleading to drivers (who don't know). Only to get there and find out they have to have 13 years experience to get that 41 cents. Use of the phrase "Best in the industry" needs to be held to the one actually voted best in the industry, by truckers. You get where I'm coming from on this, I hope.
I also want to see the scam of drivers having to pay to have freight loaded and off loaded because we don't have that states health card. Along with the scam of us having to pay for pallets to transport a load that was bought ad paid for by the receiver. ---think I'll charge my mailman 20 cents for delivering my mail tomorrow.---
I want to see idling laws relaxed or (wishful thinking) removed or mandated alternatives passed to companies. Mandated alternatives would be funded by states (not the fed) who have strict no idling laws. At the least I want the citation passed to the company and not the driver and the driver has to be protected from reprisal by the company. The company sent us there. The company did not provide alternative to idling. It's not the drivers fault for trying to get quality rest in a no idling state.
The border crossing program repealed and totally shutdown permenantly. All funding removed from the program immediately upon passing of legislation and the FMCSA and Director of the DOT removed from office for going against the directives of the program (as reported in Truckers News March and April edition).

I will sacrifice if there is support for this. Yet we need to band together and have real internal support. The last strike we got peoples attention with about 50,000 trucks shutting down. Many others slowing to 20 miles per hour.

Here is how I see we all know this thing is going to happen in a serious manner.
Everyone who wants change needs to write their congressman in a particular agreed upon month. Letters need to be standardized with identical demands. We write to every person on capitol hill not just our own representatives. A few hundred thousand letters flowing in, all in a month with the threat of no action taken will result in a shutdown on a particular day two months from now until legislative action is taken.
If we get a million (approximately half of all active CDL holders) congress will have to take notice. An actual shutdown may never have to take place if the letter gives a notice. HOWEVER, we cannot raise the battle colors and not follow through. Next time it happens they will not take us seriously and we as an industry get nothing once again.

In my opinion now is the time to make this happen. We have congressional elections coming up along with a presidential election. Truckers have some favorable press happening right now, we would be foolish to miss this opportunity.