Why can't a lawyer make a class action suit?

Seem's to me that in this age of lawsuits. That a slick lawyer couldn't make a class action lawsuit against each/all of the trucking companies that are really bad. Swift for instance or JB Hunt would be 2 great starting points.
Get ex-drivers that can document how these companies ripped them off, terminated wrongfully or otherwise violated drivers rights. File the lawsuit naming the faults and just keep adding drivers to the case. If one or two companies were made to pay millions of dollars in damages. The lawyer would get his usual 1/3 and other companies would take note. Straighten up or lose alot.
Just brain stroming here. But something really should be done to stop the mistreatment of truckers.
Think about it. I bet every trucker has been ripped off by a company at one time or another. Most have quit to avoid being fired or been fired for really no valid reason.
How many companies don't pay detention or has such strict rules that you lose money sitting. Turn in receipts that they claim they never got. And lets not forget that we have Big Brother looking over our shoulder every mile we travel. Not one other profession that I know of has so many regulatory officials looking at our every move.
How many companies pay short miles that you can't even run. PCMILER can be off as much as 20% of actual trip miles. That means for every 1000 miles you run you can be getting ripped off 200 miles of pay. Granted it is usually less, but even at 10% its a 100 miles 300 miles a week or $100+ this translates to over $5k/ year that you are not getting as a company driver. For an owner Op that translates to over 15k/ year.
Isn't it time that we stood up for ourselves and did something about it?

 

It's simple, Lawyers are not a "class" they are individuals. Now if they could round up drivers, they would have a class.

 

I believe there are some class-action suits in the works right now involving the mileage pay. The real question is why every lawsuit is allowed to take forever and a day?

 

I've filled out a few applications recently for truckin' jobs and I noticed a paragraph in them that says something to the effect that if hired you can terminate your employment there for any reason at any time and they can terminate your employment there for any reason at any time. The appplicant is then asked to sign off on that. That's probably how trucking companies can get away with about 90% of the #### that they do.

 

It is called being an "At will employee". That is what the whole right to work debate was all about. Some of us prefer it that way.

 

I'd rather it read that I have the right to terminate my employment there at any time for any reason, but the trucking company would have to have a #### good reason to be able boot me.

 

Just look how long covenant took advantage of its drivers who got hurt on the job by forcing them to sign a form stating they couldnt use workers comp if they were to get injured, thank goodness the courts straightened that crap out for them this year.
But yes it took a legal battle for a "christian" company to do the right thing.

 

A class action must be court approved
Also it has to have a clear definition, so you cant just put a huge list of things and go for them all
Each item would need to be handled separately

 

Oh that would be GREAT. But, like the other posters have said...trucking companies are REALLY slick, some of the slickest jokers in the world, period. I have NEVER seen and industry, like trucking, that is EXPERT at screwing their employees and getting away with it....EVER.

 

Go to work the last company I worked for, Dish Network. Great product, but the company treats workers like crap. They won't let you hang up on customers, but the ONLY way to reach their top performance is to hang up on customers. And if you don't make the tops of the list, you're blackballed. Promotions don't come, you're not given any help. That place is the worst. Their customers are the nastiest people I have met, at least the ones that call in with problems, or can't their way. I don't think much could be worse than Dish.