ABF | Ernie Soehl, National Freight Director

Teamster 43Yrs

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Congratulations to Ernie Soehl on being named National Freight Director. Ernie fights for all our union brothers and sisters at all of our panels. He applies the contract fairly to all members. It's great that we finally have someone from the "east" fighting for our NMFA and Eastern Supplement. He does tell it like it is and you know where you stand when you ask him a question. All the armchair quarterback's that rail him really don't know him. Walk a mile in someone's shoes before you talk about that person. I've been to many panel hearings and saw firsthand how he handles himself and the companies listen when he speaks. Good Luck Ernie!
 
I look forward to seeing the fruits of his labors and he will get to show us soon enough. Our contract is up shortly and the time to get to it is near. I can just taste that week's vacation back and a nice raise in line with what Judy's been getting since we got screwed last round. But now you've got my expectations high so don't let me down.
 
He can't do any worse than Tyson Johnson.
I hear what you're saying but come on, you're old enough that you've seen it go from bad to worse in your days...even bad to staying bad in not good enough.
 
I don't know how it could get any worse. The NMFA is dead thanks to Hoffa and Hall. Any new freight company organizing will demand stand alone contracts similar to UPSF. Any further financial concessions will most likely be due to non union competition. Soehl will be fighting an up hill battle from a position of weakness due to republican control of everything.
 
And I recall thinking that the new dispatcher couldn't be any worse than the last one...until he was...
 
I agree with Teamster 43Yrs give him a chance. He can't do any worse than Tyson Johnson. I'll throw this out just for curiosity sake. What did Johnson do as freight director in the last 15 years?

By the answer to your question, not enough that anybody can remember. von.
 
Congratulations to Ernie Soehl on being named National Freight Director. Ernie fights for all our union brothers and sisters at all of our panels. He applies the contract fairly to all members. It's great that we finally have someone from the "east" fighting for our NMFA and Eastern Supplement. He does tell it like it is and you know where you stand when you ask him a question. All the armchair quarterback's that rail him really don't know him. Walk a mile in someone's shoes before you talk about that person. I've been to many panel hearings and saw firsthand how he handles himself and the companies listen when he speaks. Good Luck Ernie!

Well,.....He's there until he messes up so badly that even Mr. Hoffa will have to remove him,.....or his members vote him out.

As a Union Brother, I guess he has a chance coming. Having had prior dealings with him,....I'll sit here with my arms folded. Don't ask me for applause.....

If,.......( a big "If", in my opinion...)......Mr. Soehl rises to the responsibility of the job,........and quits giving away conditions,......and shows himself to be an advocate for the rank-and-file,......then I'll applaud him.

How about an example of working for the members? How about reversing the grievance decision about whether Holidays,....other than the two specifically named Holidays,.. are voluntary, and can not be forced from the bottom? That would be a good start....
 
Congratulations to Ernie Soehl on being named National Freight Director. Ernie fights for all our union brothers and sisters at all of our panels. He applies the contract fairly to all members. It's great that we finally have someone from the "east" fighting for our NMFA and Eastern Supplement. He does tell it like it is and you know where you stand when you ask him a question. All the armchair quarterback's that rail him really don't know him. Walk a mile in someone's shoes before you talk about that person. I've been to many panel hearings and saw firsthand how he handles himself and the companies listen when he speaks. Good Luck Ernie!
I don't know what Ernie Soehl you are talking about? I peddled freight on the same route with him back in the 70's when he worked for Red Star. Climbed up the ladder pretty fast, left one local became president of another? I'll just say I know 1 person, you must know another. Don't expect to much my friends because you will be sorely disappointed.
 
Just curious. I only been in union about 3 years so I was not around for this last contract will all the concessions. Has anyone looked at the new carhaul deal? Looks like they gained a little. Is that a glimmer of hope for us coming up on our contract?
 
Just curious. I only been in union about 3 years so I was not around for this last contract will all the concessions. Has anyone looked at the new carhaul deal? Looks like they gained a little. Is that a glimmer of hope for us coming up on our contract?


To tell you the truth, Brother,......Yes , that would be at least a "glimmer". But our carhauling Brothers have been at negotiations for ........ almost two? years...

I didn't know that they had a breakthrough in contract talks. I'll have to search the sites.....

But,, ALL of us in organized trucking should have good contracts,....... what with the ongoing LTL driver shortage, the increasingly larger pool of applicants who cannot pass the HAZ-MAT qualifications, the aging workforce.....

With all those factors, you have to work real hard at being a blithering idiot and a complete nincompoop........( And we had one of each.....)...... to negotiate a cut-rate contract.

On a side note, SAIA is moving into the Northeast, and their website is offering a starting wage of $26.41 for LTL .........Overtime after 45....

We were sadly duped, misled and lied to by both management ( to be expected)...... and our Union "leadership"..( highly disappointing).

So now ALL the non-Union companies are paying at least $2.00 an hour more than us..... That's their response to the driver shortage....

Yeah, yeah,.......I know, ..Our pension/overtime/ H& W puts us ahead of them in compensation............But if you were a new driver on the street looking to get into LTL for relief from the soul-grinding truckload companies,...........The first question you ask is:"What's your hourly rate?"......If it's the lowest of the bunch, they don't ask any other questions, and they move on....
 
Just to update you on carhaul. Sept 15 it expired now as of today we have a tenative agreement that will pass this time around. They finally got it thru their heads after 2 times of being voted down that we wouldn't accept it. Plain and simple made gains across the board in every area and in all years of the deal. 1600 signing (backpay) boner,full rate into the H,W&P (central states for me) For the life of me I can't figure why they would try to shove 2 contracts full of consessions and tell us "BEST CONTRACT EVER " gee the companys don't have any more to give in the piggy bank etc etc and Then come back with all the same we had and give the increases. So hopefully you all in freight can get a great deal also. "nuff said catch ya all on the back haul
 
To tell you the truth, Brother,......Yes , that would be at least a "glimmer". But our carhauling Brothers have been at negotiations for ........ almost two? years...

I didn't know that they had a breakthrough in contract talks. I'll have to search the sites.....

But,, ALL of us in organized trucking should have good contracts,....... what with the ongoing LTL driver shortage, the increasingly larger pool of applicants who cannot pass the HAZ-MAT qualifications, the aging workforce.....

With all those factors, you have to work real hard at being a blithering idiot and a complete nincompoop........( And we had one of each.....)...... to negotiate a cut-rate contract.

On a side note, SAIA is moving into the Northeast, and their website is offering a starting wage of $26.41 for LTL .........Overtime after 45....

We were sadly duped, misled and lied to by both management ( to be expected)...... and our Union "leadership"..( highly disappointing).

So now ALL the non-Union companies are paying at least $2.00 an hour more than us..... That's their response to the driver shortage....

Yeah, yeah,.......I know, ..Our pension/overtime/ H& W puts us ahead of them in compensation............But if you were a new driver on the street looking to get into LTL for relief from the soul-grinding truckload companies,...........The first question you ask is:"What's your hourly rate?"......If it's the lowest of the bunch, they don't ask any other questions, and they move on....
http://theweek.com/articles/681868/big-labors-diminishing-clout
 
Just to update you on carhaul. Sept 15 it expired now as of today we have a tenative agreement that will pass this time around. They finally got it thru their heads after 2 times of being voted down that we wouldn't accept it. Plain and simple made gains across the board in every area and in all years of the deal. 1600 signing (backpay) boner,full rate into the H,W&P (central states for me) For the life of me I can't figure why they would try to shove 2 contracts full of consessions and tell us "BEST CONTRACT EVER " gee the companys don't have any more to give in the piggy bank etc etc and Then come back with all the same we had and give the increases. So hopefully you all in freight can get a great deal also. "nuff said catch ya all on the back haul

I hope so too, 00. The last ABF contract was garbage! My picket sign is ready.
 
Apparently, Mr. John Murphy was chosen to fill Ernie Soehl's place. The interesting one will be who takes over the Central States freight director, as one of the Zuckerman slate won the Local of the former director. I don't have the names of these guys, I just had a quick talk with my BA and I didn't remember exactly who the people are. Don't want to get it wrong. Anyone from Central States give us an update?
 
There is an unconfirmed story from a reliable source that Volpe Express is in dire straights and has ceased making pension payments. IF this story is true what is Ernie doing about it? Is he permitting the company to continue operating while the men accrue pension benefits without collecting to funds to the detriment of yet another pension fund?
 
There is an unconfirmed story from a reliable source that Volpe Express is in dire straights and has ceased making pension payments. IF this story is true what is Ernie doing about it? Is he permitting the company to continue operating while the men accrue pension benefits without collecting to funds to the detriment of yet another pension fund?
Since I don't know the details of the Volpe situation I won't give an opinion on it. But I do wonder what you expect Ernie to do? Should he do Volpe a favor and pull the men out on strike? Wouldn't that give Volpe an easy out like the Red Star walkout called by Hoffa and Co Shouldn't it be up to the Volpe Teamsters, their local union, and their pension fund to try and work out a solution with the company? I really don't know so I'm asking for your opinion.
 
Since I don't know the details of the Volpe situation I won't give an opinion on it. But I do wonder what you expect Ernie to do? Should he do Volpe a favor and pull the men out on strike? Wouldn't that give Volpe an easy out like the Red Star walkout called by Hoffa and Co Shouldn't it be up to the Volpe Teamsters, their local union, and their pension fund to try and work out a solution with the company? I really don't know so I'm asking for your opinion.

Thirty years ago the picket line would have already been at the gate.
 
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