What's new

ABF | How Long Will It Take To Realize What is Happening?

6PakAbs

6PakAbs

TB Veteran
Credits
26
OK..the bar is set..groundwork laid to rid ArcBest of the ABF burden and CPSF..Why?
The logistics branch exists and handing out time critical to Panther...Move Builder exists and handing out U-Packs to OD and Estes..who knows how much business is being given to other carriers through the logistics division? You can bet quite a lot..So, the Logistics division does not need good ole ABF and its burden. So, bury your head in the sand and pretend it ain't so.
You might think, well I will ride this horse until the end, and that is what I am planning on doing. You might think..well there is a truck driver shortage and I can always get on with another carrier...Yes, you might get on with a truckload carrier or foodservice, but another non union would think twice about hiring a Teamster! OK, you heard it here..Melno Logistics already set the model for Judy to follow...and I don't agree with anyone that says they did it because Con-Way was in place at the time. Our logistics division is in place!
 
6PakAbs said:
OK..the bar is set..groundwork laid to rid ArcBest of the ABF burden and CPSF..Why?
The logistics branch exists and handing out time critical to Panther...Move Builder exists and handing out U-Packs to OD and Estes..who knows how much business is being given to other carriers through the logistics division? You can bet quite a lot..So, the Logistics division does not need good ole ABF and its burden. So, bury your head in the sand and pretend it ain't so.
You might think, well I will ride this horse until the end, and that is what I am planning on doing. You might think..well there is a truck driver shortage and I can always get on with another carrier...Yes, you might get on with a truckload carrier or foodservice, but another non union would think twice about hiring a Teamster! OK, you heard it here..Melno Logistics already set the model for Judy to follow...and I don't agree with anyone that says they did it because Con-Way was in place at the time. Our logistics division is in place!
Click to expand...
I've worked for plenty on non union companies while laid off from YRCW the 10 or more times I took a beating from them. No one(company) fears the union anymore. Not in freight anyway.
 
SAC75 said:
I've worked for plenty on non union companies while laid off from YRCW the 10 or more times I took a beating from them. No one(company) fears the union anymore. Not in freight anyway.
Click to expand...
I know it is a case by case situation, but one that needs to be pondered. I agree, no one fears the big bad Teamsters anymore
 
SAC75 said:
I've worked for plenty on non union companies while laid off from YRCW the 10 or more times I took a beating from them. No one(company) fears the union anymore. Not in freight anyway.
Click to expand...
Yep....driver shortage....no one cares as long as you have a good record and can pass a drug test. If they care they wont very shortly.
I predict it wont be ABF, or Arcbest or whatever they call it this week, putting us out of buisiness....It will be the lack of drivers that does in ABF.
 
Boilerpeddle said:
Yep....driver shortage....no one cares as long as you have a good record and can pass a drug test. If they care they wont very shortly.
I predict it wont be ABF, or Arcbest or whatever they call it this week, putting us out of buisiness....It will be the lack of drivers that does in ABF.
Click to expand...
I would rather see the lack of workers be the reason for their demise than any other reason. Ever since Robert Young III left they have done nothing but demonstrate a lack of respect for their drivers. They don't need us, we need them is their not-so-new attitude.
 
Boilerpeddle said:
Yep....driver shortage....no one cares as long as you have a good record and can pass a drug test. If they care they wont very shortly.
I predict it wont be ABF, or Arcbest or whatever they call it this week, putting us out of buisiness....It will be the lack of drivers that does in ABF.
Click to expand...


Absolutely right......... Our pay cut, and vacation fiasco means that all the non-Union companies immediately took advantage of that "misstep",.....raised their wages and kept their vacation qualifications so they looked slightly better than the Teamsters companies,..........and subsequently Hoovered up all the available GOOD CDL-qualified drivers out there........

What's left to be hired is truck school graduates, marginally-qualified drivers,....and the occasional experienced CDL holder who fell through the cracks........

And,....This is right after ABF admitted during contract talks last time that "75% of their workforce was within 5 years of retirement".

And,......Here we are,....5 years later........

So,......What's the Plan for replacing all that LTL experience they are going to lose very shortly,....if they haven't already lost a critical amount?

Ya ain't hiring it off the street,.....your pay/vacation package insured anyone with experience/smarts/LTL experience went to the non-Unions....

Ya ain't getting it fast enough out of truck driving schools.........takes about 5 years to become a cost-effective LTL man,.....I don't care how good of a driver you are..........you can't TEACH LTL,.....you can LEARN it,....and it takes roughly 5 years.......(TIP for management: There's TWO different jobs here,.......truck driving AND LTL freight,.........and your school is only teaching......truck driving.....)

Your "Quality Process" is going to suffer greatly very very shortly.........

A Suggestion? How about negotiating the best benefit and wage package in the history of the Teamsters? Pension protection,......wages as high as UPS Feeder drivers (over $32.00 an hour at last check.....)...Restore,...and ADD vacation and paid time off.......Do something that MOST non-Unions do...PAY for HAZ-MAT endorsement on CDL.......

Maybe,......Just maybe,.........you might just barely reverse the flow of experienced LTL guys to the nons.....maybe just barely in time to retain any sort of competency of reputation of your "brand",.........and control costs and liability with experienced LTL guys............

But what the Hell do I know, huh? I'm just a Big Dummy truck driver........
 
canaryinthemine said:
Absolutely right......... Our pay cut, and vacation fiasco means that all the non-Union companies immediately took advantage of that "misstep",.....raised their wages and kept their vacation qualifications so they looked slightly better than the Teamsters companies,..........and subsequently Hoovered up all the available GOOD CDL-qualified drivers out there........

What's left to be hired is truck school graduates, marginally-qualified drivers,....and the occasional experienced CDL holder who fell through the cracks........

And,....This is right after ABF admitted during contract talks last time that "75% of their workforce was within 5 years of retirement".

And,......Here we are,....5 years later........

So,......What's the Plan for replacing all that LTL experience they are going to lose very shortly,....if they haven't already lost a critical amount?

Ya ain't hiring it off the street,.....your pay/vacation package insured anyone with experience/smarts/LTL experience went to the non-Unions....

Ya ain't getting it fast enough out of truck driving schools.........takes about 5 years to become a cost-effective LTL man,.....I don't care how good of a driver you are..........you can't TEACH LTL,.....you can LEARN it,....and it takes roughly 5 years.......(TIP for management: There's TWO different jobs here,.......truck driving AND LTL freight,.........and your school is only teaching......truck driving.....)

Your "Quality Process" is going to suffer greatly very very shortly.........

A Suggestion? How about negotiating the best benefit and wage package in the history of the Teamsters? Pension protection,......wages as high as UPS Feeder drivers (over $32.00 an hour at last check.....)...Restore,...and ADD vacation and paid time off.......Do something that MOST non-Unions do...PAY for HAZ-MAT endorsement on CDL.......

Maybe,......Just maybe,.........you might just barely reverse the flow of experienced LTL guys to the nons.....maybe just barely in time to retain any sort of competency of reputation of your "brand",.........and control costs and liability with experienced LTL guys............

But what the Hell do I know, huh? I'm just a Big Dummy truck driver........
Click to expand...
*cough*about 36 an hour*cough*
 
The only problem with all of this "make ABF great again" talk is that they still have to compete with YRC and the other LTL companies who are able to haul freight cheaper.

Believe me, as a former driver, I am all about making your lives better. I would love for you guys to get a sweetheart contract. But unfortunately, the writing is on the wall. You voted in that red circle language that allows the company to run around the junior guys, and so you have essentially voted in two-tiered wages in the form of Union protection. ABF will never be the company it was for you guys again. The pool of Union drivers will shrink and shrink, while the amount of freight that goes to the purchased transportation will only increase. Because the members voted to allow it to happen.

I hate to sound all gloom and doom, gentlemen, but there's a big reason why I am no longer there. I was never as social as some of the other drivers; hell, I'm pretty sure most of the guys in the Chicago don't even remember me. But I'm a thinker. My wife would say an over-thinker. And in my opinion, the writing is in dayglow all over the walls.

Tick tock?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

But I wasn't willing to risk it.
 
ABFer said:
I fixed it for ya. And in two weeks you'll be so far behind technologically you won't be able to run a route. :hilarious:
Click to expand...

Thank you, Brother......Are you saying that my dial-up AOL-supported Internet service through my rotary dial landline will be outdated in about two weeks?

Yaas.......I'm already nostalgic for old trucks,.....I spend hours on the computer looking at old truck pictures........Hardly any have bikini-clad young women in front of them.........
 
Boilerpeddle said:
Yep....driver shortage....no one cares as long as you have a good record and can pass a drug test. If they care they wont very shortly.
I predict it wont be ABF, or Arcbest or whatever they call it this week, putting us out of buisiness....It will be the lack of drivers that does in ABF.
Click to expand...
Not here. There's a line to get in..
 
6PakAbs said:
well, I bet the personal injury lawyers that bombard the TV each day will see $$ signs over the self driving trucks...what do ya think?
Click to expand...
I think that the jury is still out on this one and we shall see.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top