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ABF | New Vacation Policy at ABF

MJG8

MJG8

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Are there any other terminals having problems hiring and or keeping new hires due to the new vacation policy? If you don't know, new hires have to work 2 years to get 1 week of vacation. Looking for candid feedback only.

I, myself, have hired multiple people only to have them deny employment. When interviewing for employees there are 3 questions I ask which tell me whether or not I want to continue the interview;
1. Are you willing to work the dock?
2. Are you willing to work 2nd or 3rd shift?
3. Are you willing to work 2 years for 1 week of vacation?

The 3rd question seems to be the deal breaker in most if not all cases.

By the way, I am hiring full time drivers and let them know that as well. On 30-day probation the 1st punch still doesn't seem to be enticing enough.

I appreciate the feedback.

Disclaimer:
Just so everyone is clear, these cements or posts are not on behalf of ABF Freight System, Inc.
These are solely my opinions, comments, and experiences with this subject matter.


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I am happy to hear that you ask these questions up front. It would be an unpleasant experience to find these things out later. I can think of a few others but I know it's your job to hire people not convince them that this is not the place to work. I expected that vacation thing to be a non starter for many new hires and would like to hear how it pans out. Who wants to go over 2 years with no vacation? I say, "Over two years", because you're eligible after two years. Then you have to wait until your 'seniority' lets you get a week. Hope they like skiing or maybe since they will not have wasted money on vacation for two years they can travel to the southern hemisphere. I hear Rio De Janiero is awesome in February.
 
MJG8 said:
Are there any other terminals having problems hiring and or keeping new hires due to the new vacation policy? If you don't know, new hires have to work 2 years to get 1 week of vacation. Looking for candid feedback only.

I, myself, have hired multiple people only to have them deny employment. When interviewing for employees there are 3 questions I ask which tell me whether or not I want to continue the interview;
1. Are you willing to work the dock?
2. Are you willing to work 2nd or 3rd shift?
3. Are you willing to work 2 years for 1 week of vacation?

The 3rd question seems to be the deal breaker in most if not all cases.

By the way, I am hiring full time drivers and let them know that as well. On 30-day probation the 1st punch still doesn't seem to be enticing enough.

I appreciate the feedback.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
We had a person stay with yrc because of this.... nice job abf you were the big winner of the contract....
 
Don't take this wrong my fellow ex teamster brothers and sisters but how can you vote something like this in your contract have you forgot how hard and long that first year was is it because your past that first year and it's never going to happen to you.It reminds of the late 80s early 90s and the 85percent catch up pay was voted in and the older members that voted it in and their thinking was it was never going to happen to them but guess what it did happen to lot them having to start back at the bottom at 85percent pay with 25/ 30 years in the freight business and here's hoping it never happen it to any of you all and you never have to start over.
 
Jumbo101 said:
What do you mean by "On 30 day probation the 1st punch still doesn't seem to be enticing enough"?
Click to expand...

Instead of working as a casual, I am making the commitment of hiring full time right away.


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excfman said:
Don't take this wrong my fellow ex teamster brothers and sisters but how can you vote something like this in your contract have you forgot how hard and long that first year was is it because your past that first year and it's never going to happen to you.It reminds of the late 80s early 90s and the 85percent catch up pay was voted in and the older members that voted it in and their thinking was it was never going to happen to them but guess what it did happen to lot them having to start back at the bottom at 85percent pay with 25/ 30 years in the freight business and here's hoping it never happen it to any of you all and you never have to start over.
Click to expand...

As a company, we have to be able to compete with our major and minor competitors.


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MJG8 said:
As a company, we have to be able to compete with our major and minor competitors.


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Click to expand...

All due respect, but there had to be other ways to compete... I would have to think very hard before I would go 2 years without a vacation... Working 8 years for my 2nd. week is for some a deal breaker too... In my opinion ABF is going to have a hard time recruiting new people and keeping them for long term... Every terminal I know is trying to hire without success, so you are getting a older workforce working maximum hours...
 
We're being allowed to take a weeks vacation unpaid or use of sick days or P.H.'s as long as it meets the 10 percent rule of the contract. Start a vacation fund by throwing a couple bucks in a jar every week and by the time vacation rolls around you'll have a few bucks and it won't hurt as much. I know it sucks but it's a alternative for lossing a weeks vacation!
 
It's my understanding that it wasn't the companies idea but the IBT to sweeten the deal. ABF wanted 9% back the first year and the IBT said no! But how about we give you7% and a weeks vacation. They agreed and here we are!
 
AkitaDog said:
We're being allowed to take a weeks vacation unpaid or use of sick days or P.H.'s as long as it meets the 10 percent rule of the contract. Start a vacation fund by throwing a couple bucks in a jar every week and by the time vacation rolls around you'll have a few bucks and it won't hurt as much. I know it sucks but it's a alternative for lossing a weeks vacation!
Click to expand...

You are being allowed to take 5 days unpaid? Can you take all 5 days on a row or does it have to be taken as single days? Is your location not under the 12% vacation rule?


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papajohn said:
All due respect, but there had to be other ways to compete... I would have to think very hard before I would go 2 years without a vacation... Working 8 years for my 2nd. week is for some a deal breaker too... In my opinion ABF is going to have a hard time recruiting new people and keeping them for long term... Every terminal I know is trying to hire without success, so you are getting a older workforce working maximum hours...
Click to expand...

That`s the thing for me too,that 8 yrs to get 2 weeks. Also I thought you got your sick days right away but you have to wait till January 1st for that too. ABF has to do something to address this ,maybe at least offer some unpaid time off? I know how that would go, though ,everyone would want the unpaid time as well as their vacation, so that probably would`nt work either. The way I understand it is the company can always offer something better to the employees than what is in the contract( ie adding vacation time) but that would require some kind of langauge changes.

Hey MJG8, has any of this been brought up at a corporate level?
 
AkitaDog said:
It's my understanding that it wasn't the companies idea but the IBT to sweeten the deal. ABF wanted 9% back the first year and the IBT said no! But how about we give you7% and a weeks vacation. They agreed and here we are!
Click to expand...

That is my understanding also. I think the company tried to negotiate the sick days instead of the 1 week of vacation. Either way, it still poses a challenge for hiring good quality drivers.


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AkitaDog said:
We're being allowed to take a weeks vacation unpaid or use of sick days or P.H.'s as long as it meets the 10 percent rule of the contract. Start a vacation fund by throwing a couple bucks in a jar every week and by the time vacation rolls around you'll have a few bucks and it won't hurt as much. I know it sucks but it's a alternative for lossing a weeks vacation!
Click to expand...

I would definitely consider taking a job at ABF if they allowed this. So far that has not been brought up as a option were I applied.
 
flat top said:
That`s the thing for me too,that 8 yrs to get 2 weeks. Also I thought you got your sick days right away but you have to wait till January 1st for that too. ABF has to do something to address this ,maybe at least offer some unpaid time off? I know how that would go, though ,everyone would want the unpaid time as well as their vacation, so that probably would`nt work either. The way I understand it is the company can always offer something better to the employees than what is in the contract( ie adding vacation time) but that would require some kind of langauge changes.

Hey MJG8, has any of this been brought up at a corporate level?
Click to expand...

What you have to remember, is that the 2 weeks after 8 years of service will not come into play with the current contract. Who knows what the next contract will bring for all involved.
I do know that corporate is aware of this issue bit do not know if changes will be made.


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MJG8 said:
What you have to remember, is that the 2 weeks after 8 years of service will not come into play with the current contract. Who knows what the next contract will bring for all involved.
I do know that corporate is aware of this issue bit do not know if changes will be made.


You are correct changes could come, but I know from personal experience, in the union ,that getting anything back is next to impossible
Click to expand...
 
I'm in my mid 30's, been with my current employer, a smaller regional LTL for almost 8 years, have 750,000 miles in that time accident free running linehaul. I'd like to think I'd be someone ABF or any other carrier would love to hire......

BUT.....
There's no way I'd give up my 3 weeks vacation and week of personal days, go 2 years with no vacation for a few more cents a mile, isn't worth it.
 
excfman said:
Don't take this wrong my fellow ex teamster brothers and sisters but how can you vote something like this in your contract have you forgot how hard and long that first year was is it because your past that first year and it's never going to happen to you.It reminds of the late 80s early 90s and the 85percent catch up pay was voted in and the older members that voted it in and their thinking was it was never going to happen to them but guess what it did happen to lot them having to start back at the bottom at 85percent pay with 25/ 30 years in the freight business and here's hoping it never happen it to any of you all and you never have to start over.
Click to expand...

How else, back in the 80's, would the union have been able to try and compete with the ever growing number of non union LTLs? Looking back I wished the IBT had been honest with us and done more to compete with the larger nons like FedEx. Maybe then we might still have a NMFA and some negotiating power.
 
Rodedog said:
I'm in my mid 30's, been with my current employer, a smaller regional LTL for almost 8 years, have 750,000 miles in that time accident free running linehaul. I'd like to think I'd be someone ABF or any other carrier would love to hire......

BUT.....
There's no way I'd give up my 3 weeks vacation and week of personal days, go 2 years with no vacation for a few more cents a mile, isn't worth it.
Click to expand...

The way the contract is now I think the only qualified workers applying to ABF will be older people looking for a days pay while they feed their pensions. I think it would be more cost efficient for ABF to sweeten the vacation package than all the extra workman's comp claims that could go with 60 year old workers.
 
MJG8 said:
What you have to remember, is that the 2 weeks after 8 years of service will not come into play with the current contract. Who knows what the next contract will bring for all involved.
I do know that corporate is aware of this issue bit do not know if changes will be made.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

The 2 weeks vacation come into play right now for everybody who does not have 8 years seniority with the company... If you mean only for new hires, then yes they won't have to worry about it till next contract... But from my experience once you have given up something up...you may never get it back... If the company wants to be able to hire qualified employee's then they may want to re-think their position about vacations. You will always be better off with happy employee's that care and want to see their company be successful!!!
 
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