ABF | be prepared

as for my motive, i am just putting out some info so everyone has the a good perspective when the time comes to vote.

Your pushing a little to hard just to give your opinion, it's almost as if you have a stake in the results of our contact, if I was just wanting to pass info, I would give it and let those involved decide.
 
as for my motive, i am just putting out some info so everyone has the a good perspective when the time comes to vote.
Why would a person who works for R&L be so worried about ABF and YRC Teamsters and their contract talks? Like I said before it seems to me like you have a big grudge against the union ex driver with 20 years service.
 
Why would a person who works for R&L be so worried about ABF and YRC Teamsters and their contract talks? Like I said before it seems to me like you have a big grudge against the union ex driver with 20 years service.
There are posters on some of the forums that have very big grudges against unions.
 
There are posters on some of the forums that have very big grudges against unions.

Being in a Union operation is an intelligence test...especially in freight. After de-regulation caused many carriers to fall by the wayside, quite a few of us had many choices for employment, both Union and non-Union. If...you felt you were a pretty good driver, and you wanted the best wages, the best pension, and the best liability protection in the industry, you worked real hard to get hired by a union carrier. Sometimes you had to do it more than once,...but you felt you and your family deserved the best. However....if you are not qualified...or too stupid....or too ignorant....then you choose a carrier that pays less, has little or no pension, and will not put it in writing that when you have a legal problem doing your companies' business, they will take care of your court costs and liabilities up to and including paying your wage and keeping you on the payroll even if you lose your license. That's the "intelligence test" part. Many non-union drivers, when they finally realize they've failed the intelligence test in trucking, get a real big chip on their collective shoulder, and hope and pray that the Union carrier that refused to hire them goes bankrupt. Of course they don't realize that when the last union carrier bites the dust...then wages and benefits and conditions in the non-Union LTL side will start swirling round inside that big wage toilet bowl,..and down they go. Want proof? Look at the 100% non-Union truckload side. Near as I can figure out, the wages are averaging $11.00 an hour for a 70 hour work week. That's what Corporate Big Business feels that truck drivers are worth,....and the non-Unions will find this out quickly if we lose our resolve and take a concessionary contract. All the non-Unions took pay cuts when YRC took a pay cut, and they only got their pay cut back because ABF DIDN'T take a pay cut. If we do it this time....the non-Unions will find their pay/benefit cuts to be permanent. So....wipe that snickering grin off your faces non-Union drivers. You've got more of a "dog in this fight" than you realize. Of course, it's a little too late now to grow some testicles and organize.....all you can do is sit back and hold your collective breath,...and hope ABF employees call management's bluff. We're negotiating for everyone in the trucking industry, now. How does it feel to have your future paychecks in someone else's hands?
 
if you have 30 yr and 65 YOU ARE SELFISH . go head vote no .I thank you because it will help me get back to work at yrc frieght

Brother Mikee...I understand your frustration...you are probably at the bottom of the board, and have a young family to feed. You have to remember, though,...if a Brother is 65 years old and still working...it is because his choice to do so was a hard-fought right. There isn't a company out there that wouldn't like to replace that crotchety, old, slow geezer with high vacation time and back pains galore,...with one of you young, springy , low vacation, wage progression eager beavers.....and the only thing that keeps the employers from doing so is our contract. Go talk to some older non-Union guys. If they'll admit it, they will tell you the older they get ,...the more "butt-kissing" they do just so they don't get fired for ....Ahem..."low productivity" under Employment-at-Will rules. Seniority in a non-union barn is only as good as your personal relationship with your Terminal Manager. Be proud you're in a Union barn that fights for the rights of older employees. Someday....far in the future, Brother,....you'll be glad you did.
 
Being in a Union operation is an intelligence test...especially in freight. After de-regulation caused many carriers to fall by the wayside, quite a few of us had many choices for employment, both Union and non-Union. If...you felt you were a pretty good driver, and you wanted the best wages, the best pension, and the best liability protection in the industry, you worked real hard to get hired by a union carrier. Sometimes you had to do it more than once,...but you felt you and your family deserved the best. However....if you are not qualified...or too stupid....or too ignorant....then you choose a carrier that pays less, has little or no pension, and will not put it in writing that when you have a legal problem doing your companies' business, they will take care of your court costs and liabilities up to and including paying your wage and keeping you on the payroll even if you lose your license. That's the "intelligence test" part. Many non-union drivers, when they finally realize they've failed the intelligence test in trucking, get a real big chip on their collective shoulder, and hope and pray that the Union carrier that refused to hire them goes bankrupt. Of course they don't realize that when the last union carrier bites the dust...then wages and benefits and conditions in the non-Union LTL side will start swirling round inside that big wage toilet bowl,..and down they go. Want proof? Look at the 100% non-Union truckload side. Near as I can figure out, the wages are averaging $11.00 an hour for a 70 hour work week. That's what Corporate Big Business feels that truck drivers are worth,....and the non-Unions will find this out quickly if we lose our resolve and take a concessionary contract. All the non-Unions took pay cuts when YRC took a pay cut, and they only got their pay cut back because ABF DIDN'T take a pay cut. If we do it this time....the non-Unions will find their pay/benefit cuts to be permanent. So....wipe that snickering grin off your faces non-Union drivers. You've got more of a "dog in this fight" than you realize. Of course, it's a little too late now to grow some testicles and organize.....all you can do is sit back and hold your collective breath,...and hope ABF employees call management's bluff. We're negotiating for everyone in the trucking industry, now. How does it feel to have your future paychecks in someone else's hands?
Great post!! Did you read that ex driver!:butt kiss::17113:
 
There are posters on some of the forums that have very big grudges against unions.
Yea they have no idea that it's the unions who got rid of the diesel forklifts along with other improving other standards.
 
Great post!! Did you read that ex driver!:butt kiss::17113:

yep. the post on r&l was afriend of mine new to tb using my name, i am outta trucking. to start some time soon the union will ask for a strike vote, right. this will pass. come mid febuary, salesmen from competitors will be spreading the strike rumor, trying to get shippers on board early to avoid any problems. by early march freight will slowly start going to the competition to avoid any chance of delays. if there is no tentative agreement by the end of march abf freight levels will be down 40%. not good. april will be tough as shippers see if you get and extension. if you strike all freight will be lost and never comeback. the ibt set this up. you can not win when you stand alone. remember you last vote was not on a contract. there were no strike implications like now.
 
if you have 30 yr and 65 YOU ARE SELFISH . go head vote no .I thank you because it will help me get back to work at yrc frieght
I have never understood the my needs are more important than yours type of thinking.
 
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yep. the post on r&l was afriend of mine new to tb using my name, i am outta trucking. to start some time soon the union will ask for a strike vote, right. this will pass. come mid febuary, salesmen from competitors will be spreading the strike rumor, trying to get shippers on board early to avoid any problems. by early march freight will slowly start going to the competition to avoid any chance of delays. if there is no tentative agreement by the end of march abf freight levels will be down 40%. not good. april will be tough as shippers see if you get and extension. if you strike all freight will be lost and never comeback. the ibt set this up. you can not win when you stand alone. remember you last vote was not on a contract. there were no strike implications like now.
I can see why your a ex-driver!
 
I can see why your a ex-driver!

i have heard nothing but narrow minded non - sense. he is plunger he is management. it happened to me. 20 years down the toilet. no strike authorization was given. stood on the picket line while all other companies were working. it lasted one day. all for 8 office workers not covered by contract, 2000 teamsters out of work . be mindful of what you are told. i have only given you the real probabilities.
 
yep. the post on r&l was afriend of mine new to tb using my name, i am outta trucking. to start some time soon the union will ask for a strike vote, right. this will pass. come mid febuary, salesmen from competitors will be spreading the strike rumor, trying to get shippers on board early to avoid any problems. by early march freight will slowly start going to the competition to avoid any chance of delays. if there is no tentative agreement by the end of march abf freight levels will be down 40%. not good. april will be tough as shippers see if you get and extension. if you strike all freight will be lost and never comeback. the ibt set this up. you can not win when you stand alone. remember you last vote was not on a contract. there were no strike implications like now.
Outta trucking, spending your time on here spreading your garbage...I'm not buying it.
 
i have heard nothing but narrow minded non - sense. he is plunger he is management. it happened to me. 20 years down the toilet. no strike authorization was given. stood on the picket line while all other companies were working. it lasted one day. all for 8 office workers not covered by contract, 2000 teamsters out of work . be mindful of what you are told. i have only given you the real probabilities.
You don't really believe it was about those eight people do you?
The Local involved got played by the company. They were looking for any excuse to shut down and they took the first chance they could to blame the union.
I wasn't involved but I watched it play out in the news and right here on truckingboards.
Not That I agree with you on everything ex but we should be aware that there are many ways of the company getting what the company wants and we should be vigilant.
 
You don't really believe it was about those eight people do you?
The Local involved got played by the company. They were looking for any excuse to shut down and they took the first chance they could to blame the union.
I wasn't involved but I watched it play out in the news and right here on truckingboards.
Not That I agree with you on everything ex but we should be aware that there are many ways of the company getting what the company wants and we should be vigilant.

you are right it wasnt about 8 people. it was once again yellow. if you recall, usf was bought by yellow less than 6 months after the shutdown. they already owned new penn and didnt need red star overlaping coverage. its seems like the union played into yellows hand again. sound familiar?
 
So....should we just knuckle under and take pay cuts and benefit cuts? For what? Will the job be worth it? And......if ABF goes under, what will everyone else work for? Less? Will it stop with UPS Freight's contract in August? Or YRC's end of the MOU's in 2015? Obviously, if we take pay cuts , immediately the non-Unions will, too. After they do, how can any group of drivers ask for more money? Are you saying this industry has topped out as far as wages go? Not that I've noticed prices falling anywhere to justify wage cuts. If prices aren't falling and we take wage cuts, who are we making rich? In other words......are we being played for suckers by certain people trying to make us timid and fearful so they can get rich? Simple as that, isn't it? Do we all fully trust the IBT? Absolutely not. But the IBT has to wait for us to vote......they can't preemptively impose whatever the company wants.....and,..after the YRC debacle and the shameful "beg-back"....they've really got to do a heckuva sales job to get us to accept anything that smells of concessions. Time was on our side, and we've seen the results of their so-called "negotiations". "Won't Be Fooled Again"- Roger Daltrey
 
yep. the post on r&l was afriend of mine new to tb using my name, i am outta trucking. to start some time soon the union will ask for a strike vote, right. this will pass. come mid febuary, salesmen from competitors will be spreading the strike rumor, trying to get shippers on board early to avoid any problems. by early march freight will slowly start going to the competition to avoid any chance of delays. if there is no tentative agreement by the end of march abf freight levels will be down 40%. not good. april will be tough as shippers see if you get and extension. if you strike all freight will be lost and never comeback. the ibt set this up. you can not win when you stand alone. remember you last vote was not on a contract. there were no strike implications like now.

Ummm....I don't think I have a friend I know well enough to use my name and give people the misconception that his ideas and opinions are mine. I don't think I have a friend who would even presume on my friendship to do so. Mr. ExDriver,....I think you should leave the battle to the actual troops who are doing the fighting and have a vested interest in the outcome. Thank you for your.....ummm...."opinions"......but no thanks for the defeatist "give up" advice. Good luck in whatever career you are into other than trucking.....mortician,...Mayan calendar salesman,....skunk-neuterer....or whatever. We'll handle the trucking end. You've only had 20 years. I've had 37 years and 9 carriers....and I think I get more militant every time a carrier threatens me with doom and gloom unless I bend over and take a pay cut. After 37 years, I don't suffer fools gladly, and I can almost smell the lies.......
 
you are right it wasnt about 8 people. it was once again yellow. if you recall, usf was bought by yellow less than 6 months after the shutdown. they already owned new penn and didnt need red star overlaping coverage. its seems like the union played into yellows hand again. sound familiar?
What year was it that Red Star went out? I forget.
 
May 24th 2004, strike on Friday ,shut down on Sunday May 26th This one I agree with Ex-driver about the Yellow connection but from what I was told it was more about the union busting tactics that was going on at USF Dugan..The eight girls in Philly was nothing more than a smokescreen..
 
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