The Rooster said:
You know when I first heard that they were going to jerk our pensions, I thought "Screw them and Screw this!!" Then I got some sleep and calmed down a little bit, and by morning I was all upset again. This went on for about a week and decided to do something about it as I am a man of action (much like Tim Allen). So I asked around to determine who was hiring as I was ready to cash in my 8 years at CCX. As I asked around, I was looking for pay, benefits, and quality of life. Here is what I found:
Pay - Other carriers are paying slightly more or slightly less.
Benefits - I didn't find one carrier that paid as little for insurance as I had to even if they DO jump it to 3%. The 401K I could get better at another carrier with some but their investment firms suck. The pension is non-existent with anyone else but the Teamsters and I have a serious problem with the union (because of what they did to my old man...whole other thread) so they were out.
Quality of Life - No other carrier received hot drinks when it was cold and cold drinks when it was hot. Got as much food as we did (us fat kids love to eat us some food!) or were nearly as informed as we are. Therein lies part of our problem, I think we are TOO informed and when we hit the big dark road at night armed with our cellies and cb's, the rumors get going based on the info we DO have. Then we punch at the FAC's and we are all upset over the rumors that WE JUST KNOWINGLY FABRICATED and that cranky supervisor (by the way...he works at every other carrier too) that is powertripping telling us how to do OUR job and we screw up our customer's freight because we are p/o'd. Next we come home to pass it on to our city ops guys who in turn get even more upset about the rumors as they unload the freight that we jacked up and then say SCREW THE COMPANY as they don't re-coup the freight before putting it on the street thinking that they are going to cost the company. When in all reality, all we end up doing is ticking off a good customer for the last time and they pull the freight that was making my long run and fat check possible. So who lost? The company or us? (( ME!! ))
After this disgusting gut check I realized that I could leave and go somewhere else and maybe get more pay, a little more 401k to blow on the stock market, and put myself in a position to not make ANY difference at all. OR, I could stay right where I am. At least here, I have an IDEA of what might be happening and I do have senior DSR's that care about the history of what they have built that I can rest my loyalty on. Say what you want, but this company runs very lean. Very few companies have as few members of law enforce...I mean management between my boss and the head dog no matter who it might be. In a leanly ran company whether it is Banking, Restaurants, or Trucking, you have more involvement at the top. Which results in more opportunities to influence change if necessary. Maybe not right away, but the chance is there.
So here I am. Reading the rumors because I didn't get enough on my cell and cb last night and I reflect on what I wanted when I first came to Con-way, a chance. That is what keeps us all here I hope...a chance. The chance to make this right. Take my pension, increase my insurance and paint it/spin it however you want. That's fine, I have come to terms with it. All I ask is that you don't change what make us different, the opportunity to make change when necessary. To let you know when our company is off-track (see Damages thread). Whilst I may not make a difference right away, I have a CHANCE.
Thanks for listening the drowning rants of a sleepy fat dwarf who simply (and honestly- not kool aid induced) wants to take PRIDE in what he does.
RO
