(1)Turncoat ABF hired you for a reason........ABF got you for 85 %.....
(2)You said your putting all your faith into the union to do whats right for you....
(3)I keep hearing lets fix the pension, I know it needs fixing....
(4)ABF also can enjoy somewhat what YRCW has now. All they have to do its utilize the utility drivers............
(5)Another waste of money is what is going on at some of the smaller terminals, I know a few of them have as many management people as they do drivers....
(6)I still don’t know why people came from other companies, after they voted for changes, and now want to give away everything we have and have worked for.
Papa, I'll give you a last response on your rant here, and I'm hoping for the best in these negotiations, but this ain't my first rodeo.
First, ABF hired me because I applied...pretty much a slam dunk, I'm not the best, just one of the best! Actually, they had already hired another guy that was below me on the seniority list at YRC, but he got cold feet before the old ABF hand retired that he would be replacing, so that opened the door for me. I was already at 85% with the pay cut at YRC, but, now I am at 90% and was always at 100% pension contributions (after 30 days) instead of 25% (now being paid at YRC), which hopefully will give me better retirement income options down the road. That is what costs ABF, not so much my hourly wage. I essentially gave up 3 weeks vacation and the top spot at YRC to make the move. I had 5 weeks, we lost 1 week, and I burned the 4 I was holding over at YRC in the transition, one year later I had earned 1 week here so, it was a 3 week loss there, but it has been worth it! ABF didn't necessarily get a free lunch by hiring me.
Second, we all know the Union looks out for the Union, but they negotiate on OUR behalf with the Company. My faith is in the Lord Jesus, I am thankful to be at ABF, not because I'm so brilliant, but by His Grace.
Third, the pension situation is going to get fixed, the sooner the better. Wouldn't you like to have more control over your retirement benefits? And some REAL guarantees for vested payments on YOUR behalf? The longer this is put off, the worse it will become, and you could be retired, physically unable to work any longer, and get a sad letter in the mail that your check is going to be cut 60-70%. That is the current reality. The reforms that they are exploring are to prevent that from happening, and we probably won't get to vote on much. There will be options you can choose, the more years you have paid in, the better your options will probably be. Is that fair? What's fair? That is just probably what's going to happen. What's been paid in on us, we will still benefit from, at least hopefully, 85% or more of it. Then we save until we retire. The younger guys, whether or not they are vested, will have to save most, or all of theirs, with a company match. and ABF see's light at the end of the tunnel to one day pay-out of their unfunded liabilities. You and I will most likely be pushing up daises somewhere by then. This very thing happened to my Dad in the paper industry many years ago, He still has a stable pension check to this day, however he did not manage his 401k very well after he retired, but that was his own fault. But, he is now in an assisted living home, and his pension and SS cover the bills, so we are blessed.
Fourth, I run Utility, when the bid man is out. He was out on medical about 2 months recently. It is quite an efficient operation, but it cannot replace relay drivers. Our gig is 395 miles a night, with a pass-over, and about 2 hrs on the dock in ATL, and yes, you do all your hooks, bumps and work your freight, on a tight schedule. IT IS A JOB! But fellas, I can't pull but 2 pups a night, inbound and outbound, so the way I see it, the only person's job I'm doing, is MINE! But, it pays good and it's 4x10 M-T Off F-S-S. Usually about 44 hrs. a week. Therefore, the bid man stays on the run when he comes back. But I've had many road drivers complain about how the UE operation is killing the road board. We just need to be hauling more freight, I can't haul it all! But if, I only have one box full, and the man tells me to go out on the yard and get a load in the line haul stage that is going back home or to my pass-over, I have to do it, but that doesn't happen too often, and usually the road board is exhausted anyway.
Fifth, In our small terminal, we have one manager, and a salesman. We, the drivers, open and close the terminal. He comes in 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. and puts the fires out. He expects us to run the operation efficiently. When he's away, meetings, off- time, etc., we are managed remotely. Our terminal is now on PDA's and we are able to do 99% of the operation on the PDA.
Sixth, this is still AMERICA, I'll work wherever I want to, if the Employer is willing to take a chance on me. I am hopeful we will get a reasonable contract that the majority can feel good voting for. When we were going through what we went through at YRC, I never even dreamed a couple years later I would be at ABF, but, I had been exploring options. I still don't think YRC would have remained open without the concessions, and the Union pushed it through on New Penn and the Chicago YRC Local's that voted it down. Went as far with New Penn as to tell them they would close New Penn and dissolve them from the corporation and told Chicago they would allow a COO to close them. It was really sad, but the big money had them by the balls.....we don't want to see ABF go deeply into debt, trust me it's not good, and I think they're too smart for that. Been there, done that, with the Carolina deal!
And. as far as folks coming from other companies, I know a guy that came over from Con-Way, works in another terminal, doesn't even belong to the Union...Alabama is right-to-work, but, BA said, "I hope he never has a serious problem" with a wink,...just sayin! I may be stupid and uninformed, but I pay my dues, and I don't have much use for a free-loader! Hope I wasn't unclear!
