Articulate and lucid. Write away Brother Dock.
I totally agree. Saia guys seem happy, sure they could use more but the ones I talk to seem happy.
I don't even now why I concern myself with this but I do wish the Conway drivers well and that they all can reach some sort of understanding to move forward.
Conway used to be very competitive, who knows they might be. Back in the day, they were the top non-union carrier when it came to benefits and pay, they closely mimicked union pay and benefits to keep unionization out. It was the best family atmosphere you could ask for. People flocked to them for employment. You walk into a customer and they pretty much bowed down to you like they do UPS. I'm sure some senior members will remember those days.
That slowly eroded after Detter was forced to resign. New management, too many new ideas, too many new directions only tripped up upper management. While they were pursuing the latest and greatest form of micromanagement and technology, the competition that chugged along and shared and compromised surpassed Conway. Takeaway after takeaway after takeaway only got them one thing. Very angry workers with very low morale. Some could leave some were binded by their financial obligations and could not afford a change.
I know for a fact they lost a lot of very good top notch drivers to the competition. Some people believed it was a systematic way to slowly let go of the top pay drivers in lieu of a low scale work force.
I remember back in the day when the Midwest was threatening unionization. It was a very big issue when XGO swarmed in, holding hotel meetings, asking lower management to keep an eye on any driver mentioning unions activity and for them to report back to them. It was an ugly situation.
Things looked promising for the what the Midwest drivers were going to accomplish, the Teamsters were all ready for this. I may be spilling the beans a bit with this statement but XGO knew this already. "Shut down the Midwest so freight could not be properly diverted in a timely manner" "Terminals could not be closed and worked out of the next closest barn"
When the time came they all chickened out. That was an embarrassing fiasco for the drivers, the Teamsters never again took the Midwest seriously. They still welcome them with open arms as long as they prove they are ready.
Now that LLA has put their foot down and helped prop open that door, what will the Midwest do? If I'm a betting man, absolutely nothing. If they did make a stand it would probably become a domino effect just like it was when UPS left the door open for us.
When it comes time for termination they look into your file and all they see are write ups. You actually get suspended first but you are pretty much terminated. It's very very very rare to ever get your job back at this point. It's designed to make you feel there is hope but the deck is already stacked against you, so this becomes a nice private show between the TM, FOM and anyone else in that conference call, of mentally torturing you in hopes you start crying and begging for your job back. They over look the good stuff, they just focus on write ups.... all the bad....you are a bad boy, a very very bad boy....how could you do such a thing....you now it is not tolerated by Conway......suspension upheld you are terminated driver..now get out of the office and take that walk of shame!.
You can do 100 good things and the only thing they focus on is the bad. You can say the same thing to management now. They can do 100 good things(reinstate some bonus, cookouts, raise, overtime after 8 etc) but the only thing the drivers will focus on are the bad. (Takeaway after takeaway, forensic accounting, manipulating your money, illusion that you are better off now than your were back than) Compromise is not even a vocabulary word for Conway.
I love this topic.........lots of mental flashbacks...carry on and Good luck to you all.