Yellow | Teamsters, what is fair now?

[seabreeze]

Your just a Number to the Teamsters , they never ever gave me a free hat or Birthday card or watch or even a New set of West Coast Mirrors for paying in Dues all them years !! If fact Hoffa never even send me a Xmas card neither ? But my Uncle Trip said he gets one ever year on Dec 15th ?????

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Are you saying, that you didn't get a million-dollar pension - 15%?

 

[wongway]

Are you saying, that you didn't get a million-dollar pension - 15%?

Nope its -15% less or more and I remember way back , when I was hired , Union told me fairy tale story about the pension that after 20 or 30 yrs , I would be getting set $$$$ amount and sad part was I drank the

 

[DMT]

"A fair days work, for a fair days pay" truly is all we ever asked for."

As one who has never worked for a union, I have to ask a few questions when it comes to this statement.
Who determines what is a fair pay?
Who determines what a fair day work is?
Who of the teamsters that does your job is at the table asking for what is fair?
When asking for what is fair is the company you work for able to bear the burden of labor cost.

These are the things I see wrong in every strike that has been going on these days.
The UAW strike are asking for a 30 percent raise over 5 years (right?). This is good for income of the worker but the company will now have to raise the cost of the vehicle that then affects anyone who buys a vehicle with the higher cost.
The writers guild on strike for more money , increases the cost of the shows to produce , increases the cost of networks to buy those shows , increases the cost of the consumer to pay for cable or streaming.

Who really wins , NOBODY.

Honest Questions ...Do you think your company or any Organization REALLY care about YOU as an individual.
Only ones that do are the small 5 person type companies that know you personally otherwise you are just a number.

If you were to ever meet and get to have a conversation with the Union President and tell him all of your concerns, do you think with your point of view ,you could convince him that the way he is doing things are wrong?

 

[Steward of the Rock]

Who determines what is a fair pay?
Who determines what a fair day work is?
Who of the teamsters that does your job is at the table asking for what is fair?
When asking for what is fair is the company you work for able to bear the burden of labor cost.

The employer and the Teamsters negotiating committee negotiate the terms of a contract that is then presented to the membership for a vote to decide whether it is acceptable (yes vote) or not (no vote).
A “fair days work for a fair days pay” will be decided by a grievance panel made up of an equal number of employer representatives and Teamster representatives to decide, if the employer feels the need to suspend or discharge the employee for what they consider is a violation of a “fair days work for a fair days pay”.

These are the things I see wrong in every strike that has been going on these days.
The UAW strike are asking for a 30 percent raise over 5 years (right?). This is good for income of the worker but the company will now have to raise the cost of the vehicle that then affects anyone who buys a vehicle with the higher cost.
The writers guild on strike for more money , increases the cost of the shows to produce , increases the cost of networks to buy those shows , increases the cost of the consumer to pay for cable or streaming.

Who really wins , NOBODY.

Any time wages/benefits go up in just about any industry, that cost is reflected in the price of that product. It is no different in a non-union environment. When operating cost goes up, that cost is passed on to the consumer.

Honest Questions ...Do you think your company or any Organization REALLY care about YOU as an individual.
Only ones that do are the small 5 person type companies that know you personally otherwise you are just a number.

If you were to ever meet and get to have a conversation with the Union President and tell him all of your concerns, do you think with your point of view ,you could convince him that the way he is doing things are wrong?

When you share your concerns with the owner of the “5 person type company”, do you think with your point of view, you could convince him that the way he is doing things is wrong (without losing your job)?

 

[ConcernedYellow]

The Teamsters need an updated strategy. Like the trades, Teamsters should not be tied in any way to the company, only the union. Yellow proved me right this whole time. When The Teamsters address this issue, then they will thrive.

Yes but they have to provide value to an industry. The IBEW does a great job with this. Outstanding training and apprenticeship program. When someone is an IBEW electrician, they’re usually the best around. Absolute top notch.

What value do the Teamsters provide any industry? What’s the training program or apprenticeship? Are Teamsters the safest, most productive freight employees in the industry? Of course not that’s why there are so few remaining.

 

[Liberty138]

OMG, deja vu all over again!

Yes but they have to provide value to an industry. The IBEW does a great job with this. Outstanding training and apprenticeship program. When someone is an IBEW electrician, they’re usually the best around. Absolute top notch.

What value do the Teamsters provide any industry? What’s the training program or apprenticeship? Are Teamsters the safest, most productive freight employees in the industry? Of course not that’s why there are so few remaining.

I agree. I think Yellow had the right idea with the schools. The 15% deal really killed morale. The Teamsters are diminishing in strength, when they should be growing. Something is wrong. It's time to adapt to current times and pay. I say they need to renew their reputation for being the best, and focus on that.

 

[Liberty138]

Honest Questions ...Do you think your company or any Organization REALLY care about YOU as an individual.
Only ones that do are the small 5 person type companies that know you personally otherwise you are just a number.

This is business, so it's fine if I am just a number. If the company ignore what veteran employees say, that's on them.
At the end of the day, I'll worry about myself first.
I come to work to offer quality/professional service.
But I need to be able to afford my life.
Since deregulation, the discount on merchandise came from the paycheck of the driver. People are leaving the industry in droves. Ya gotta pay em.
Prevailing wage for electricians in California is a wopping $100 per hour.
Wages in skilled trades are skyrocketing.
When will trucking finally pay? Shouldn't The Teamsters be leading the way?
I think so.

 

[Liberty138]

OMG, deja vu all over again!

So here in Nevada, I work for a staffing service as an electrician. They have been around a long time, and are California based. They deal with 1500 contractors. My rep has a ton of power to fight for my best interest. I hold all the power. I can take as much time off as I want. I have access to jobs from So Cal to Denver, up to Alaska. My insurance is $40 a month. Paid holidays. I immediately make about the same as my supervisors at work. Im doing industrial, running rigid pipe, bending with a triple nickel bender. I work for a huge, major contractor. They want me so sign on with them. Not happening. Because working for the service, I have freedom. Im in waiting to go on to a prevailing wage job in Sacramento. Till then, I have been working around Lake Tahoe, and and Carson City. I am so much happier. Im not tied to company. If I dont like things, i drag up, and send me to another job. But so far, things are great.

 

[BIG R GUY]

 

[DMT]

When you share your concerns with the owner of the “5 person type company”, do you think with your point of view, you could convince him that the way he is doing things is wrong (without losing your job)?

The answer is sometimes ,but , in the smaller environment one wrong move can bankrupt a company. I do believe that having had the conversation with the owner directly at least has a shot of getting through with a different idea. In the 10k employee company only the inner circle gets to talk to them.

 

[DMT]

Any time wages/benefits go up in just about any industry, that cost is reflected in the price of that product. It is no different in a non-union environment. When operating cost goes up, that cost is passed on to the consumer.

This is true and currently (last 20 years) government has been number one problem effecting the price of everything

 

[truckinus]

The problem with the Teamsters and truck driving jobs is the demographics has changed. Young people have no interest in driving truck. You no longer have rural people looking to be drivers. Most of the new drivers come from the bigger urban cities and they are immigrants. Immigrants don't know any better and don't seek out the Teamsters. California's driver population is 47% immigrant.

 

[Puff Driver]

All the hoops to jump through I gotta do? For how much? Nights and weekends? How much?

I don't care what the media says, professional drivers are hard to find.
Prices are not going down ever, they only go up.

Now is the time for Teamster leadership to shine.
If The Teamsters fail to lead, this could be a disaster for our country.
The Teamsters are a big deal.
They are vital to national security.
Without Teamsters, America would come to a halt.
However, Teamster leadership needs to fight way harder.
Leadership needs to be relentless in providing for our nation and members, and our best interests.
We need more aggressive leaders across the nation, in every hall president, that bargains with The Teamster as priority #1
Otherwise, boom and bust cycles will return, which is terrible for business, and nobody makes money.

9% of LTL drivers are teamsters.
They are not a big deal or even significant....

 

[DMT]

The employer and the Teamsters negotiating committee negotiate the terms of a contract that is then presented to the membership for a vote to decide whether it is acceptable (yes vote) or not (no vote).
A “fair days work for a fair days pay” will be decided by a grievance panel made up of an equal number of employer representatives and Teamster representatives to decide, if the employer feels the need to suspend or discharge the employee for what they consider is a violation of a “fair days work for a fair days pay”.

With your answer you have made my point , A group of people that really have no connection to the employees are making up the rules. This is set on a national level not a terminal by terminal basis or even region.

 

[ABF381]

With your answer you have made my point , A group of people that really have no connection to the employees are making up the rules. This is set on a national level not a terminal by terminal basis or even region.

There are supplements to the national contract...it isn't terminal by terminal but there are about 27 supplements... I made about 20 proposals, so I did have a voice....I complained about a change not being made that I think has good merit and got a call from my supplements negotiating chairman to discuss my concerns...is it perfect? No...but it is better than no voice at all....

 

[Steward of the Rock]

With your answer you have made my point , A group of people that really have no connection to the employees are making up the rules. This is set on a national level not a terminal by terminal basis or even region.

If you are non-Union, you are at the mercy of your employer on a “fair days work for a fair days pay” charge. A Union employee at least has a committee with an equal number of union representatives to decide if there is merit to the companies claim or not. Therefore, a chance to get their job back and possibly back pay for time lost. Meanwhile, the non-union employee is searching for a new job!!!
And like 381 stated, we have a Master Agreement and 27 Supplemental Agreements to handle the local rules.

 

[Real Teamster]

If you are non-Union, you are at the mercy of your employer on a “fair days work for a fair days pay” charge. A Union employee at least has a committee with an equal number of union representatives to decide if there is merit to the companies claim or not. Therefore, a chance to get their job back and possibly back pay for time lost. Meanwhile, the non-union employee is searching for a new job!!!
And like 381 stated, we have a Master Agreement and 27 Supplemental Agreements to handle the local rules.

Stew, you and I rarely agree, but we do on this one. A bi-lateral (grievance) committee is a good choice to decide if a termination is warranted. It is generally true in a non-Unionized company that there is no recourse to termination. I understand that isn't quite true with FedEx, and that there actually is a committee that will review with authority to re-instate. That might be FedEx Express only, and not extend to Freight. I'm not sure on that one.
The trouble comes in when the panel (grievance review committee) reinstates someone who really doesn't deserve reinstatement. I've seen it happen entirely too many times.
Somebody else commented that as Teamster freight guys and gals, we need to be the "best in the business". I agree with that wholeheartedly.

 

[Liberty138]

9% of LTL drivers are teamsters.
They are not a big deal or even significant....

Yep, I understand. It's unfortunate that Teamster Leadership has been satisfied with the status quo. They should have expanded greatly. Their current model does work for a small sector and type of business. But they have failed to innovate to current times, which many have said. ALL of my suggestions for 8 years went completely ignored. Management had no clue how the contract worked, and only a few at my barn even bothered to read it, and try to understand. I asked for an app for the contract, nope. Zoom meetings for hall meeting, only happened on the national level. I asked for training for members and especially stewards, nope. My hall president was investigated, removed, and the members voted him back in. So many broken areas that nobody is addressing. Hence why membership numbers are shrinking. I was glad to be a Teamster, and wanted to move things forward. But the whole thing evaporated. Never again will I ever be tied to any company. Darren did show me why.

 

[Steward of the Rock]

Stew, you and I rarely agree, but we do on this one. A bi-lateral (grievance) committee is a good choice to decide if a termination is warranted. It is generally true in a non-Unionized company that there is no recourse to termination. I understand that isn't quite true with FedEx, and that there actually is a committee that will review with authority to re-instate. That might be FedEx Express only, and not extend to Freight. I'm not sure on that one.
The trouble comes in when the panel (grievance review committee) reinstates someone who really doesn't deserve reinstatement. I've seen it happen entirely too many times.
Somebody else commented that as Teamster freight guys and gals, we need to be the "best in the business". I agree with that wholeheartedly.

While this may be true in some cases, I would still rather have my case decided by a committee as opposed to having my fate decided by one supervisor or terminal manager that may not like me because the two of us have a different point of view or for some other reason beyond my control.

 

[DMT]

While this may be true in some cases, I would still rather have my case decided by a committee as opposed to having my fate decided by one supervisor or terminal manager that may not like me because the two of us have a different point of view or for some other reason beyond my control

At OD a termination does not occur by the manager without clearance from corporate office. I have the ability to ask for a review should I ever have that happen. Please understand I am not speaking negatively about the union, just trying to understand the definitions of the language used.

If you are non-Union, you are at the mercy of your employer on a “fair days work for a fair days pay” charge.

I show up to work and receive my bills and trailer assignment. I get paid for every hour I work. There is no assignment that WE do that is unfair to do. Some may take longer or be difficult , but , I hope you do as I do , I don't attempt do anything that will hurt me.