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Thinking about crossing the line

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pdx local drivr

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Now that I probably got most of you all's attention. Maybe you can give me some advice. Look I dont really want to do this but. I currently work in a dead end job with no benifits at all, not a single paid day off not even christmas, paid by the load with no overtime pay, no health care at all, an a-hole manager and dead winters with only 20 hours..I need a local job, I have all endorsments, no tickets no accidents on my five year at all. 20 months out of school..So somebody please stop me from doing this..I will do what I have to do to feed my family and be home every night and I have nothing to lose right now. And I cant be intimidated I have no fear. They were exactly taking your healthcare away, I dont know the details werent they taking away health care for retirees ? Isnt that what medicare is for ? I am open to peacefull and reasonable conversation..Thanks.
 
Well the company as agreed to open negotiations on 10/29 so if you do go to work for them it will be very short lived I'm sure. It would be to sad if you ruin your teamster future for a week or 2 of work.
 
I forgot to mention, you say you have 20 months driving exerience. Most carriers require 24. So if you can hang on where you are at for 4 more months you will be able to apply at Yellow, Roadway, Reddeway, Tp, ABF, Ups and have a real job that will support your family.
 
pdx driver
Since you have no fear and are so brave why don't you contact whatever Teamster local would represent you and your fellow employees at your current company.Sounds like the kind of sweat shop that cries out for a union.Be brave be strong do not let them intimidate you you're tough.When we are through with these punks at Oak Harbor we'll picket with you. Since you obviously have a computer search Teamster .Join us in the battle for workplace justice.
 
Crossing a picket line will mark you for LIFE!!!! You are new to the industry. Don't let a little weakness now ruin you for the next 20-30 years. Somewhere somehow someone will remember that you crossed and you will hate life. They will make you hate life and this little bit of weakness could ruin your career.

DON'T DO IT DUDE!!!!!
 
Thanks I know there are always 2 sides. Visting at the picket line is a great idea. I used to own a small business with about 5 employees, I dont know the details of the finacial situation of the company, nor can any driver. The cost of healthcare has gone insane for any company. It not the companys fault but a combination of greedy lawsuit happy lawyers, greedy drug companies, insurance companys, rich doctors.. and gaint new modern marvels hospitals built by our money. Its sad that we all have to pay one way or another. There will always be a battle between labor and owners. Perhaps you union representives dont understand what it is like to own a company. I understand both sides. I work for dirt no healthcare ect. So what is the answer ? ...Were all screwed one way or another we do the best we can with what we have. I most likely will not do this there are other options for me so I might just choose not to risk it. I do appreaciate your advise and thats what I was looking for not threats. But arent you guys afraid they have set in motion a plan to cut you guys out complitily ? Kinda like how the air traffic controller strike went down. They are 22 into replacing a 75 work force and advertising heavily..What is to stop them from doing this ? I know guys like me crossing wouldnt help at all I understand that. But what if they break you and there are 75 new drivers thrown out into the local portland job market..and then Im screwed.
 
While I thing the original poster is trolling it is odd that Friday I found and talked to two different employers that would probably hire this person if his driving record is clean. Both of these jobs were/are posted in public places that he should be searching anyway.

If you haven't been reading the Dead Oak forum go back and do so. You may see things in a different light. I'll give you a few highlights.

First off the strike was called under unfair labor practices. The Federal law provides rights for workers. Oak sees fit to try to violate the rules.

Dead Oak management has been screwing around with negotiations for 18 months. The contract expired 10/31/2007. It is true that the strike was after the company gave the "last and best" offer. Which was essentially the same as the first proposal but it was called under ULP.

There was well over 100 (127?) things that Oak wanted to change including seniority rights, change to company healthcare plan that would cost the employee, pull out of the Union pension plan replaced with a company 401(k), no funding of the retirees health care and a host of other things. Including no longer supplying the Vaseline when they bend us over.

The company never claimed that they lacked for money. In other words they never came in and said 'Look at the books, we can't afford this." Who knows what version of the books they would have shown anyway.

Now if you think Medicare is going to cover you as well as the plan that we were under and your Uncle is going to baby you from birth to retirement to the grave you better take a reality check and you better wake up. Why do you think you keep hearing rumblings about nationwide health care coverage? (That is a subject that is wide open for debate.)

It is a fact of life that there isn't a perfect job. Most of us have worked under some or all of the conditions that you mentioned. All of us have tried to find something better with conditions that we could live with.

Now if you still want to work for a company that lies, changes the rules as they go along, intimidate, and generally act as if they own our/your souls have at it. Remember the owners like to proclaim the are Christan's and God fearing and that money is overrated. They like to hide behind their religion and treat you as a piece of property. If You chose to work at Dead Oak you will still be in square one and still looking for a better job.

Now if you are still reading this and you are not a troll, PM me and I'll will give you the contact information for the two jobs that I mentioned. I can think of some others also that have been posted in online places that also may require a young mans body to do the job.

Good luck and keep looking everywhere but at JOak Harbor, you will be better off. How ever if you choose to sell your soul to the Devil no one can help you.

PS: Ed, the wooden shoes have dry rot.
 
Red Roller I tend to think this guy is a wolf in sheeps clothing. If he is maybe he should be thinking about negotiating rather than dinking around. If he is not hopefully he will take your advice. Either way lets stop making this title a advertisement for the company Thanks
 
why then

If there is so much hatred of oak harbor then why strike ? If it really that easy to replace then why not just go and get another job yourself ? I personally believe you should not work for a company you do not like. (thats why Im leaving). If you dont like your company you wont be looking out for its best interest.. and I believe to do your job right you should do the best you can at your job..protecting companys assests ect. selling your comanys reputation to the clients ect...I am probably not going to work for oak harbor..it has little to do with negative feedback I have recieved about the company from you. The problem is that I have been around a long time..maybe not in trucking but in commission sales, I know whats its like to be hazed. Ive heard nothing but damn the company my whole life. And ya for the most part....ya damn the company..But it dont think you should work for a company if you truly feel that way...go get another job or start your own company.
 
PDX dude

The thing you need to understand is that us long time employees do like our jobs. We consider our effort in building OHFL from a little company into the Mega Company it is should be rewarded. I don't think that the VPs are any better than us. We have put in long hours and worked hard like the VPs. Everyone should be able to make as much money as possible but.... when the VPs over the years keep taking and taking and taking. The workers realized that the company is buying property and other holdings on our backs, then saying that those do not count. So I work hard and you make all the profit? Who got all the money when the bellingham terminal was sold. Did the VPs include that in the revenue that OHFL made? Did any employee that worked at that terminal get a thank you check from Dave or Ed for working hard at that terminal? Watching the VP is like watching a Magic show. They only show you the money that is in the OHFL pocket all the while robbing the company with at least 3 other companies that have to make a profit too. Unless VanderPol Holdings is a non-profit company. And how about all the money given to Church and Para-church organizations. I work hard and with the money they get from me they give it to CRC church. A company has no business giving away money or running free trucks for food banks. The workers need to be taken care of first. Let us give to the charity of our choice. The guys that cross pay for the rest of their lives over a decision that is short term and short sighted. Thanks for your time.:smilie_132: Van
 
Ya ive been thinking about it and its not worth the hassle your right...If I was a completily unemployed loser it might be worth the risk...But ive got a perfectly clean record out to five years. and all my endorsments and no arrest ever. So I will wait for the smoke to clear and go somewhere else. I have a job offer to drive unbaffeled tankers hazmat...never even drove a tanker..But seems like a lower risk then getting involved in this mess. Good luck to you all...but I still think anybody that doesnt like oak harbor should move on.
 
???????????

A unbaffled tanker, loaded with hazmat. I drove fuel when I started driving, that tank was baffled, then before I drove for the current company I drive for, I drove a milk tanker which had no baffles, which is quite an experience. I wasn't aware that hazmat was allowed to slush around in a tank when you are driving. Maybe I'm just baffled.
 
??????????? cont.

Seems like this person (pdx loco driver) is missing the point. The way I see it, is people don't necessary dislike OHFL, but dislike the situation that Oak has put them in, but then again I might just be baffled.

Best of the day to you all.
 
Here it is November and the strike goes on. I noticed that the parking lot at OHFL is filling up and the strike lot is getting light. Is your strategy of pulling 5th wheel pins and placing coins in the electrical boxes of the trailers working or is it a sign of desperation of the strikers. Portland police have arrested at least one of you guys for spraying th trucks with pepper spray. I have been watching this from afar and The union is looking weaker and weaker with each passing day.
 
How did one of our guys spray the truck with pepper spray with 2 security goons per replacement. How did they even get close enough to do that? I am not in Portland so I really don't know and am asking because all the videos I have seen has 2 per the 1. I am not trying to be combative just trying to find out how it could have happened.
 
No one has been arrested at all, not in Portland nor anywhere else. I didn't realize tractor-trailers were that affected by pepper spray. Interesting. Do you aim the spray at the headlights, hoping to blind the truck?

Vandalism happens all the time, and to blame it all on innocent picketers is just not right. Having seen how these replacement workers drive and do their jobs, most of the incidents can be blamed on them, quite frankly.

As to the parking lot filling up... sure. They bring the replacement workers in, work them three hours, and send them home. Nothing for them to do. No freight to move.

Most of us have been doing this for a lot of years, and we know how little business they are actually doing. Sending out waves of trucks with one small drop in them does not make for profitibale business. Nor does sending out a bunch of empty trailers and then ordering replacement workers to drive around aimlessly for hours so the public gets the impression they are busy or business is normal. they can fool some people, but they can't foo, those of us who know this business.

And as for our line? You are right... it is pretty light. Not many guys standing around in front of the terminal.

You see... they are all out chasing trucks, ambulatory picketing them at the customer. Or our route drivers are going to their regular customers, asking them to not use OHFL till the strike is over. And some have gone and gotten work, so they can afford to stay out on strike.

We are dug in for the long haul, and we will not give up. Not ever.

So, Mr. Iron Eagle... you just keep watching from a distance. Better clean your glasses and get your vision prescription checked, though... your view of things is a bit flawed...

Anyone else notice how these new posters pop up with all sorts of critical posts, and then go bye-bye? Interesting, hmmm...?
 
I think each side needs to do what's right for them.However there should be a
line you don't cross(no pun intended).Fear and intimidation are a no-no.Remember
if you do win ,mgmt. will remember who the "bad apples" were.Also the customers are not going to want these bad apples in and out of their places of business.
When UPS came back from strike they laid off a bunch so when and if it's over.
Unfortunately at this point it will be a net loss.
As for me I would do what's necessary for my family even if it meant losing my
"chance" with the union
 
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