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ABF | What do you think as an ABF employee

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truxforever

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As the time come near for ABF and the Union to start talks on a new contract. What do you as an ABF employee think about us electing a 5 member team of our on to sit in. This team will look out for our best interest and make inputs for us. They can also relay imformation back to us. That way we have a say in things. The help YRC got will be a big part of talks. I for one know ABF will be looking for relief in this new contract. ABF will be the only company in talks on the new contract. YRC will now go to 2015 before talks. With the lawsuit on going do you trust the union to look out for us. I think we need to have a say in our future.
 
You have a " team " already they are called you Union Representatives . What you guy's should do in my humble opinion is start getting more and more members to attend meetings find out who ( from your local ) is going to represent you and start talking now to them . I have seen contact meeting at a local with over 2000 dues paying members and the hall would look like 20 people where there . That's the sad part get you and your friends involved now !!!!

truxforever said:
As the time come near for ABF and the Union to start talks on a new contract. What do you as an ABF employee think about us electing a 5 member team of our on to sit in. This team will look out for our best interest and make inputs for us. They can also relay imformation back to us. That way we have a say in things. The help YRC got will be a big part of talks. I for one know ABF will be looking for relief in this new contract. ABF will be the only company in talks on the new contract. YRC will now go to 2015 before talks. With the lawsuit on going do you trust the union to look out for us. I think we need to have a say in our future.
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R-14 that is the only hope and input we have. That is how it is supposed to work. A separate team of rank and file Teamsters will not be permitted for a few reasons. One of those reasons is that negotiations are kept under wraps during the process to prevent the members from arguing amongst themesleves (some want money in the check, others want it in the pension to start with). Having a team to keep all of us advised goes against that.

I have to admit that I am do not have a lot of confidence in our leadership at this point and advise everyone to stay on top of things. If we do that they will be more inclined to listen to what we have to say. We do have a voice in this process but we have to exercise it.
 
Remember we can always vote NO! That is our seat at the table. And remember the good thing is that we will be the only ones voting on the proposal. And that will make us the Boss. This is not to say we are going to kill ABF. Because at the end of the day doing the right thing will benefit all of us involved. YOUR BROTHER ALWAYS!
 
I talked to a friend of mine who's brother works out of Atlanta and said the 'Good Ole Boys' from the Ft. were there and was telling them that they put in a request for a (COO) and the Union denied their request but heres the kicker, (ABF) asked the union if they could set a date to start negotiations on the next contract the Union said (NO) that your contract is extended till 2015 so that will put (YOU) line with (YRC) in 2015 to negotiate a new (NMFA)....now if you remember we were told that (WE) were not part of the (NMFA) that we negotiated our own now all of a sudden (WE) are. What gives, just like everything else (ABF) is only acknoledged when it seems to benefit the Union, I for one hopes (ABF) tells them where they can stick their request and stick to their guns. You would think that the Union would be willing to acknolegde their request and start the bargaining in 'Good Faith' considering that they are making (FULL MONTHLY) contributions to the Pension Fund and also paying Full Scale. But like in the past (ABF) has always been treated like an outcast so why should this surprise me!! I can remember years ago sitting in the drivers room in a terminal in Jersey their was a poster on the wall that had a picture of (Big R), (Yellow), and (CF) and the caption read ~ look who's catching the (Big 3). Now its just 2, but getting back to the Topic: I do see (ABF) seeking some kind of concessions which might be hard to support considering they have made money the last 3qtrs.and then the Newly Appointed CEO makes a coment at a conference back in the fall that (ABF) has $137,000,000in the bank and is looking to make an acquistion seems only fitting when your competition gets their relief and uses the money to cut the rates so low then they say we have (FRT) falling off the dock I guess I would be able to claim the same but one thing (ABF) dosen't do they don't haul cheap (FRT.) I have seen them loose accounts and when the customer gets tired of paying damage claims guess who is calling (ABF) and asking them to pick up their (FRT.) But I do see changes in the next contract some might be for the good and some might not. But times have changed and therefore we have to be willing to change as well for service is the only thing we have to sell and that 'My Friend' is what the customer is looking for!! If we can't or won't adapt to change or the customers need and demand then we will become a statistic and out of buisness. I for one would like to Retire from (ABF) and not worry about starting over or relocating as many of (OUR) Brothers and Sisters form different companies have done in the pastor might have to do again in the future. Happy Trails and Be Safe!!
 
Since we did not get to vote on contract extensions I do not see how they can hold us to them. I do hope you have gotten bad information and that there will be contract negotiations for us starting shortly. But I am not impressed with what has been done in Washington lately and wouldn't be too surprised if you have heard correctly. My blood pressure went up a bit just reading it and I am all ears for more information.
 
IMO...there is no way that they can just extend the contact to 2015 without...first...having the company and union agree and second...having the members vote on it.
 
ARTICLE 39. DURATION

Section 2.
Where no such cancellation or termination notice is served and the
parties desire to continue said Agreement but also desire to negotiate
changes or revisions in this Agreement, either party may serve
upon the other a notice at least sixty (60) days prior to March 31,
2013 or March 31st of any subsequent contract year, advising that
such party desires to revise or change terms or conditions of such
Agreement.

Section 3.
The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee, as
representative of the Local Unions or the signatory Employer or the
authorizing Employer Associations, shall each have the right to unilaterally
determine when to engage in economic recourse (strike or
lockout) on or after April 1, 2013, unless agreed to the contrary.

Section 4.
Revisions agreed upon or ordered shall be effective as of April 1,
2013 or April 1st of any subsequent contract year.
 
The only way we can get the union to understand we know that now is the time to start talks with ABF is to get as many people to show up at the union meetings. Not just one but to get our members to show up at most if not all of them, then maybe the locals will let JR. know that we arent second class citizens and we demand enough respect for them to start negotiations with at this point in time one of the only trucking outfits to make money.Maybe we should be trying to get our brothers attention right now to understand how important it is to show up! Lets see if there is POWER by numbers!
 
IF the company sends written notice of desire to negotiate AND the union refuses to do so we could be locked out April 1, 2013. Maybe KK could give us a little credible information on the state of things on this matter. IF the union takes the approach as described by bullfrog above it could be disastrous for us.
 
If the IBT took ABF Teamsters out before the lawsuit was settled it could be disastrous for the IBT.
I hope people understand that a lot more hinges on the outcome of the lawsuit than meets the surface.
If the IBT took us out in 2013 and ABF lost millions or even a billion dollars guess who would be held accountable for that loss? No ABF is sitting pretty right about now. And our position is not so bad either.
Some come on here already talking of giving up some of our wage and benefit package. I feel that is not going to be the case. We now have people that are going to make close to if not more than a million dollars a year so why should we take a step back?
For those that are afraid now is your time to start telling everyone how much we should be giving back in the up coming contract talks. I would ask that you judge your decision on facts not fear and truck stop BS!
Look what would have happened if we had voted yes for the give back. And remember ABF said that the money we gave back would not go to the customers in the form of a discount oh no they said they would keep the money in the company. And then keeping money in the company is not a bad thing as long as it is not our money.
And let's not forget that we have funded several business ventures for ABC over the last several years. They have cost millions to get started and we shouldered the burden. But we got paid for it and that is business.
Now it is about time that some of those ABC divisions start shouldering some of our cost in growing our ABF freight division.
No don't be afraid just be informed and we will be just fine. YOUR BROTHER ALWAYS!
 
You make a very good point there on ABF being separate in the NMFA and I commend you, or whoever came up with that thought. I agree on no givebacks, they had the money to make acquisitions and we should not shoulder the burden of that purchase or any future purchases.
 
ABFer said:
You make a very good point there on ABF being separate in the NMFA and I commend you, or whoever came up with that thought. I agree on no givebacks, they had the money to make acquisitions and we should not shoulder the burden of that purchase or any future purchases.
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Separate only because yrc opted out until 2015. Now remember if we come up with a new NMFA in 2013 and ABF wins the lawsuit will not yrc be held to the NMFA standards as the IBT did ABF? YOUR ABF BROTHER ALWAYS!
 
A complex and interesting situation we have on hand right now. It is a shame that the legal system moves so slowly and it could be a few years until we get a decision. You are all aware that YRC is late/delinquent on their quarterly report, right?
 
bullfrog75 said:
I talked to a friend of mine who's brother works out of Atlanta and said the 'Good Ole Boys' from the Ft. were there and was telling them that they put in a request for a (COO) and the Union denied their request but heres the kicker, (ABF) asked the union if they could set a date to start negotiations on the next contract the Union said (NO) that your contract is extended till 2015 so that will put (YOU) line with (YRC) in 2015 to negotiate a new (NMFA)....now if you remember we were told that (WE) were not part of the (NMFA) that we negotiated our own now all of a sudden (WE) are. What gives, just like everything else (ABF) is only acknoledged when it seems to benefit the Union, I for one hopes (ABF) tells them where they can stick their request and stick to their guns. You would think that the Union would be willing to acknolegde their request and start the bargaining in 'Good Faith' considering that they are making (FULL MONTHLY) contributions to the Pension Fund and also paying Full Scale. But like in the past (ABF) has always been treated like an outcast so why should this surprise me!! I can remember years ago sitting in the drivers room in a terminal in Jersey their was a poster on the wall that had a picture of (Big R), (Yellow), and (CF) and the caption read ~ look who's catching the (Big 3). Now its just 2, but getting back to the Topic: I do see (ABF) seeking some kind of concessions which might be hard to support considering they have made money the last 3qtrs.and then the Newly Appointed CEO makes a coment at a conference back in the fall that (ABF) has $137,000,000in the bank and is looking to make an acquistion seems only fitting when your competition gets their relief and uses the money to cut the rates so low then they say we have (FRT) falling off the dock I guess I would be able to claim the same but one thing (ABF) dosen't do they don't haul cheap (FRT.) I have seen them loose accounts and when the customer gets tired of paying damage claims guess who is calling (ABF) and asking them to pick up their (FRT.) But I do see changes in the next contract some might be for the good and some might not. But times have changed and therefore we have to be willing to change as well for service is the only thing we have to sell and that 'My Friend' is what the customer is looking for!! If we can't or won't adapt to change or the customers need and demand then we will become a statistic and out of buisness. I for one would like to Retire from (ABF) and not worry about starting over or relocating as many of (OUR) Brothers and Sisters form different companies have done in the pastor might have to do again in the future. Happy Trails and Be Safe!!
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who is the big 2??? fedex&ups:27:
 
ABFer said:
A complex and interesting situation we have on hand right now. It is a shame that the legal system moves so slowly and it could be a few years until we get a decision. You are all aware that YRC is late/delinquent on their quarterly report, right?
Click to expand...
That cant be a good sign with them waiting this long to release the report....
 
Docker I was impressed. You guys are dead on. I don't want any give-backs either. That was the reason for starting this thread to get a discussion going. I really don't trust the Union at this time. I think ABF is in the drivers seat with the lawsuit out there. I think the Union will do whatever to get it dropped or over with. I think ABF can get whatever they want right now because of it.
 
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