XPO | Xpo Union Thread.

[XCCX]

I disagree. XPO drivers are getting their information from one source. The company and their union busters have an overwhelming advantage when it comes to spreading propaganda. And they have the advantage of using their power to spread fear. Fear is a far more powerful emotion than hope.

If you voted for status quo, then the joke is on you, because status quo is not what you're getting. They are taking from you and will keep taking from you until there is nothing left. One by one, they are changing company policy and every single change to date has benefitted the company at your expense.

Intelligent and rational people would have realized by now that they are being bamboozled with lies and innuendo from company hacks and union busters. My angry old uncle has a bumper sticker that says "MY Company cares about me". He's a fool to believe that. Anyone who believes that any company today values the quality of your life over profit is a fool.

Well said.

 

[XCCX]

Not quite. It's more like being dragged against your will to a barbecue you never wanted to attend. Why would someone contribute to a hostile takeover? Freeloading is the price of subjecting me to your nonstop soap opera.

Let be clear Right to work laws have one intent and it has nothing to do with fairness. It is only implemented in Republican lead states. Republicans have checking union power or existence as one of there core believes to their parties platform.

 

[XCCX]

We have no intention of participating in CSPF!

He, knows that but it doesn't fit his argument. The persuader the company hired at our barn kept pushing it as a distraction. He knew better also but it's was one of his key talking points that the uninformed bought into.

 

[smokin'joe]

Your company used it as a scape goat for cuts.

That's right....we weren't even struggling and we were gouged for massive cuts.

 

[icuicp]

Let be clear Right to work laws have one intent and it has nothing to do with fairness. It is only implemented in Republican lead states. Republicans have checking union power or existence as one of there core believes to their parties platform.

I will agree with you there. Politicians have chosen sides. Last year , an automotive parts maker had a vote at their factory for representation by the UAW. Wages were lowest in the area for factories. Working environment was awful. ( in fact a man was just crushed to death a month or so ago ) Very poor safety record.

Ahead of the vote ( their second one in a few years if I remember correctly ) company raised wages a couple of dollars an hour. Also , I noticed U.S. Representative to the House ( a Republican ) doing an ad against unionization. Also saw local Democrats doing pro-union ads. UAW put A LOT of time and money into the fight...but it was a no vote. Stupid in my opinion...especially given the lack of safety.

If you look at what happened at Tennessee Volkswagen plant , politicians worked to get a "NO" vote a few years ago.

 

[icuicp]

That’s some brutal stuff right there.
How many times have we been told that with the profits XPO is making there’s no way we’d take less?

In the defense of the union membership , the upper management of the union is OVERRIDING their wishes and/or not allowing membership to know what is happening that may impact their livelihoods .

How do you a democratic union with a dictator? At least that's how it looks from here.

 

[XCCX]

Not quite. It's more like being dragged against your will to a barbecue you never wanted to attend. Why would someone contribute to a hostile takeover? Freeloading is the price of subjecting me to your nonstop soap opera.

Gene , I think based on your anti- labor tirade today you are confused as to your holidays. It's Memorial day not Labor day, I think you may have it reversed .....

 

[XCCX]

I will agree with you there. Politicians have chosen sides. Last year , an automotive parts maker had a vote at their factory for representation by the UAW. Wages were lowest in the area for factories. Working environment was awful. ( in fact a man was just crushed to death a month or so ago ) Very poor safety record.

Ahead of the vote ( their second one in a few years if I remember correctly ) company raised wages a couple of dollars an hour. Also , I noticed U.S. Representative to the House ( a Republican ) doing an ad against unionization. Also saw local Democrats doing pro-union ads. UAW put A LOT of time and money into the fight...but it was a no vote. Stupid in my opinion...especially given the lack of safety.

If you look at what happened at Tennessee Volkswagen plant , politicians worked to get a "NO" vote a few years ago.

Well put, another example is Boeing. Google it and you will see the same shenanigans going on prior to the vote.( check out the videos that persuaders put out) Now those workers are making $10.00/hr. less at minimum than their you union coworkers in Washington State. With inferior healthcare and retirement.

 

[XCCX]

I will agree with you there. Politicians have chosen sides. Last year , an automotive parts maker had a vote at their factory for representation by the UAW. Wages were lowest in the area for factories. Working environment was awful. ( in fact a man was just crushed to death a month or so ago ) Very poor safety record.

Ahead of the vote ( their second one in a few years if I remember correctly ) company raised wages a couple of dollars an hour. Also , I noticed U.S. Representative to the House ( a Republican ) doing an ad against unionization. Also saw local Democrats doing pro-union ads. UAW put A LOT of time and money into the fight...but it was a no vote. Stupid in my opinion...especially given the lack of safety.

If you look at what happened at Tennessee Volkswagen plant , politicians worked to get a "NO" vote a few years ago.

European manufactures have been flocking to that region because of the anti-labor agenda politicians have been selling them for years now . Coupled with huge multi year tax abatement's it a deal they can't pass up. That's why they earned the nickname " Right to work for less states".

 

[upnorth]

In the defense of the union membership , the upper management of the union is OVERRIDING their wishes and/or not allowing membership to know what is happening that may impact their livelihoods .

How do you a democratic union with a dictator? At least that's how it looks from here.

I asked the same question. Response I got is, no contract will please everyone, and majority rules. 51 to 49 is good enough.

 

[whip1]

In the defense of the union membership , the upper management of the union is OVERRIDING their wishes and/or not allowing membership to know what is happening that may impact their livelihoods .

How do you a democratic union with a dictator? At least that's how it looks from here.

What I don’t understand is why the members keep defending the leadership. It’s pretty clear the leadership doesn’t care about the members.

 

[icuicp]

I asked the same question. Response I got is, no contract will please everyone, and majority rules. 51 to 49 is good enough.

It puts a lot of pressure on the few guys we have that want to try and answer union questions , when you have this one GIANT conflict sitting out there : Hoffa Jr.

Similar to anti-union arguments that start off leaving out UPS. Years ago ( don't know if they still show the video ) CCX used to show an anti-union video about how bad unions are and the closing of CEE ( Con-way Eastern Express - formally Penn Yan ) due to a Teamster strike. Focus on the failure ( CEE ) ignore the success ( UPS )

 

[icuicp]

What I don’t understand is why the members keep defending the leadership. It’s pretty clear the leadership doesn’t care about the members.

What I would like to see is longtime pro-union posters on other boards ( that are reasonable ) come to this board and explain where things are and where they are trying to go with the Teamsters.

The main union advocates with ties to XPO on this board ( that are reasonable ) are missing one thing: experience.

 

[highspeeds]

Because most of the other barns succumbed to the union busters lies and voted no. YRC is an example of not being able to get blood from a stone. Their financials were horrible and the union had to concede to keep the company alive. I'm hoping their payback will come soon in the 2019 negotiations.

The YRC financials are not any better. Fantastic economy. And they are barely making money.

The union has been back peddling in negotiations with other companies that are making money.

How can you be hopeful they will get anything but more cuts ?

 

[highspeeds]

Due to the nature of how LTL used to be ( required several years of experience and you had to know someone to get a shot at a job ) most of the older drivers have worked at a union job. Most have YEARS of experience in the workforce and have seen ups and downs.

I get the impression from your posts that you truly mean well. Trying to win potential union members over by pointing to what may happen ( in your example Amazon ) is not as messed up as having Hoffa Jr. impose supplements that union members continually voted no on - effectively taking away their voice...IN A UNION. And it's happened more than once.

What in the world do you do when your leadership gives away your advantage before the company even asks for anything? This is demoralizing just reading this.

If you have caught up on the regular posters you'll find many of the regulars agree with a pro-driver , better benefits and working environment stance. Convincing people based on things in common always seemed like a better way along with openness and honesty ( as much as you can be online )

Great article. Great comments.

 

[highspeeds]

I disagree. XPO drivers are getting their information from one source. The company and their union busters have an overwhelming advantage when it comes to spreading propaganda. And they have the advantage of using their power to spread fear. Fear is a far more powerful emotion than hope.

If you voted for status quo, then the joke is on you, because status quo is not what you're getting. They are taking from you and will keep taking from you until there is nothing left. One by one, they are changing company policy and every single change to date has benefitted the company at your expense.

Intelligent and rational people would have realized by now that they are being bamboozled with lies and innuendo from company hacks and union busters. My angry old uncle has a bumper sticker that says "MY Company cares about me". He's a fool to believe that. Anyone who believes that any company today values the quality of your life over profit is a fool.

But the union helping UPS get concessions while showing $6 billion in profit makes sense to you ?

 

[highspeeds]

I don't buy it. CEO's are raking in the excess that could impart go to funding better pay and benefits for employees. That's the only difference between now and the past. As union participation slumps corporate greed at the top picked up the gains quickly. The same earnings are there in some cases more , it's just who benefits from it that's shifted .
Try not to be so easily defeated you deserve better.

So me a union that backs the rank and file. You deserve better.

 

[highspeeds]

I was there during the vote at our location you were not. I can tell you I saw guys that did not want to here the union side at all and only listened to the company, through the persuaders skewed lectures in captive audience meetings that they had no choice but to attend. I don't think for the most part it had anything to do with peoples intelligence ,but there willingness to here from both sides and their fear of retribution from the company. The company has the distinct advantage with these people . They don't want to be seen in anyway by the company as possibly engaging in getting info from the union and will avoid any contact with them for fear of this. I think if you are ever involved in a campaign you would see what i'm referring to if you kept an open perspective during the process. Fear , is the best tool the company has and it has nothing to do with peoples intelligence.

As has already been said. When management holds a meeting everyone stares at the floor. Regardless of the content of the meeting. Ain't nobody paying attention. The only fear people have right now is losing their paycheck. Or Jacobs selling us off and having to start over or rehire at lower wages.

 

[highspeeds]

He, knows that but it doesn't fit his argument. The persuader the company hired at our barn kept pushing it as a distraction. He knew better also but it's was one of his key talking points that the uninformed bought into.

We all know that. 401 with a match is the way to go. But when bringing up to outsiders that enter the argument why people don't trust unions. The pension situation is a big topic. Especially when the outsiders want you to consider the whole picture as a benefit. Well, that whole picture is garbage. Just my opinion.

 

[highspeeds]

In the defense of the union membership , the upper management of the union is OVERRIDING their wishes and/or not allowing membership to know what is happening that may impact their livelihoods .

How do you a democratic union with a dictator? At least that's how it looks from here.

Yeah, pro guys. How do you fix broken union leadership ? They keep electing the guy. He ain't going away on his own.