ABF / Teamsters Future

[HillBilly Frog]

I believe that Bad Bob must have drawn the short straw at the last TMI "get together" and was made to throw the pension scare out on the battlefield... I say look for strong pursuit of work rule and job classification changes. More FLEXIBILITY...

In the Quarterly report that we saw that very thing is what he really laid out. How all the work rules we have are so restrictive and out of date causing us to be non competitive with the non union side. They need more "Flexibility"! Yeah right we need to be flexible while they lay it in us.

[HiwayHombre]

In the Quarterly report that we saw that very thing is what he really laid out. How all the work rules we have are so restrictive and out of date causing us to be non competitive with the non union side. They need more "Flexibility"! Yeah right we need to be flexible while they lay it in us.

Yeah, they've been singin' that same song over here for a long time. The weapon of choice for Yellow right now (from my vantage point) is letting the linehaul linger on the clock waiting for freight to close at the dock and keeping the yard busy with meaningless re-hooks and BS work while scheduled departures set on the ready line strung and waiting on power (with power available and ready in the corral), etc... Freight runs late, service missed... Ten will get you twenty that they will throw the paid wait time/lost revenue (due to poor service) figures on the table for justification...

The pension talk (in freight) is just a fart in a whirlwind when compared to what they really want...

[stldude44]

Exactly right, stldude... They're merely rattling their sabres for a distraction. They're riding on the coattails of what the airlines and other sectors have been doing with their pension plans and new pension rules being coughed up by the Feds. As far as YRC is concerned, Yellow has always been famous for being able to go into an operational tailspin, in any region, at any time to justify anything they're about to ask for and claim it in the name of "economic necessity". I believe that Bad Bob must have drawn the short straw at the last TMI "get together" and was made to throw the pension scare out on the battlefield... I say look for strong pursuit of work rule and job classification changes. More FLEXIBILITY...

HH,
I'd say you're absolutely correct. I remember in the mid 80's the rumor was floated around that the Companies wanted to be able to use a road driver on the dock or in the city/yard when he arrived home on an 8 hour mini to make him earn all 8. In the 1994 negotiations they threw out the part timer thing.....when in reality they wanted, and were allowed, to almost double the rail freight. I've never been told this officially, but I firmly believe that in the 2003 negotiations the Companies put it this way......we'll give you guys raises and continue to pay for all of the H&W and pension but we'll need more favorable grievance decisions due to competition with Companies who are able to dictate just what their employees are going to do at any time. This time around might also see a serious crackdown on absenteeism. I like to think that it won't be too bad but we'll all have to wait and see.

[Apostolic]

Thats a great big 10-4 stldude44.
Contracts are always give,and take.
Whenever the workers want a better package.
the companies always want some give backs,to make them come to the table with an increases.

The more the workers want,and the more the union rep's think they can get,the more the companies want in return.

This is American commerce after all free enterprise isn't really free.

[HiwayHombre]

Thats a great big 10-4 stldude44.
Contracts are always give,and take.
Whenever the workers want a better package.
the companies always want some give backs,to make them come to the table with an increases.

The more the workers want,and the more the union rep's think they can get,the more the companies want in return.

This is American commerce after all free enterprise isn't really free.

Yeah, just a part of negotiation... Your last statement spoke volumes about how corporate America really operates...
Everyone on the darkside is a bit fearful but we're gonna fight the good fight. It's only a shame that we can't get the rest of our freight brethren to see the light and come together, as a unified body, and demand what we are due for what we do. There is strength in numbers! Imagine what this industry would be like today if we were all just one big collective? Man, we'd be living in the same neighborhood as the big boss lived in!... I'm straying, I digress...

HH,
I'd say you're absolutely correct. I remember in the mid 80's the rumor was floated around that the Companies wanted to be able to use a road driver on the dock or in the city/yard when he arrived home on an 8 hour mini to make him earn all 8. In the 1994 negotiations they threw out the part timer thing.....when in reality they wanted, and were allowed, to almost double the rail freight. I've never been told this officially, but I firmly believe that in the 2003 negotiations the Companies put it this way......we'll give you guys raises and continue to pay for all of the H&W and pension but we'll need more favorable grievance decisions due to competition with Companies who are able to dictate just what their employees are going to do at any time. This time around might also see a serious crackdown on absenteeism. I like to think that it won't be too bad but we'll all have to wait and see.

stldude, I remember it all. Even though I was in & out of IBT during those times (still in my craft and still union, IBT, RWDSU/UFCW) I stayed abreast of what was happening thru friends and family that was still involved in freight... And for as long as I've been around this, that's the justification that I use to say to these posters around here that it's all just posturing by these companies to sway opinion and support. I know what the score is right now. But we cannot let that be the dominating factor going into these negotiations. I believe what you said about the '03 contract. I became a Steward over here shortly after the '03 contract was ratified. Yeah, we had to play some serious hardball for a while on disciplinary cases. And the co. did take a harder line on suspension/discharge cases for a while. But they cooled after a short time (after the big IBT announcement about h/w/p happenings)... So yes, you and Apostolic are exactly right basically, it's all give & take...

I recently received notice from my local that freight contract discussion/suggestion sessions were coming up soon, here in ATL. I urge all members everywhere to attend these called meetings and bring your prepared notes for discussion/suggestions and proposals. Your input counts! Be there! If you do not receive notice soon, contact your BA and ask/demand a called freight meeting about your NMFA!... Expiration date is April 1, 2008. It's coming fast... Let's all be ready...

[imported_pipe layer]

you guys remember when the hostal takeover attemp of abf was saved when all abf employees sold our stock back only to the company. abf borrowed money from a bank like firm that put abf in debt of millions of dollars only to have abf come to the emplyees and ask for a giveback and we were told if they did not get the giveback abf could not compete with the other companys and would go out of business. the giveback was turned down by 98 percent of the emloyees and they survived. having worked for a few other companys beside abf I have to say abf has the best drivers in the country. all we need is good leaders to lead us and we will survive

[Apostolic]

Yes sir I went through a payroll give back at my last fultime union LTTL trucking company,1985 to 1986.
I was number two over all in my terminal.
I had just shy of 18 years with them.
They asked for a 15% pay cut to keep their operation going.
This was at Hall's Motor Transit.
Well 93% of the intire company gave them what they wanted.
We the foolish money lenders wanted our company to make it so we could keep working for them.
The Teamsters said we could do the give back for one year,then we should get our loan paid back,as well as a rectroactive raise we had coming.
Oh my 10 months passed the company did a complete turn around,and was in the black making a profit.
The Teamsters officials started leanning on them to set a date for our pay back.
The company claimed all of our money was collecting interest in a bank account waiting for the big day to take care of their kind workers for their generious loan.
Well maybe not in those words,seeing I'm being very sarcastic.
The company closed their doors,with the higher ups running away with all of our money three days before the payback due date.

So as for me never again,if the company I work for needs my money so bad they can't make it,well then go under,and get it over with.
So all of us workers can just move on with our lives.

[BIG STEVE]

Yeah, they've been singin' that same song over here for a long time. The weapon of choice for Yellow right now (from my vantage point) is letting the linehaul linger on the clock waiting for freight to close at the dock and keeping the yard busy with meaningless re-hooks and BS work while scheduled departures set on the ready line strung and waiting on power (with power available and ready in the corral), etc... Freight runs late, service missed... Ten will get you twenty that they will throw the paid wait time/lost revenue (due to poor service) figures on the table for justification...

The pension talk (in freight) is just a fart in a whirlwind when compared to what they really want...

i think you are right about that as far as the pension thing being a fart in the wind

i think the company mentality as far as negotiations are concerned is the simple logic of "throwin all the at the wall and let's see what sticks"
if you don't ask for them (concessions) you can't get them

i just hope our teamster leaders have more and show more savy this time around then they have shown in the past :toxic:

[imported_River17]

Also, for what it's worth, the Companies are the ones pushing for a quick settlement in the 2008 agreement which puts us at somewhat of an advantage right from the start.

stldude

I was just wondering if you spent more than 5 minutes thinking as to why the "companies" are pushing so hard for a quick settlement???
Could it be that the customers (shippers) are the ones pushing the union LTL companies to find a quick settlement before they have to hedge their bets and sign long term (1 to 3 year) contracts with non-union carriers. These non-union carriers already have told these shippers that they are not going to bother hauling their freight for a temporary period.
So the more freight these shippers have to divert for their own protection the more drivers could stay laid-off for a very long time.

:smilie_132:

[Trucking Green]

I think them non-union companys will jump at our freight just to put money in there pocket.......