union question

[autocar65]

You are sadly mistaken if you believe there is not 100% accountability in any teamster terminal.

Joe, you are just anti Union period. And that is cool...you have the right to be anti-Union just like I have the right to be anti-illegal worker. But the illegal works so much cheaper than Americans! They may have a girlfriend on Welfare, foodstamps, WIC and Medicaid that is paid for by the working American taxpayer (who's numbers are dwindling every week) but what the heck? They work cheaper than the American Worker (because they are already on Welfare, sometimes under two or three different names provided by the Mexican Consulate). They don't expect benefits (See food stamps and medicaid all provided by the American Taxpayer who's numbers are dwindling because they are being replaced by illegals who are on Welfare, Foodstamps, WIC and Medicaid). We have become a economic dinosaur who has it's tail in it's mouth and is dining sumptuously on its own carcase.

But let's ignore all that and continue to blame Organized Labor.

[Guardrail]

You guys do realize our attention spans about 2 short paragraphs, right? Posting a book will usually get skipped. Just an FYI.

[mud]

You guys do realize our attention spans about 2 short paragraphs, right? Posting a book will usually get skipped. Just an FYI.

My attention span is a couple of sentences, especially if Its the SOS.

[Airbrakes]

My attention span is a couple of sentences

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[Joe the plumber]

Joe, you are just anti Union period. And that is cool...you have the right to be anti-Union just like I have the right to be anti-illegal worker.

But let's ignore all that and continue to blame Organized Labor.

No, I'm not anti-union. I'm pro-union so I don't know where you're coming from. I worked as a teamster over 30 years. I was replying to Mr. Airbrakes post below that union people are lazy slouches. Union people are 100% accountable for every minute of the day. You are always better off with the teamster union then with out it. Friendship with upper management and enemies with most drivers is the mark of an insecure man who never knew the benefit of being a teamster

Quote Originally Posted by Airbrakes View Post
While I agree with what you stated, it's a fairy tale. People will continue to take unions for granted and assume their job is secured no matter what they do. That is the biggest reason why I HATE working for unionized companies. I am not a lazy person, so when I punch in for the day I want to work. Yet, the majority of the employees would rather sit on their asses and do nothing. For this reason, 99% of the time I'm running late due to the neglegance of a few employees. A forklift operator sleeping in the lunch room while there are a dozen trailers that need loaded for example. My work ethic got me 2 things at my company: friendship with upper management and enemies with most drivers. I'm even friends with the union stewart. Union stewarts actually like members that don't cause headaches at work. As long as you do your job, a union contract will ensure you can't be fired for a stupid reason. That is the real purpose of a union.

[Airbrakes]

No, I'm not anti-union. I'm pro-union so I don't know where you're coming from. I worked as a teamster over 30 years. I was replying to Mr. Airbrakes post below that union people are lazy slouches. Union people are 100% accountable for every minute of the day. You are always better off with the teamster union then with out it. Friendship with upper management and enemies with most drivers is the mark of an insecure man who never knew the benefit of being a teamster

Insecure man?

You should reread that post. I'm there to make a living and not to make friends with everyone.

[autocar65]

No, I'm not anti-union. I'm pro-union so I don't know where you're coming from. I worked as a teamster over 30 years. I was replying to Mr. Airbrakes post below that union people are lazy slouches. Union people are 100% accountable for [U]every minute of the day. You are always better off with the teamster union then with out it. Friendship with upper management and enemies with most drivers is the mark of an insecure man who never knew the benefit of being a teamster

Then we agree, Unions have strayed from their original intent. But nothing going to change without a fight. Either we begin to change it from within, or Unions will die. Like I asked awhile back: "Are we voting the right people into Union leadership"? Not if it is a popularity contest like the Presidential Elections....

But everyone wants to be comfortable....What in the hell does comfort, warehousing and trucking have to do with comfort?! If you are sitting at a Union dock, and it takes 8 hours to get unloaded? Well hell yes truckers are going to hate Unions.

[canaryinthemine]

When I got out of the military in 1974 and was able to get a union job a year later, my father, who was a Union Steward,.....( and, no, he didn't get me a job. Told me he didn't believe in nepotism. I had to go and look the word up..)..insisted that I go to the monthly Union meetings. As a young man, I couldn't understand that...after all, they had my Union dues...what more did they want? My dad explained that a Union who considers dues to be the reason of it's existence is one that has lost sight of what it's members need. In Pittsburgh, at that time, there was almost 20,000 Union members...and at least a good 10% showed up for the meeting. I am a steward, now , in a smaller local...only 2400 members....and every month the same 25 people show up. Schools don't teach any sort of labor history, they certainly don't tell you what current labor law is, you only get the negative side from the media...is it any wonder that most of today's younger people have no clue as to what a Union is? My opinion? A Union is the absolute last free voice that a working person can have in today's global economy. Lose Unions, and we just all become part of the labor pool, and you can leave your archaic "Constitutional Rights" outside the factory gate.

[Pup Driver]

When I got out of the military in 1974 and was able to get a union job a year later, my father, who was a Union Steward,.....( and, no, he didn't get me a job. Told me he didn't believe in nepotism. I had to go and look the word up..)..insisted that I go to the monthly Union meetings. As a young man, I couldn't understand that...after all, they had my Union dues...what more did they want? My dad explained that a Union who considers dues to be the reason of it's existence is one that has lost sight of what it's members need. In Pittsburgh, at that time, there was almost 20,000 Union members...and at least a good 10% showed up for the meeting. I am a steward, now , in a smaller local...only 2400 members....and every month the same 25 people show up. Schools don't teach any sort of labor history, they certainly don't tell you what current labor law is, you only get the negative side from the media...is it any wonder that most of today's younger people have no clue as to what a Union is? My opinion? A Union is the absolute last free voice that a working person can have in today's global economy. Lose Unions, and we just all become part of the labor pool, and you can leave your archaic "Constitutional Rights" outside the factory gate.

I think thats the problem all over the country , I know a lot of the guys say they live too far to come out to the meetings . I have not missed a meeting in years and like you said its the same faces every time at the meetings . Now that I'm retired from Yellow Freight I still never miss our retirees meetings . We have a guy that never missed a meeting in 50 years ( true story )and till today this guy will help any driver thats still on the job if he needs it just call him and he'll come out to your barn . He's a super guy, very smart on all labor issues .

[Joe the plumber]

Then we agree, Unions have strayed from their original intent. But nothing going to change without a fight. Either we begin to change it from within, or Unions will die. Like I asked awhile back: "Are we voting the right people into Union leadership"? Not if it is a popularity contest like the Presidential Elections....

But everyone wants to be comfortable....What in the hell does comfort, warehousing and trucking have to do with comfort?! If you are sitting at a Union dock, and it takes 8 hours to get unloaded? Well hell yes truckers are going to hate Unions.

Being comfortably numb is a good state of mind. It all boils down to profits. If the company is not profitable the union can do nothing. But a union today should make the companies more competitive any way they could. Even the big telecom company union employees are taking hits while the union sits with no push back