Many have read my postings on how we would lose many linehaul jobs, utilizing outside carriers for former rail freight. I was looking at the Freight Update I received today about Intermodal Rail. I immediately realized their numbers were incorrect, because they made a rail mile comparison, not point of origin to point of destination.

I decided to figure out, the exact amount of jobs that could be lost in linehaul based on their numbers. I came up with a worst case scenario, based on the assumptions we've been using. When I saw Tysons notes were posted. I printed them up, for my records and then looked through to see if I had any faulty assumptions. What I discovered, blew my mind away. Like most of us, I don't know our actual linehaul miles for the year, but discovered the weakness in the contract is NOT MILEAGE BASED.

ITS IN THE WORDING!!!

If you look at the first line of the NMFA, Art. 29, sect 6; NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY...

Now, if you look at the Freight Update we just received it alludes to it. WHILE THERE ARE MINOR EXCEPTIONS TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE OFFRAIL FREIGHT BE HAULED BY TEAMSTER REPRESENTED DRIVERS, THE EXCEPTIONS CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF TEAMSTER DRIVERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

To this point it supports what I've been posting about for weeks. Digg this In Tysons notes it blows the loss of Linehaul jobs wide open.

Tyson's Memo of Understand on Article 29 Section 6 item 1;

Each signatory Employer to the NMFA shall be permitted to use non-Teamster drivers for 10% of the annual over-the-road purchased transportation substitute service authorized by Article 29. Section 6 of the 2008 - 2013 NMFA to transport freight previously hauled by rail under Article 29, Section 3 AND WHERE NO REGULAR DRIVERS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE EMPLOYER'S ORIGIN LOCATION.

This can be interpreted to mean the non rail freight, from terminals with no available drivers is not subject to ANY percentage limitation. Based on an average run of 3100 miles from the East Coast to Tracy, Ca, this will result in a loss of 7 linehaul jobs per run if non rail and 2 to 3 if railed. What I wonder is what procedure or remedy would we have if they actually did this. It was not given to us as part of the NMFA, for us to use as pre voting information.