ABF | 2023 Contract Proposals

[Tonkatruck]

I mean no disrespect with what I'm about to say...I looked at when you joined Truckingboards and I see it says 2010....so my question to you is where were you with your complaints in 2013 and 2018? Welcome to Truckingboards, I hope to see you on the boards more often....that is what we do here, bounce ideas around...

Back then , I was just getting started on the Trucking business , came from a landscaping job company to ABF , Big diferent in the culture of the workers , landscaping you need to be a real team member to get the job done, in my terminal in 2006/2007 was each men on their own , Now time when by and I remember a long time ago a had a question as a rookie driver , and somebody said to me do something else but Trucking, after many years I still working in ABF , seen the good and the bad , and I really hope that maybe in this new contract, We driver will not take the same sorry excuse that they gave us back them , If ABF can afford to give new driver $10,000 bonus just to come to work , they really should pay us the right amount of $$$$$ to keep who they already have .

 

[ABF381]

Back then , I was just getting started on the Trucking business , came from a landscaping job company to ABF , Big diferent in the culture of the workers , landscaping you need to be a real team member to get the job done, in my terminal in 2006/2007 was each men on their own , Now time when by and I remember a long time ago a had a question as a rookie driver , and somebody said to me do something else but Trucking, after many years I still working in ABF , seen the good and the bad , and I really hope that maybe in this new contract, We driver will not take the same sorry excuse that they gave us back them , If ABF can afford to give new driver $10,000 bonus just to come to work , they really should pay us the right amount of $$$$$ to keep who they already have .

I understand......especially with coming from a (likely) non union industry....I came from a different industry also, but it was a union (IBEW) job so i knew how contract negotiations and ratifications went.....that is one problem with senior members not guiding the junior guys with the way things work....."every man for himself" is a terrible culture.....I hope you help junior guys out with understanding things, as I believe most union TB members do....

 

[Swingwide]

I understand......especially with coming from a (likely) non union industry....I came from a different industry also, but it was a union (IBEW) job so i knew how contract negotiations and ratifications went.....that is one problem with senior members not guiding the junior guys with the way things work....."every man for himself" is a terrible culture.....I hope you help junior guys out with understanding things, as I believe most union TB members do....

We have a smaller roster at the center I’m at and half of the “senior” guys are kiss asses who are of zero help to someone that’s new.

 

[chappey]

We have a smaller roster at the center I’m at and half of the “senior” guys are kiss asses who are of zero help to someone that’s new.

Senior guys should be taking you under their wing. and teaching you be loyal to the union, not the company, shame on them for not doing the right thing

 

[Swingwide]

Do you know if the Teamsters and ABF have been meeting? Any updates?

 

[piker]

Do you know if the Teamsters and ABF have been meeting? Any updates?

Historically you will not get any updates until they have a TA to present to us. Anything you hear is pure speculation!

 

[Coyote 33]

I know it is still a little early for the 2023 Contract Proposals, but I figured we could use the Trucking Boards platform to post what we have or what we would like have or change. Hopefully, the OZ slate has someone that reads these boards and they will get an idea of what we would like to see changed. I will start off posting two of the thirty-five proposals that I have come up with so far

We need to be more proactive in the "BARGAINING" PROCESS. ASK for way more than we want, just like everyone else negotiates. UPS PARCEL TRAILER DRIVERS are at $38 +, that's $12 an hour more that us almost a 1/3 MORE. This for doing JUST drop & hooks while traversing MAJOR ROAD to & from Industrial Areas. Our ABF PEDAL DRIVERS negotiate back roads, low wires, tree limbs, narrow dirt roads, putting U-PACKS trailers in Customer's Impossible driveways, getting & operating U-PACK FLATBEDS with Princetons to drop CUBES in otherwise inaccessible areas. ALL for NO EXTRA PAY for the EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES or RISKS. We, ABF DRIVERS & DOCK WORKERS are TRULY UNAPPRECIATED. This for OUR AMAZING SKILLS & PROFESSIONALISM in the face of EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES we all OVERCOME during our daily JOB DUTIES. We need to be in the MID to UPPER $30's. Meanwhile after UPS's new contract, they will be in the $40's.

 

[Swingwide]

We need to be more proactive in the "BARGAINING" PROCESS. ASK for way more than we want, just like everyone else negotiates. UPS PARCEL TRAILER DRIVERS are at $38 +, that's $12 an hour more that us almost a 1/3 MORE. This for doing JUST drop & hooks while traversing MAJOR ROAD to & from Industrial Areas. Our ABF PEDAL DRIVERS negotiate back roads, low wires, tree limbs, narrow dirt roads, putting U-PACKS trailers in Customer's Impossible driveways, getting & operating U-PACK FLATBEDS with Princetons to drop CUBES in otherwise inaccessible areas. ALL for NO EXTRA PAY for the EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES or RISKS. We, ABF DRIVERS & DOCK WORKERS are TRULY UNAPPRECIATED. This for OUR AMAZING SKILLS & PROFESSIONALISM in the face of EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES we all OVERCOME during our daily JOB DUTIES. We need to be in the MID to UPPER $30's. Meanwhile after UPS's new contract, they will be in the $40's.

Well said. 2 bucks would be awful. We would still be one of the lowest paid.

 

[Coyote 33]

We are asked & basically required to preform exceptional Skills & Judgement with the U-PACKS everyday. Let alone all the HOUSE DELIVERIES that include 375-400 LBS TREADMILLS & Exercise machines. That for SOME REASON state 2-MAN DELIVERY on the BOX. But, we don't have 2 Guys in a truck. Then Corporate wonders WHY, our AGING WORK FORCE has so many INJURIES. The at-a-boys & smoke being blown UP OUR REARS, by CORPORATE don't pay my bills or put food on the table. Or the risk of injury from delivering to OVER EXPECTATING & UNDER APPRECIATING HOMEOWNERS.

 

[Steward of the Rock]

 

[Coyote 33]

Exactly! Bargaining from a STRONGER POSITION will help us catch up to the INDUSTRY STANDARD. An AMAZON SPRINT VAN driver informed me he is at $25.00 an hour & if he

moves up to a Step Van $26.00. A small del. truck, no CDL, no D.O.T. PHYSICAL, no Haz-Mat, no Steel Metal Coil & no hand truck, just Small packages. When asking me, he STATED, "well you make the BIG BUCKS." You must make close to $40.00 an hour. Even MORE, when you run the FLATBED with that BIG FORKLIFT. I laughed & said that's funny, our customers ASSUME the same thing. Often they make the same statement during a delivery. This when they expect me to do WAY MORE than I'm suppose to. And want a FAVOR, because "YOU MAKE THE BIG BUCKS". Then I explain "WE" only make $26 & change. Their jaws all drop & exclaim, "You must be kidding, that's RIDICULOUS, that's CRIMINAL". But yet during CONTRACT TIME grown men cower & capitulate from being MANIPULATED by CORPORATE PROPAGANDA. WE NEED TO "ALL" FIND OUR COLLECTIVE "SPINES" TO GET WHAT WE DESERVE IN THIS UPCOMING CONTRACT!

 

[Brassballs]

Exactly! Bargaining from a STRONGER POSITION will help us catch up to the INDUSTRY STANDARD. An AMAZON SPRINT VAN driver informed me he is at $25.00 an hour & if he


moves up to a Step Van $26.00. A small del. truck, no CDL, no D.O.T. PHYSICAL, no Haz-Mat, no Steel Metal Coil & no hand truck, just Small packages. When asking me, he STATED, "well you make the BIG BUCKS." You must make close to $40.00 an hour. Even MORE, when you run the FLATBED with that BIG FORKLIFT. I laughed & said that's funny, our customers ASSUME the same thing. Often they make the same statement during a delivery. This when they expect me to do WAY MORE than I'm suppose to. And want a FAVOR, because "YOU MAKE THE BIG BUCKS". Then I explain "WE" only make $26 & change. Their jaws all drop & exclaim, "You must be kidding, that's RIDICULOUS, that's CRIMINAL". But yet during CONTRACT TIME grown men cower & capitulate from being MANIPULATED by CORPORATE PROPAGANDA. WE NEED TO "ALL" FIND OUR COLLECTIVE "SPINES" TO GET WHAT WE DESERVE IN THIS UPCOMING CONTRACT!

Do you explain the amount of benifits paid out on your behalf in addition to that $26 an hour?

 

[Coyote 33]

Do you explain the amount of benifits paid out on your behalf in addition to that $26 an hour?

Have you seen the BENEFIT PACKAGE AMAZON EMPLOYEES get. They make ours look PATHETIC. No wonder it's DIFFICULT or IMPOSSIBLE to ORGANIZE them. When I started, going on 40 years ago. Our RATE of PAY was DOUBLE my COUNTY DPW's & Town DPW's. And Benefits & PENSION were better than theirs. As of NOW, their rate of pay has caught up to us & is about to PASS us. And, oh yeah there BENEFITS are for LIFETIME. How long do our Benefits last, depending on the LOCAL, the day you RETIRE to possibly 3 months. The reason we are where we are is because of MULTIPLE SUBSTANDARD CONTRACTS, THANKS to HOFFA & COMPANY! We work for a Company that has posted 2+ years or 8 plus quarters of HISTORIC REVENUES. ALL during a time of NATIONAL CRISIS, while a majority of our neighbors sat home on DOUBLE UNEMPLOYMENT doing HOME IMPROVEMENTS. All the while "WE" came to work EVERYDAY & kept this COUNTRY OPEN & the SHELVES in STORES STOCKED. All we got for "OUR" dedication to our Job, Company & Country was smoke blown up our COLLECTIVE ASS by POLITICIANS & CORPORATE. This during a time the COMPANY reaped RECORD REVENUES. So, don't throw what you believe to be "GOTCHA PHRASES" or INNUENDO'S my way. I've been doing this for too long & working way to hard. To have ANY compassion for CORPORATE ENTITIES that have NO PROBLEM rewarding UPPER Management, I.E., Multi-Million Dollar Bonuses. INSTEAD of the BLUE COLLAR WORKERS for which this GAINS RECIEVED were achieved. In

 

[Brassballs]

Have you seen the BENEFIT PACKAGE AMAZON EMPLOYEES get. They make ours look PATHETIC. No wonder it's DIFFICULT or IMPOSSIBLE to ORGANIZE them. When I started, going on 40 years ago. Our RATE of PAY was DOUBLE my COUNTY DPW's & Town DPW's. And Benefits & PENSION were better than theirs. As of NOW, their rate of pay has caught up to us & is about to PASS us. And, oh yeah there BENEFITS are for LIFETIME. How long do our Benefits last, depending on the LOCAL, the day you RETIRE to possibly 3 months. The reason we are where we are is because of MULTIPLE SUBSTANDARD CONTRACTS, THANKS to HOFFA & COMPANY! We work for a Company that has posted 2+ years or 8 plus quarters of HISTORIC REVENUES. ALL during a time of NATIONAL CRISIS, while a majority of our neighbors sat home on DOUBLE UNEMPLOYMENT doing HOME IMPROVEMENTS. All the while "WE" came to work EVERYDAY & kept this COUNTRY OPEN & the SHELVES in STORES STOCKED. All we got for "OUR" dedication to our Job, Company & Country was smoke blown up our COLLECTIVE ASS by POLITICIANS & CORPORATE. This during a time the COMPANY reaped RECORD REVENUES. So, don't throw what you believe to be "GOTCHA PHRASES" or INNUENDO'S my way. I've been doing this for too long & working way to hard. To have ANY compassion for CORPORATE ENTITIES that have NO PROBLEM rewarding UPPER Management, I.E., Multi-Million Dollar Bonuses. INSTEAD of the BLUE COLLAR WORKERS for which this GAINS RECIEVED were achieved. In

I simply asked if you told the customer about you wonderful retirement package along with your unbelievable health and welfare package?
Those along with your wage puts you well over $40 an hour.
As to Amazon, if its so lucrative why wouldn't you seek employment there?

How Much Do Amazon Drivers Make In 2024? Pay & Income

How much do Amazon drivers make? We break down the hourly, weekly, and monthly earning averages you can expect in 2024.

www.ridester.com

 

[piker]

I simply asked if you told the customer about you wonderful retirement package along with your unbelievable health and welfare package?
Those along with your wage puts you well over $40 an hour.
As to Amazon, if its so lucrative why wouldn't you seek employment there?

How Much Do Amazon Drivers Make In 2024? Pay & Income

How much do Amazon drivers make? We break down the hourly, weekly, and monthly earning averages you can expect in 2024.

www.ridester.com

Why would you tell the customer anything about your personal business

 

[1FastVette]

I simply asked if you told the customer about you wonderful retirement package along with your unbelievable health and welfare package?
Those along with your wage puts you well over $40 an hour.
As to Amazon, if its so lucrative why wouldn't you seek employment there?

https://www.ridester.com/how-much-d...term and long-term disability pay. More items

OH. H&W Benefits. .$474 a week
Pension Benefits.... $342 a week

For both $816 a week. Divide by a 40 hour work week. $20.40 a hour fringe benefit value

$26.84 plus $20.40 Equals $47.24 a hour. Plus the rest of the hiren package we get.

This isnt to shabby. Would we like to be making more on the hour. Yes thats what next contract is for. And we are going to get it.

 

[Brassballs]

Why would you tell the customer anything about your personal business

I didnt...coyote 33 did.

 

[Brassballs]

OH. H&W Benefits. .$474 a week
Pension Benefits.... $342 a week

For both $816 a week. Divide by a 40 hour work week. $20.40 a hour fringe benefit value

$26.84 plus $20.40 Equals $47.24 a hour. Plus the rest of the hiren package we get.

This isnt to shabby. Would we like to be making more on the hour. Yes thats what next contract is for. And we are going to get it.

I sure hope you do.
Gonna be a tough sale though when your already outpacing the competition by so much.

 

[1FastVette]

I sure hope you do.
Gonna be a tough sale though when your already outpacing the competition by so much.I

I will agree our base hour wage is behind. But adding the value of your H@W and Pension. In my opinion we are to a certain point.

 

[ABF381]

I sure hope you do.
Gonna be a tough sale though when your already outpacing the competition by so much.

The competition also pays benefits, I'm aware it likely isn't as much....but insurance (their portion) and a 401k match isn't cheap.....many people on here want to pretend they don't pay anything...