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Complete Committee Letters

Shifterknob

Shifterknob

The Last Wordslinger
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Dear fellow Oak Harbor employees,

This letter was written under the auspices of the Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees, an informal group of union and non-union OHFL employees. We have decided it is time to provide a response to the company’s non-union pay and benefits package, which they are also presenting to the union employees in a transparent and feeble attempt at brainwashing.

Many of you by now have done the calculations and realized that this new package is not nearly as good as what you have now, and that they are not giving the non-union employees any chance to have input or even vote on whether they want it or not. They say their new plan is about choices, but they are determining the few choices there actually are. Not much of a choice, is it?

The non-union employees really have no choice here. The union employees do, at least to the degree they actually get to negotiate with the Company via their union representatives. And the union employees are not even slightly interested in what the Company is proposing, which is to have us in the same plan as the non-union employees.

They want the union employees to give up their Teamster health and welfare plans, their Teamster pension plan. They want to eliminate our sick pay program and replace it with a miniscule raise. At $.15/hour, it would take an employee almost 1,100 hours to gain one eight-hour sick day! Currently, we earn one-half a sick day every month. And the cash-out they are offering is a joke. An employee with a full bank of twenty-four days would get less than five days at cash-out time.

The union healthcare plans offer retiree healthcare coverage; the Company plans do not, nor are they willing to do so. The union plans offer better benefits for most covered union employees than the Company plans do. The union employees are not willing to give up one of our most valued benefits. Not ever.

The pension is another point of contention. The Teamster pension offers early retirement with a full pension, guaranteed retirement benefits, and the stability of the number one private multi-employer pension trust in the world, with assets of over 39 billion dollars! Union employees are not interested in giving up all of that for the insecurity of a 401(k).

If you are a non-union OHFL employee, you need to ask yourself if you are happy being forced to accept a plan that is far less than what you have now, and just what you are willing to do about it. If you are a union OHFL employee, be ready for the fight of your life, as the Company has drawn the battle lines over the aforementioned items. Be ready to stand up and fight for what you need!

The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees
 
Dear fellow Oak Harbor employees,

This letter was written under the auspices of the Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees, an informal group of union and non-union OHFL employees dedicated to countering the propaganda the Company is putting out.

Management has spent much time pulling union and non-union employees into mandatory meetings, where they talk about the need to attract new employees by redesigning their wage and benefit package. Obviously, they hope to negotiate this with their union employees as well. They talk about how it is an ever more competitive environment, and how our finances are suffering due to high benefits costs.

And yet they do not talk about the real cause of our financial woes. Most of us have seen a decline in good management over the last several years. The amount of money wasted due to inefficiency and stupidity could undoubtedly fund substantial wage and benefit increases for years to come. But they would rather infer that the real problem lies with their employees.

They put out financial numbers daily that seemingly proves their point. But ask yourself this: can you trust their numbers? They are not a publicly-traded company, and have no Securities and Exchange Commission requirements to file accurate and in-depth financial statements that are held to public or governmental scrutiny.

Do you understand just how easy it is to skew operating ratio numbers to fit their needs? If they start making a little too much money, all they have to do is buy a couple of trailers full of truck and trailer tires, or put in an expensive and overblown security system. Those kind of capital expenses goes directly against the bottom line, and so skews the numbers for a particular month, quarter, or year to meet the criteria they want.

Mismanagement is rampant at OHFL. Most of us see it and deal with it every day. The real question is should the employees of OHFL have to pay for such inefficiencies and mistakes by having our wages stagnate and our benefit levels reduced? Many of us work very long hours, and have made innumerable sacrifices for this company, and this is the reward we get?

Will we settle for this, or will we stand up for ourselves and fight for what ourselves and our families need and deserve?

Ask yourself this one vital question: If I don’t draw a line here and now... where do I draw the line?

The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees
 
Dear fellow Oak Harbor employees,

This letter was written under the auspices of the Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees, an informal group of union and non-union OHFL employees dedicated to countering the propaganda the Company is putting out.

Medical insurance is the hot topic these days. The Company is clearly intent on moving all of their employees into their own self-funded medical insurance plan, and to have all employees paying for a portion of the insurance premium, which is new even to the non-union employees. This is unacceptable for the unionized employees to consider. The Company plan has lower benefits levels than either of the current union plans. The Company plan has no provisions for retiree healthcare, nor are they interested in offering such an option. By converting to a Company plan, the unionized employees lose any hope of controlling their benefit levels, their cost allocations, or plan options.

On the retiree issue alone, the unionized employees cannot in good conscience even consider a Company plan. Our retirees count on us to help subsidize their healthcare, and to keep the cost reasonable in a time of rapidly rising healthcare expenses. If we turn our backs on them now, we turn our backs on ourselves, for one day we all hope to be retired with a sense of security where our pensions and healthcare is concerned.

We recognize that the Company wants to free up operating capital by converting all us to their plan. They can accomplish this because their plan is self-funded, which means that they only pay the claims as they are generated; rather than paying a flat monthly premium into a trust fund as they currently do in the case of their union employees. In any given month, probably only twenty percent of employees actually use their health benefits, which results in an immediate cost savings... for the Company.

However, they are not required to keep a trust fund of money set aside to pay these claims, and if they ran short of operating capital, they might not be able to pay the claims as they come, which means that you the employee would then be liable for the cost of the claim. There is a question about medical privacy. Since they are handed a bill every month, they would know which employees went to which doctors, and might even have knowledge about what procedures were undertaken. Do you necessarily want your employer knowing such details about your medical conditions?

The non-union side has little choice in their benefits, but the union side has the right to say no, and to back it up with the threat of a strike. Hopefully this will underscore to the non-union employees the value of joining a union and being able to negotiate with the Employer instead of being dictated to.

The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees
 
Dear fellow Oak Harbor employees,

This letter was written under the auspices of the Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees, an informal group of union and non-union OHFL employees dedicated to countering the propaganda the Company is putting out.

It seems our first three publications have aroused the ire of Dave and Ed VP, to judge by the response letter hanging in several terminals late last week. It seems they don’t like union employees trying to incite their non-union fellow employees to take action for themselves. It seems they want the union employees to, as they put it, “stick to using the union negotiating process” and leave their non-union employees alone.

Pretty hypocritical words, considering they have been dragging union employees into mandatory meeting after mandatory meeting to present their non-union wage and benefits package. For purely informational purposes, mind you. It seems they are highly offended by this Committee, made up of union and non-union employees alike, daring to go around them and talking a little truth without their permission or interference.

Yet that has been the track record of our owners; to make hypocritical statements and take hypocritical actions without being aware of just how transparent their motivations are to their own employees. They do not care about their employees any more than they really seem to care about this company succeeding. They do all the wrong things to ensure true success, including doing everything possible to anger their own employees to the point they are forced to take action.

They hire inexperienced or poor managers and then let them bumble about wreaking havoc on our operations. They try and cut costs by screwing their own employees. They have lost touch with what made us such a great company in the first place, and that is truly sad. You can’t stay competitive without an experienced, happy, and satisfied workforce. And their workforce is not happy.

If you are a non-union employee of OHFL, it is time you spend a little time thinking about what the future holds for you here. Now the door is opened, and your benefits have been reduced. What is to keep them from increasing your medical premium next year? What is to keep them from dropping their 401(k) matching benefit down a percent or two in the next year or two? How about that great deal on your sick pay cash-out? One day cashed-out for every forty you had built up in your bank; a bank that was built up so high because you didn’t take sick days, and now this is how they reward you?

Think about it... and take action.

The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees
 
Dear fellow Oak Harbor employees,

This letter was written under the auspices of the Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees, an informal group of union and non-union OHFL employees dedicated to countering the propaganda the Company is putting out.

It has come to light that certain non-union terminals are deciding to look seriously at their options for union representation. These terminals are staffed by employees who are unhappy with the course of the recent modifications to the non-union employee wage and benefits package due to take effect January 1, 2008. These OHFL employees have simply had enough, and are looking to take a stand for their own futures.

Management has caught wind of these rumblings, and so are now on a serious anti-union propaganda campaign through out California and Nevada. They are doing everything to discredit the Teamsters Union and the outstanding benefits the unionized employees of OHFL share.

Clearly they are threatened by the thought of union expansion in their company, but they seem blind as to the cause, which quite simply put, is their own actions.

They have forced a new and inferior wage and benefits package down the throats of their employees without asking if they wanted it or without taking a vote or any input. Quite simply, they don’t care what their employees think, nor do they think that any of them are smart enough to figure out just how they are being screwed by the new plan. They clearly assumed every non-union employee would take it quietly and without a fight.

If you are a OHFL non-union employee, ask yourself if you are better of letting David and Ed VP dictate to you what they think your wages and benefits ought to be, or if you are better off joining a union and negotiating for the best deal you can get. The more this company is unionized, the more leverage the employees have in gaining a better deal for themselves.

Of course the company will try and play the fear and intimidation game, and put the word out in a subtle way that layoffs “could be imminent” if that terminal were to go union. Or that the union pension and health and welfare trusts are about to go bankrupt, which just simply isn’t true. It is easy to research by going on the Web and looking up the information. Then you will see just how much management is being untruthful. They simply detest having to negotiate on a level playing field with their own employees. They much rather would just dictate to you what they think you are worth. And it’s likely less than what you think you are worth, given all the hours of labor you give to this employer.

Don’t buy the lies; don’t buy into the fear. Take action now for your future!

The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees
 
Dear fellow Oak Harbor employees,

This letter was written under the auspices of the Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees, an informal group of union and non-union OHFL employees dedicated to countering the propaganda the Company is putting out.

Perhaps you have seen memos hanging in your terminal signed by a Bob B of Braun Consulting Group “updating” the employees as to the state of the negotiations, and pointing the finger of blame squarely at the union for why the contract has not been settled yet.

Bob B mentions the fact that the union has not presented the “B” Appendix as of yet to the Company, stating that clearly the union wasn’t prepared since the “B” Appendix is “mostly” language. The Company spin doctors are out in full force, obviously.

The fact of the matter is that the “B” Appendix, which is the section of the contract which deals with line-haul drivers, is mostly economic in nature, and not just language. The union has yet to present any of the economics across the table to the employer (i.e. wages, pension, health & welfare, etc.) as in most contracts the economics are the main sticking point. It’s not that the union committee isn’t prepared; rather, it is simply following the bargaining process in good faith and has engaged in normal bargaining tactics.

The union had as of the September negotiations, pulled all but the most important twenty-five or so issues off of the table to speed up negotiations in good faith. Bob B and John P, the company’s high-priced labor attorneys, pulled nothing off of the table and have proceeded to try and bog things down as much as possible. It is the Company which is acting in bad faith here.

Bear in mind that the company only gave the union a handful of negotiating dates prior the contract expiration date, so the only party slowing things down in the negotiating process is the Company. Even in the late October negotiating session, the union was prepared to negotiate into the weekend and beyond, but it was the Company who declined to go beyond the scheduled three days.

Clearly the Company is playing a dangerous game here, and they are trying to play the propaganda game to the hilt. Now all of the local unions are in the process of taking strike pre-authorization votes, and informing their membership of the Company’s attempts to roadblock the good-faith negotiating process. Stay vigilant and if you have questions, be sure to ask your stewards or local union representatives. Remember, united we stand; divided, we beg.

The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees
 
Dear fellow Oak Harbor employees,

This letter was written under the auspices of the Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees, an informal group of union and non-union OHFL employees dedicated to countering the propaganda the Company is putting out.

Perhaps you sense tension in the air around the workplace? See frustration mounting in the faces of your fellow employees, and perhaps your own?

The fact that the Company has clearly threatened the livelihoods of it’s unionized employees in the most recent DVD is why there are storm clouds gathering on the horizon. The same DVD where the owners obfuscate, spin and lie their way through what they call the facts. The DVD concludes by David and Edward informing the viewing employees that they will replace every single one of them if they happen to dare to go out on strike over the issues on the table.

In the meantime, the union locals have voted their members for strike authorization. In every case, the vote tally has been overwhelming to authorize the union to strike if and when it becomes necessary. Most union employees of Oak Harbor are not eager to strike, but they are determined to do whatever is necessary to preserve their benefits and to draw a line in the sand over Company take-backs.

The union has bargained in good faith; it is the Company which has limited the number of negotiating dates and thrown up innumerable roadblocks to a quick resolution of the negotiating process. It is the Company which has refused to narrow the scope of the open items to be bargained. The union has narrowed the scope of the open issues, and has been more than willing to show good faith by moving off of some very desired proposals in order to speed the process up.

Meanwhile, down in California and Nevada, the Company is waging an open war of anti-union propaganda trying to beat down the rising tide of dissatisfaction and distrust over the new non-union wage and benefits package. Management is spreading outright lies over the state of union pension funds and are using the tired old tactics of fear, intimidation, coercion and falsehoods to quash any attempt to unionize. Many are not buying into their dishonest tactics, but many are caught between their fear of management and their wish to do something about their own situation.

If you are a non-union OHFL employee, you need to ask yourself if you are willing to stand tall on your own behalf and start taking a stand for what you need for yourself and your family. Join the unionized employees of OHFL in standing up to the greed and deception of management. United we stand; divided, we beg!


The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees
 
Dear fellow Oak Harbor Freight Line employees,

This letter was written under the auspices of the Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees, an informal committee of union and non-union OHFL employees concerned about issues regarding our workplace.

As we head into what seems to be the final weeks of our contract negotiations, we continue to see an effort by management to instill fear and division into the unionized employees of OHFL. Management has issued memos where they stated the union was responsible for the slow progress of the negotiations, but instead it has been revealed that they were the ones impeding progress all along.

This is another example of how management is obfuscating and telling only the facts and information that they want they employees to hear. Half-truths are not the truth.

They have continued to try and play divide-and-conquer with their unionized employees, quietly telling employees that in the event of a strike, they would be permanently replaced. This rings especially hard in the smaller terminals in rural areas and smaller towns, where replacement jobs would be hard to find. There have been under-the-table urgings to decertify the union, and in their memos, they kindly point out how union members can cross picket lines, if only they will sign the provided forms. The falsity in the tone of these memos blatant, and it screams for a response.

They have even gone so far as tell non-union employees if they refuse to cross a union picket line, they will be terminated! We need to tell you this: you can refuse to cross a picket line as a non-union driver if you are in fear of your personal safety. If they terminate you anyhow, you have recourse under the law. Do not let management push you into doing something you do not want or feel is unsafe to do!

The fact is, most of the unionized employees are strong and committed to getting what we need to have. There will always be a few who allow fear and self-interest to whittle away at their better sense, but they are few and far between in this company. Most of us are tired of seeing our company continue to grow and expand, while senior management demands concessions in wages and benefits, and work rules. Most of us are more than willing to take a stand to protect our livelihoods and our principles as Teamsters. And there are a surprising number of non-union employees who support us and hope that we can prevail. They are still smarting from what has been rammed down their collective throats by senior management.

And in the end, that is a large part of what we are fighting for. Management doesn’t want to NEGOTIATE, they want to DICTATE! Together, we stand united in a common cause towards the goal of a good, decent labor agreement that we can be proud of and by which we can support ourselves and our families. But, as in any fight, there is always the risk we could end up in a fight.

Some want the benefits of being in a union without having to assume any of the risk. They want to ride the coattails of those who are willing to stand up and fight. When the tension starts to mount, and the fight starts looking imminent, these are the people who often panic and compromise themselves and their fellow employees by doing things they would normally never consider. Like crossing a picket line staffed by their friends and co-workers. Or decertifying. Or even spying and informing on their co-workers. They turn their back on their own principles, and the oath they have taken to themselves, their fellow Teamsters, and the union as a whole, and in doing so, weaken us all.

We have a saying in this union: “UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE BEG!”

Historically, those who have stood up to their dictatorial employers have often succeeded in bettering themselves. In some cases, it led to the destruction of their company. But that isn’t our choice: it is the choice of those in senior management who let obstinacy, greed, arrogance and selfishness override their better business sense and their so-called Christian values. If this company is destroyed, it will be their fault and on their heads.

They are deluding themselves into believing they can survive a strike against their employees and the union. Let us state emphatically: THIS COMPANY WILL NOT SURVIVE A STRIKE!
If they push us out the door because of their unwillingness to bargain for what us employees have identified as important, we will ensure their destruction. The union will ensure this. Our brother Teamsters at other companies will stand with us on the line and ensure this. Our customers will pull their accounts and the freight will dry up overnight. Non-union employees, hired **** replacement workers, and those few who are weak enough to cross the picket lines will have no freight to deliver or pickup, or dock work to perform. Nor will they be able to shut down OHFL and re-start it under another name. It won’t help. None of the contingency plans they have made will allow them to escape their fate.

Of course, it will be hard on us employees if this happens. The union leadership does not take a strike action lightly, nor do us employees. But we all know if we do not draw a line here, they will continue to push us further and further down the road of weaker contracts and reduced benefits, and WE JUST AREN’T GOING TO DO THAT!

We will fight together, and deal with the consequences together, because that is what it is to be union. Many coming together as one for a unified purpose. We will all do what we have to do, and if it means the end of this company, than so be it. Regardless of the outcome, we can all hold our heads high knowing we stood by our principles and fought the good fight. Stand strong, and stand together in pride!

In Solidarity,

The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees
 
I think "The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees" is actually one person, the President of Local 81 who in his spare time drives line for Oak Harbor in Portland.
 
I find it more than Ironic that shifterknob is also the CB handle that this particular line driver uses and the fact that the emails that he sends from his personal email are written the same way as his postings on this blog.

Bottom line, I think shifterknob has personal agendas. Personal agendas to advance the union and his stature in the union.

I do not believe that he has the best interests in mind when it comes to his fellow coworkers both union and non union alike.

But... I guess I could be wrong.

Fair&Balanced

PS. I will be surprised if my entries last long on this blog. My experience in the past in posting alternative views have been that my postings get deleted.
 
Fair&Balanced said:
I think "The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees" is actually one person, the President of Local 81 who in his spare time drives line for Oak Harbor in Portland.
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Well as usual you are wrong. I am a member of said committee along with several other employees of (J)Oak Harbor. We all submit ideas to be cussed and discussed.
 
To Fair&Balanced. I haven't seen much that I disagree from shifterknobs postins so I fail to see where you are coming from? I know management doesn't like when we can see thru their propoganda.
 
Fair&Balanced said:
I find it more than Ironic that shifterknob is also the CB handle that this particular line driver uses and the fact that the emails that he sends from his personal email are written the same way as his postings on this blog.

Bottom line, I think shifterknob has personal agendas. Personal agendas to advance the union and his stature in the union.

I do not believe that he has the best interests in mind when it comes to his fellow coworkers both union and non union alike.

But... I guess I could be wrong.

Fair&Balanced

PS. I will be surprised if my entries last long on this blog. My experience in the past in posting alternative views have been that my postings get deleted.
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I recall one post being moved, because it was off subject and I believe a link was provided to its new location in that forum, something about Frito decertification, right? You have posted under two handles in this forum, as Dipstick, and as fairandbalanced, to imply that you have been censored because of your anti-union stance is ludicrous, you always have been allowed to share you feelings and opinions here, even though you are a manager.

A lot of your family works for OHFL, if they go down you have allot to lose, correct? To me, it is fairly apparent why you have no regard for the union employees seeing as how what they get or don't get has no effect on you whatsoever. But this isn't about censorship, its about trying to appear as a victim, the only reason one would need to do something like that would be to obfuscate the issues, maybe you are afraid to argue the facts? So read the postings, and state you opposition to the points that are made, and lets get it all out there for those who read here. You apparently desire to make a point, so do it.
 
Fair&Balanced said:
"...I think "The Committee of Concerned Oak Harbor Employees" is actually one person, the President of Local 81 who in his spare time drives line for Oak Harbor in Portland..."
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Hahahaha... how is Salt Lake City treating you, F&B? C'mon, we all know you are our ex-district sales manager who left OHFL's employ not too long ago. I'm not going to clue you in as to how I know who you are, but it isn't just my writing style that is easy to discern. Glad that you are still so very concerned with the outcome of things over here, though.

Very touching.

Now, whether I am who you say I am or someone completely different ( I mean, how many times did you tell Tom you knew who was penning those and other letters under the Committee heading?), it really is irrelevent because they are the consensus opinion of the majority of the group of employees, both union and non-union.

One person does not steer this ship. Not the president of Local 81, who is indeed an OHFL line driver and a good friend of mine, nor even a small handful of people. I know that you might find some measure of comfort in believing that this is so, but you would be mightily mistaken. It is a big group, and we are made up of many people and many opinions.

A good analogy to the authors of these letters can be found in history, which is a favorite topic of mine.

During the time leading up to the American Revolution, there was a sizeable group of individuals who were considering seccesion from English rule. Amongst these were such notables as John Adams, who argued eloquently for independance in front of the Continental Congress in a marathon debate over the issue. But when the time came to draft the Declaration of Independance, Adams turned to the young Thomas Jefferson, whom everyone agreed was the most eloquent writer in the group to pen the actual letter to King George III.

In other words, they used the individual who had the talents needed for the particular job or task at hand. Much the same as we have done.

It isn't one person's voice in those preceding Committee letters any more than it was just Jefferson's voice in the Declaration of Independance.

Again, I know you would like to believe that to be the case, because to face the fact that so many OHFL employees are united has to be dismaying to your buddies in upper management. I can't help that, though. The truth is self-evident, as our forefathers would say.

Enjoy Utah, and let us worry about this little chicken fight, bud...
 
Ideas?

Okay, I think we've been fairly clear about where we stand on this, but in the interest of being perfectly clear, let me toss a few "idears" your way:

1.) Get off the dime on the company H&W and pension issues. We are never going to consider that in any way, shape or form, so let's talk turkey about what we can do with the Teamster plans that both sides can live with, so we can all get back to the business of hauling freight and being profitable.

2.) Quit trying to bust the union. We know all about the VP family's desire to have the company completely non-union by their 100th anniversary. Again... not going to happen. We will either be union, or be out of business by their 100th anniversary. Get used to it, get off it, and move on.

3.) Get serious about wrapping this deal up before we lose what is left of our customer base and before we are completely picked clean by the competition. Your predecessor, Ro... er... F&B... the Art-man himself... is running around trying to steal every customer he can for his new employer, and telling everyone a strike over here is imminent. They are starting to believe him, and all of the others like him from the other companies. Better hurry... the clock is ticking.

4.) How about senior management putting as much energy into running this company efficiently and productively as they are into their anti-union intimidation and propaganda campaign? I haven't seen Dave and Ed this energetic... ever! perhaps if they stop crapping on their employees and start respecting our experience and skills and our insights into how this company could become a better company and quit trying to cheat us out of fair wages and bennies, we could accomplish something!

There... there's a few ideas to chew on. I know it may not be quite what you had in mind from your lofty perspective at the foot of the Wabash Mountains, but I think they are worthy of consideration...:biglaugh:
 
I agree with #1 in as far as to say that each side needs to negotiate something that they can live with and be proud of. Employees need good benifits but not at the expense of keeping the company from competing in the industry. What good is the perfect wage and benefits package for any employee union or non union alike if the company is no longer around to pay the wages or benefits that may be agreed to? I find it strange that many contracts that have been negotiated as of late between the teamsters and other companies competing with Oakh and backed by companies with deeper pockets fall short in what Oakh is offering. How is Oakh supposed to compete with those same companies if you get everything you are looking for? Maybe more attention needs to be placed in ensuring those companies pay in wages and offer in benefits what Oakh does PRIOR to condeming Oakh.

#2 All I have heard time and time again is only that the company wants to continue to be in business at its 100 year anniversary. I NEVER once heard the companies goal was to bust the union either directly or indirectly. Is that what they told you, or just your opinion?

#3 Negotiations is a 50/50 thing. The union in my opinion has as much responsibility in wrapping this thing up and getting "serious" as you put it. Posting "WE WILL KILL THE COMPANY" seems to me to be a comment from an individual that is not interested in contributing their 50% or taking an objective look at the overall perspective that includes what is going on in the industry as much as what is going on internally with Oakh. The ART-man is doing his job. His job is to put freight on his new companies trucks, not yours. Stop pretending that you have no control over that and STOP giving him amunition.

#4 Respect works both ways. Lead by example and show some appreciation and give back the occasional kuddos to the owners for the things that are working right. I find it hard to believe you have not had any good experiences at this company, otherwise why would you continue to work for Oakh?

Wasatch is the mountain range you are referring to. Wabash builds trailers.
 
Fair&Balanced said:
I agree with #1 in as far as to say that each side needs to negotiate something that they can live with and be proud of. Employees need good benefits but not at the expense of keeping the company from competing in the industry. What good is the perfect wage and benefits package for any employee union or non union alike if the company is no longer around to pay the wages or benefits that may be agreed to? I find it strange that many contracts that have been negotiated as of late between the teamsters and other companies competing with Oakh and backed by companies with deeper pockets fall short in what Oakh is offering. How is Oakh supposed to compete with those same companies if you get everything you are looking for? Maybe more attention needs to be placed in ensuring those companies pay in wages and offer in benefits what Oakh does PRIOR to condeming Oakh.

#2 All I have heard time and time again is only that the company wants to continue to be in business at its 100 year anniversary. I NEVER once heard the companies goal was to bust the union either directly or indirectly. Is that what they told you, or just your opinion?

#3 Negotiations is a 50/50 thing. The union in my opinion has as much responsibility in wrapping this thing up and getting "serious" as you put it. Posting "WE WILL KILL THE COMPANY" seems to me to be a comment from an individual that is not interested in contributing their 50% or taking an objective look at the overall perspective that includes what is going on in the industry as much as what is going on internally with Oakh. The ART-man is doing his job. His job is to put freight on his new companies trucks, not yours. Stop pretending that you have no control over that and STOP giving him amunition.

#4 Respect works both ways. Lead by example and show some appreciation and give back the occasional kuddos to the owners for the things that are working right. I find it hard to believe you have not had any good experiences at this company, otherwise why would you continue to work for Oakh?

Wasatch is the mountain range you are referring to. Wabash builds trailers.
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Hi Im another committee member who contributes to the letters. Well lets see how to say this hum 50/50 well we can define that as the company has not addressed one of the Rank and Files concerns only there own agenda!!! thats 50/50?:hysterical:As far as wages and health and pension the only thing good in the O.H.F.L agreement was in fact those items now the company wants to reduce those items even though there wage scale is still lower than most (20.21) and the pension contribution (3.21) is on the lower end as well. So we remove sick leave start Paying on H&W and no pension compensation increases. in caps !!! GET A GRIP AND A LIFE!!!:hysterical:Tell me whats being done right You Cant!!!
 
Fair&Balanced said:
"...Wasatch is the mountain range you are referring to. Wabash builds trailers..."
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Hahahaha.... well, you know... I must have been free-associating when I wrote that little boo-boo. For some reason, I was thinking about Fair & Balanced, and a certain song came to mind.

The ol' country ditty "Wabash Cannonball".

I know that seems an unlikely song for me to be thinking about, unless you know who was most famous for singing that particular song. One of the founding members of the grand Ol' Opry, and a legend in early country music.

A gentleman by the name of Acuff.

Roy Acuff.
 
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