Rat, I'm not buying what you're selling. Perhaps you do not talk to drivers from the competition or read the other company's forums. I do both and when I feel a little bit of attitude toward Con-way, I just scroll over to the YRCW, CT, or R&L Forums and I don't feel so bad anymore.
I am not selling anything...
My posts are just opinions on events that have occurred or may occur in the future. Mostly they are reflections on specific issues that many of the employees of the company have dealt with over the last several years. I don't make this stuff up...just offer a different perspective than the company would like for those affected to accept.
The events/enhancements of the last several years have adversely affected every employee of the company...some were necessary...many were not. A lot of these so called enhancements were 'in your face' implementations of takebacks using the economy as an excuse. The company has used the economic stress of the moment to do some really questionable things. In their quest to reduce the employee's relevance to the level of a McDonald's grill cook (specifically the drivers as they make up the lion's share of the employee numbers)...they have buffaloed hundreds into believing they are of no more importance than junk mail and just as irrelevant.
I don't buy it...neither will I ever accept the assinine ideology that so many have come to accept. This idea that drivers are something less than respectable being a non-profession and unskilled trade is pure unadulterated BS...pedaled by a group of college educated bean counters who have absolutedly NO IDEA of what trucking and truck drivers are all about.
These companies (and this one is not exempt and perhaps guiltier than the rest) have went to great lengths to reduce us and our expertise to burger flippers...
Not on my watch....
I will not relent...
I know what this company is capable of...I know first hand the quality of driver employed here and I also know first hand the concerns and worries many have.
The company has let them down...cut the rug out from beneath them...and has with malfeasance used certain circumstances to bold face lie...
I wish nothing but the best for Con-Way...always have and always will..
Its the management that is out of touch. They have no idea what is happening on the street or in the service centers.
Their only point of reference is the once a year 'Voices Survey'...and they think that gives them a pulse of what actually goes on in the field...either stunning arrogance or pathetic ignorance...perhaps both.
I read every post in every LTL forum every day...and constantly talk to drivers employed at Con-Way and other companies as well.
The conditions and concerns of the other enterprises have nothing to do with Con-Way...back in the day the company never compared themselves to others before...so why now?...we use to be the leader that other companies emulated...now they use us as a benchmerk of what NOT TO DO!!!!
YRC is in a mess...and the employees there are dealing with a terrible and unfortunate situation not of their own making.
CT...if you are referring to Central Transport owned by the Maroun family...you are really reaching for warm fuzzies comparing those folks to your own situation. Central Transport has been the butt of the LTL business for years...and that is never going to change.
R&L is a privately held company...I have an opinion of what may be happening there but have no proof...so that I will keep to myself.
As I said before my posts are simply opinions (mostly formed from conversations with other drivers) and they are observations based on the questionable ethics and lack of integrity on the company's part to follow through with what they promised.
Real leadership follows through with what the promised...greedy bean counting bastards have no consideration or conscious when it comes to affecting the lives of others.
Case in point...the two XID drivers.
I would like to read just one post that can adequately and intelligently justify the dismissal of these two drivers. Two with years of service...depending on the company to allow them to provide for their families...have job security...and save for a mistake were kicked to the curb. Yes these were serious infractions...neither was ticketed...yet Con-Way was called upon to deal with a situation that irritated them. They didn't like it and will have none of it from anyone else...so send a message and fire these two drivers...nice company...Right!!!
Go ahead and tell me what a wonderful company Con-Way is to work for...and I will tell you your argument is BS. Go ahead and bash on these two drivers for their unfortunate and costly mistakes...just watch your back...no one is exempt...as you may be next.
Remember you are part of a non-engaged team with no playbook...just a non-published rule book subject to anyones's interpretation in judging your worth and value with an eventual determination on your continuity with the company.
We may be idiots and simple minded...but we know what is going on and will not simply accept the company's insulting thought processes and their evaluation of our professional worth.
If that offends some of you...too bad!
I have nothing to sell.
Its the 'Integrity' company that has none doing the selling...and we ain't buying it.
Rat