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ABF | Driver-facing Cameras

canaryinthemine

canaryinthemine

Retirement....The Job I Was Born To Have!
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Gentlemen;
As we saw on another thread, the company is going to try and force driver-facing cameras on us. A few points:
Since most of us were hired prior to this new technology, "driver-facing" cameras were NOT a "condition of employment" when we got hired,....and therefore have to be negotiated as a contract re-opener, to set the parameters of the use of this new "technology".

And,......Are ALL company vehicles equipped with driver-facing cameras? Including sales peoples' cars on company business , and company pickup trucks? The Union workforce is ....Highly Trained,...ABF would not admit otherwise,....yet the "untrained" salesman in a company car,...can be at just as much risk for Liability as the Trained Union driving force.

And,.....For female drivers:.....I would be a little...squeamish ....about a third-party, or my employer,....potentially having me on video every day....or not....Who Knows?

And,.......How can they selectively "single out" who gets this...new technology? Isn't the company touting this as something that "May exonerate a Driver in an Accident"? Well,...if I had an accident in a "non-camera" truck,....I would file a grievance for being denied use of this new technology, when some other drivers in the fleet,...have access to it. They've got to implement this,....UNILATERALLY.....If the technology is so"wonderful,...and job-saving.."....the company does NOT have the right to determine WHO gets to have access to it. Everybody,...or nobody.....We're all one Bargaining Unit.

And,........since this "technology" is new,...and wasn't a "condition of employment" when I got hired,......I would sign a letter stating that "My Employer DOES NOT have the Right to view or release any video of me to anyone,....EVEN to Law Enforcement,....until I , and my Legal Council have Viewed it first."
Heck,....I would get a petition in my terminal stating that as a group, or bargaining unit,.....No One's video may be viewed without express written permission of that particular employee........
Solidarity,...you know.......

As the company tries to get us to....accept......this as a ..new "condition of employment"......I would definately fight back.......Airline pilots don't have "pilot-facing" cameras,....Train engineers don't have them , either,....as far as I know. Why are truck drivers being singled out? Is it because ambulance-chasing lawyers have targeted trucking companies? Tough.....I will not give up my Right to Be Secure in my Papers and Privacy,...just to get some sleazy lawyer to make an out-of court settlement.......

Trucking companies want to....spend money on things to make drivers "safe"? How about a Legislative push to make Driver's Airbags mandatory in Heavy Trucks?
There's something they can....spend money on.......
 
condition or not..our brotheren voted for this in our previous contract. i will go out on a limb and call this an embarrasement that Teamsters negotiate and vote fir giveaway issues..Again, this was voted on and ratified..no language that says i cant hang my hat over it...lol..tgey began installibg cradles several years ago..my understandibg were waiting for technology..
 
canaryinthemine said:
Gentlemen;
As we saw on another thread, the company is going to try and force driver-facing cameras on us. A few points:
Since most of us were hired prior to this new technology, "driver-facing" cameras were NOT a "condition of employment" when we got hired,....and therefore have to be negotiated as a contract re-opener, to set the parameters of the use of this new "technology".

And,......Are ALL company vehicles equipped with driver-facing cameras? Including sales peoples' cars on company business , and company pickup trucks? The Union workforce is ....Highly Trained,...ABF would not admit otherwise,....yet the "untrained" salesman in a company car,...can be at just as much risk for Liability as the Trained Union driving force.

And,.....For female drivers:.....I would be a little...squeamish ....about a third-party, or my employer,....potentially having me on video every day....or not....Who Knows?

And,.......How can they selectively "single out" who gets this...new technology? Isn't the company touting this as something that "May exonerate a Driver in an Accident"? Well,...if I had an accident in a "non-camera" truck,....I would file a grievance for being denied use of this new technology, when some other drivers in the fleet,...have access to it. They've got to implement this,....UNILATERALLY.....If the technology is so"wonderful,...and job-saving.."....the company does NOT have the right to determine WHO gets to have access to it. Everybody,...or nobody.....We're all one Bargaining Unit.

And,........since this "technology" is new,...and wasn't a "condition of employment" when I got hired,......I would sign a letter stating that "My Employer DOES NOT have the Right to view or release any video of me to anyone,....EVEN to Law Enforcement,....until I , and my Legal Council have Viewed it first."
Heck,....I would get a petition in my terminal stating that as a group, or bargaining unit,.....No One's video may be viewed without express written permission of that particular employee........
Solidarity,...you know.......

As the company tries to get us to....accept......this as a ..new "condition of employment"......I would definately fight back.......Airline pilots don't have "pilot-facing" cameras,....Train engineers don't have them , either,....as far as I know. Why are truck drivers being singled out? Is it because ambulance-chasing lawyers have targeted trucking companies? Tough.....I will not give up my Right to Be Secure in my Papers and Privacy,...just to get some sleazy lawyer to make an out-of court settlement.......

Trucking companies want to....spend money on things to make drivers "safe"? How about a Legislative push to make Driver's Airbags mandatory in Heavy Trucks?
There's something they can....spend money on.......
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As usual, Brother canary, you hit the nail on the head with this issue. This is an attempt by the company to single out one group of employees (Unionized) as the supposed guinea pigs...drivers of...TRUCKS! While the sales force, et al, are excused. I’d have an old hat or rag ready to drape over the camera.
 
Trucker 206 said:
As usual, Brother canary, you hit the nail on the head with this issue. This is an attempt by the company to single out one group of employees (Unionized) as the supposed guinea pigs...drivers of...TRUCKS! While the sales force, et al, are excused. I’d have an old hat or rag ready to drape over the camera.
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Be careful what you do, tampering with company equipment is a fireable offence. We are on our 5th salesperson in 11 years & they always used their own vehicle, is this not the case for the rest of the company?
 
GO40 said:
Be careful what you do, tampering with company equipment is a fireable offence. We are on our 5th salesperson in 11 years & they always used their own vehicle, is this not the case for the rest of the company?
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The Company pays its Salesman & Branch Mgr’s a Vehicle Allotment Monthly.
 
The salesmen are performing company business and being re-imbursed for use of their vehicle. Any accident attorney would describe that as an "agent of a corporation receiving wages"........which makes the employer sueable.

I still think the company has the...."right"...to put the cameras in their equipment,.....

But,.....We have the EQUAL right not to allow permission to view any images made of us,........especially if it may lead to discipline, or a lawsuit for "negligent driving.."..........until we, and our legal counsel, have seen the video......And BEFORE any management.....

If you do not give..."permission"....to be videoed......it is a violation of the law for someone to "use"...or view your image without your consent.
As many Women's Rights groups have already fought and won in court..........

If,.....There is NOT a camera in your truck now,.....You have the contractual right to negotiate the use, misuse, and abuse,....of any new technology that isn't currently part of your employment now.

Gotta fight this, guys.......If, by sheer inaction and inertia,....this oozes it's way into the fabric of truck driving,......this will become the most litigacious industry in the world.....

And,.....Guess whose Homeowner's insurance is on the line?

I have personal experience with a lackadaisical attitude by the company's so-called legal department........After an accident that wasn't my fault...(..low wires across a street..)....a year later , I found out that I was named in a lawsuit, along with the company,....by an individual's car insurance.
The way I found out,.......was that I was DENIED a Homeowner's loan,.......as I was named as a defendant on an $8,000 lawsuit....

That the company NEVER bothered to tell me about,...........and was CONTRACTUALLY illegal........

I have all the papers, in case there's a company spy on here,.....so I still have documentation.......And within 15 minutes of the loan company turning down my loan,....I was in the TM's office,.....and 10 minutes later,...there was a.."settlement".....

But,......If there's such a carefree, lackadaisical attitude about a driver's liability now,.....how bad will it get when there's files upon files of .....video.......?
 
this issue was contractually negotiated. how can this be fought? also, most carriers are using cameras. union carriers are not singled out. alot of instances they exhonerate. this subject needs to move to infowars.. stop making trouble. better yet stop voting for these changes..cameras, p.t., concessions, red circle..its on us.. hold leadership accountable.
 
iam4us said:
this issue was contractually negotiated. how can this be fought? also, most carriers are using cameras. union carriers are not singled out. alot of instances they exhonerate. this subject needs to move to infowars.. stop making trouble. better yet stop voting for these changes..cameras, p.t., concessions, red circle..its on us.. hold leadership accountable.
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Not going to happen. The rank & file is happy. They will vote yes this new contract. And in the process set themselves up making it easier for the company to come after them. Money always beats out common sense. And they do not want to rock the boat. Might get their feet wet. von.
 
vongrimmenstein said:
Not going to happen. The rank & file is happy. They will vote yes this new contract. And in the process set themselves up making it easier for the company to come after them. Money always beats out common sense. And they do not want to rock the boat. Might get their feet wet. von.
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I have a question....... we keep complaining about these inward facing camera (I don't don't want them and have my own personal ideas on how to deal with them) but I can't think of or find a single instance where the company has been determined to discipline a driver that the driver has not done something extremely aggresouse. Can anyone name a specific case?

Canary, i think you would be most likely to have this answer.
 
Homesick said:
I have a question....... we keep complaining about these inward facing camera (I don't don't want them and have my own personal ideas on how to deal with them) but I can't think of or find a single instance where the company has been determined to discipline a driver that the driver has not done something extremely aggresouse. Can anyone name a specific case?

Canary, i think you would be most likely to have this answer.
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In mho I don't think it's so much as getting someone fired, as it is putting more liability on the driver and off the company
 
Homesick said:
I have a question....... we keep complaining about these inward facing camera (I don't don't want them and have my own personal ideas on how to deal with them) but I can't think of or find a single instance where the company has been determined to discipline a driver that the driver has not done something extremely aggresouse. Can anyone name a specific case?

Canary, i think you would be most likely to have this answer.
Click to expand...


I'm afraid I don't have a specific incident I can document,...other than anecdotal evidence from FedEx drivers in this area,...who had threatened to organize if those cameras were placed in the trucks....Cameras are not there...yet....
And XPO drivers who have told me of being called into the office and,....verbally berated for...."unsafe driving practices"......

Now,.....Unless I have physical documentation,....I kinda take what people say with a mild grain of salt.....
So,...I would recommend guys asking around yourselves.......I am personally convinced that driver-facing cameras exist for one reason only,.....and that is to limit COMPANY liability in the event of an accident....

Same as the big push to "classify" every driver out there as having "sleep apnea"........Sleep apnea is a real thing,......but I think the Legal departments of many companies are happy to have a ...."ready-made"....extenuating circumstance in the event of an accident with a driver diagnosed with....sleep apnea.....

There would also be a problem with a "sleep apnea" diagnosis,........Would it violate HIPPA Act medical privacy laws for your employer to be aware of your diagnosis? If you had syphilis,....and the DOT doctor told your employer,.....you'd damn sure betcha you'd be filing a HIPPA Act lawsuit,.....You and your lawyer......
Why are guys allowing their ....employer to know the diagnosis.....All they LEGALLY need to know is that the company DOT doctor has disqualified/given a restricted medical card to the driver........

Under HIPPA Act rules,....the REASON for the disqualification/restriction.....SHOULDN'T be made Public,.....unless the employee involved...."volunteers" that information......

A "sleep apnea" diagnosis........handed from employer to employer,......makes an employee....unhireable, don't you think?
Exactly the reason HIPPA laws were enacted,......

Both of these problems.........Sleep apnea and driver-facing cameras,......are indicative to me,....of a deliberate and concerted effort by a company's Legal team,.....to reduce or eliminate a company's liability,....in the event of an accident......

And,......We all know this,...don't we?
 
misconception about cameras. my understanding is they wont record start of day to finish. only engage upon certain situations
 
iam4us said:
misconception about cameras. my understanding is they wont record start of day to finish. only engage upon certain situations
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It doesn't matter it's the principal of it all..

Constantly being in fear that your job might be on the line because u so happen to reach and look down to turn on the a/c in the truck and u hit a bump in the road and the camera came on.

It's no tell how sensitive they going to have these cameras.
 
iam4us said:
misconception about cameras. my understanding is they wont record start of day to finish. only engage upon certain situations



My brother has them in their trucks(dean foods) he's been called on the carpet, for talking on the cb, hitting a bump in the yard sets it off. He said they record at all time and are set up to just alert disp or safety for unsafe things they program them for.
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