TForce | Layoffs

[lumberdano]

Can you guys let me know how you are doing road driver layoffs at your barns. Thought it was by company seniority within class. that's the way i understand the contract but am being told it is being done differently at other barns. some barns are calling it a soft layoff if you bump into the city but there is no language for that in the contract.

 

[maxicoze]

i think it may vary from terminal to terminal.

At my terminal we have two seniority boards----one for road and one for city. (Some terminals only have one board---all drivers are on it irregardless of classification)

Since a linehaul run got cancelled recently, a linehaul driver is now working city AND it's based on COMPANY SENIORITY, not board seniority as to whether he works or not on a day to day basis. So, for example, a city driver who is high on the city board will get bumped by him IF city driver's START DATE was later than the road driver's. This has NOTHING to do with how high you are on the city board.

Now, let's add a strange twist to this: As you may know i transferred back to the city after running linehaul for about 2 years. When you switch boards, you go to the bottom of that board seniority wise. At least this is how it's done at my terminal---other barns may do it differently.
So, i STILL have company seniority over many drivers even though i'm at the very bottom seniority-wise on the city board-----this is why several city drivers have been laid off while i'm still here. What this difference essentially means is that come bid time, i get last choice, but when it comes to layoff or if i'm ultimately working, we do it by company seniority not board seniority.

The twist is, there are actually drivers with lower company seniority working while sometimes i'm not OR lately i've been asked to work outbound dock while those lower company seniority drivers work the city.

My BA, and he's a good BA don't get me wrong, will not grieve it. i didn't get the clear details as to why as the message was relayed to me via my steward. Something to do with the current crisis. i do not care too much as i'm still working and i find outbound fun. But my hours are greatly reduced compared to working city---it would seem.

 

[Crumudgeon]

Herein lies the problem, "Some barns do it different". Setting aside the few that have one bid list, we all are covered by the same contract, same language, and same procedures. I have read and reread our contract again and it is reasonably clear on the way it should be done. First thing is "bump and roll" is to be done by the Steward, interested in how many have been directly involved in that. It seems clear that classification seniority trumps company seniority IMHO. A lower seniority, let's say a road driver can't be "bumped" by a higher seniority R Dr. with less classification seniority if there are junior employees in other classifications still working. They can either accept a lay-off or bump a junior driver/dock CDL. This should not even be an issue, but how many managers know the contract, or for that matter care. They will do whatever they can in their "quest for the numbers", and the better part of our Union Leaders don't understand Freight, there are exceptions I am sure. Our grievance system is broken, the Company knows it will be months, maybe years before it will wind its way through the process, a great example is contractors, clear language but it has been challenged for over 12 years and seems to be getting worse. The Company will drag them out and if they eventually lose will say, "sorry" and just pay a small percentage of what they have saved. Whoever in this company thinks management is their friend is dead wrong. We need to stand together, speak out when you see a wrong, file, file , file grievances, work with your Steward, call the Local, follow-up on your complaints, and join the Union if you haven't yet.
Be safe, work safe, live safe Brothers and sisters...………...

 

[Crumudgeon]

Herein lies the problem, "Some barns do it different". Setting aside the few that have one bid list, we all are covered by the same contract, same language, and same procedures. I have read and reread our contract again and it is reasonably clear on the way it should be done. First thing is "bump and roll" is to be done by the Steward, interested in how many have been directly involved in that. It seems clear that classification seniority trumps company seniority IMHO. A lower seniority, let's say a road driver can't be "bumped" by a higher seniority R Dr. with less classification seniority if there are junior employees in other classifications still working. They can either accept a lay-off or bump a junior driver/dock CDL. This should not even be an issue, but how many managers know the contract, or for that matter care. They will do whatever they can in their "quest for the numbers", and the better part of our Union Leaders don't understand Freight, there are exceptions I am sure. Our grievance system is broken, the Company knows it will be months, maybe years before it will wind its way through the process, a great example is contractors, clear language but it has been challenged for over 12 years and seems to be getting worse. The Company will drag them out and if they eventually lose will say, "sorry" and just pay a small percentage of what they have saved. Whoever in this company thinks management is their friend is dead wrong. We need to stand together, speak out when you see a wrong, file, file , file grievances, work with your Steward, call the Local, follow-up on your complaints, and join the Union if you haven't yet.
Be safe, work safe, live safe Brothers and sisters...………...

There appears to be some conflict to my opinion on bump and roll. It was just explained to me by a Union leader, that Company seniority wins out over class. seniority. Needless to say my interpretation is just my opinion, but with so much difference in how each Terminal operates confusion reigns. IMHO of course...

 

[maxicoze]

There appears to be some conflict to my opinion on bump and roll. It was just explained to me by a Union leader, that Company seniority wins out over class. seniority. Needless to say my interpretation is just my opinion, but with so much difference in how each Terminal operates confusion reigns. IMHO of course...

This is exactly what happened in my case last week----i have the lowest CLASS seniority on the city board, but have higher COMPANY seniority than many city and some road drivers. So i worked city while some of the city drivers with higher BOARD/CLASS seniority sat.
(NOTE: at my terminal whenever you switch classifications---example road to city, you move to the bottom of that board, which is why i'm now the lowest on the city board)

The twist now is that i've been moved to dock; So now i get less hours, technically less pay (i think .25 per hour less) while the lower company drivers still work city.

Don't get me wrong, my BA is damn good, but he's "not touching it due to the crisis" or some other bs......