It's not what Saia pays that's going to hurt them it's how they treat their drivers. Here in Buffalo XPO & R&L are having massive driver defections cause of their working environments. Hopefully things improve for all drivers but I won't hold my breath.
SAIA | Now that I’m retired .... let’s expose the truth!
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PhilWilliams
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I am totally with you on that. I can see some things getting better but not by their choice to do right. The management culture won’t change until the management does. That being said, Ricky D is probably close to retiring, but I bet he’ll stay on the board.
It was a lot more relaxed and fun in the late 90’s and early 2000’s working for the company but we also operated in the mid to high 90’s. That is totally unacceptable in today’s environment and stockholders will not go for it. They will not change anything that will not reach a low 90’s high 80’s OR. One thing I always had to remind my family of was the fact I wasn’t a name, I was a number and the company didn’t assign them a number. I knew this, worked with it, and won. I didn’t go to work for happiness, they weren’t responsible for my happiness, I went there to bake money, and that you can still do there.
runawaytrain
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You can make money here but to get ahead you must be a profession ass kisser. To get the older trucks with no cameras you must permanently affix your lips to the dispatchers ass. To get the good routes you must also do the same. Seniority means nothing. Absolutely nothing. They make you think it does but they are masters of skirting that little issue. Self-respect goes out the window if you want to work for this company. Just kiss that ass and you will be fine.
PhilWilliams
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Whatcha mean by “Getting ahead”? I got a different truck every bid as they moved trucks around the bids based on the milage of the run and the miles on the trucks and who you were slip seating with based on departure times, so did everyone else. If you think they singled you out your either narsassitic or you earned it. Or maybe didn’t earn it because you weren’t as good as you thought you were. It’s always easier to blame someone else, but think about it, if you were a top performer why wouldn’t they take care of you? Doesn’t make sense, does it? Now I’m not saying their system for assigning trucks to runs makes much sense to me. I’ve always thought it was best to keep the same truck, and when I first started it was that way, but with the size of the fleet and the people having to make those truck assignments you’d have to be special for them to change everything to single you out, and not in a good way.
runawaytrain
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P&D is another animal. I understand the line but not dispatchers skewed notions of who they deem a more productive worker and assign tractors and routes accordingly. They are biased and unfair and totally unaccountable. You didn’t work in P&D so you have no clue how things work. I could be just as productive as the younger guys but yet every peddle route was given to the younger guys without any regard to seniority. In some cases is was just racism and in others just age discrimination. I’m out of this hell hole now and rarely comment now. This company is not perfect Phil so keep on defending them. Most know the truth.
And would you now say..that b.s. like that is exactly why they need a union?
runawaytrain
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The workers could definitely benefit from a union but they haven’t got enough leverage to ever get the ball rolling. It’s not my problem anymore since I’ve retired. FedEx couldn’t do it and SAIA can’t either. The Teamsters destroyed themselves and just haven’t got enough to offer. I’ve said this a thousand times. The Teamsters will never organize another major LTL player and they have no one to blame but themselves.
I think the pension is the catalyst for most to stay away and I wouldn’t vote to be a part of it either.If that could change I think if people gave the union a chance they would enjoy their jobs much,much better.
The days of a terminal manager thinking he could bring a man with less seniority in at an earlier start time than you would be over.Or he would pay you for every minute that he violated your seniority.
The days of a manager threatening your job for b.s would be over.They wouldn’t like it when you told them to pound sand.
The days of a man with 25 years of service who isn’t as productive as he used to be getting threatened or laid off before a man with less seniority would be over.
I could go on and I no some people hate the union but it is powerful having a contract as an hourly employee and yes,the company wouldn’t be quite as profitable but workers need to worry about themselves,not shareholders and executive bonuses.
runawaytrain
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All the things you mention SAIA does. They pretty much treat linehaul correctly but P&D is filled with intimidation and threats. Seniority means absolutely nothing in the city and it’s totally disgraceful. So many hate their jobs but are stuck because they are drowning in debt. That’s why I preach to the guys to get out of debt and stay out of debt.
I can’t think of one LTL company Union or non union that wouldn’t love to have a SAIA driver.
Damn,I just realized I said no Instead of know in my previous post..I hate it when I do that.
runawaytrain
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Let me clear something up. I had many reasons for retiring early but let me finally disclose the primary reason I retired early. I had a co-worker that I absolutely hated that ran in my route area. She was a backstabbing bitch. Renee was her name and almost every single guy hated her because she got preferential treatment from the dispatchers because she was female. Most of the customers hated her too. She was just a smart mouthed bitch. She was banned from many of our customers docks. I’m disclosing this now because she either quit or was forced to resign. Who really knows when it comes down to why a co-worker leaves. I talk with many of my former co-workers and they are so glad she’s gone. Whoever was responsible for her dismissal whether by forcing her out by making her life a living hell or simply by pissing her off by making her do what the men had to do. Was that you Jon? Kyle? Zack? I was wondering when you were going to stop coddling her. Best move you guys ever made if you guys were responsible. Maybe HR got her but who really cares. I know Rick got her at Southeastern. She was a prima-donna that thought she deserved special treatment. Whoever was behind it the guys want me to thank you for putting her in her place. She didn’t last long at ABF after she left and it doesn’t take much to figure out why. I miss so many of the guys but my life has been wonderful in retirement. So, no regrets. I wish everyone well.
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Clandestine_ice
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but more importantly, was she purdy?
tomas tank
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So true !! You become a old shoe at those places without a UNION !! Seniority is the NUMBER ONE factor with the UNION ..Some people have to find out after its to late . Good luck with your VOTE hope its a YES .
runawaytrain
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Very pretty, until she opened her mouth.
runawaytrain
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Then explain to me why the LTL sector is predominantly union-free? Besides not being “hired at will” and the free healthcare I can’t think of anything good here in 2019. The culture is a bunch of lazy ass drivers (not all) that should be fired but are protected by an CBA. So of course that affects the bottom line and that’s why they are struggling to compete. FedEx sent them packing because they couldn’t sell them their defective product. Hmmmm! They got us where we are today but they sold out the members and are getting exactly what they deserve. **** them worthless bastards! Hoffa Jr. and Ernie can suck my big fat one!
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Gap between her teefs from insertion of a indeterminate number of penises?
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Interesting post, we all know there will never be another LTL added to the teamsters NMFA. The fact is every teamster LTL carrier dies.Then explain to me why the LTL sector is predominantly union-free? Besides not being “hired at will” and the free healthcare I can’t think of anything good here in 2019. The culture is a bunch of lazy ass drivers (not all) that should be fired but are protected by an CBA. So of course that affects the bottom line and that’s why they are struggling to compete. FedEx sent them packing because they couldn’t sell them their defective product. Hmmmm! They got us where we are today but they sold out the members and are getting exactly what they deserve.them worthless bastards! Hoffa Jr. and Ernie can suck my big fat one!
If the company is not what you want, quit. Go work at YRC or another teamster job.
Better yet do what I did and start your own company, you can then honor whatever start times you desire and pay drivers as much as your heart desires.
The union brings nothing to works any more....
Solidarity works when it puts money in your pocket and delivers the best insurance and pension money can buy.Your quote ,may be or is based on your own results.
runawaytrain
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You must be an Old School Teamster that’s retired and got yours. Solidarity does work but that’s not what you have with today’s Teamsters. Even you can’t turn a blind eye to what the Teamsters are today. You appear to be part of the glory days. Those days have been long gone. And what remains is a shadow of their former selfs. Very sad for the guys coming up with all of the uncertainty. It’s actually disgraceful when you’ve been sold out and betrayed.
I paid my dues ,Over and over.I fought the fights and battles ,Nobody gives you anything in this life without a catch.Its all about hard work and perseverance.If you can’t hold a torch to that ,that means you’ll get nothing.Not even sympathy.We old guys have been on strike and busted a few heads..Sometimes these things are a necessary evil.The young people want things Handed to them ,and every one else does the hard work.