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ABF | Sign On Bonuses

canaryinthemine said:
Yes,........the companies knew what they were doing when they proposed a two-tier system. Created decades of animosity,...and could be an underlying reason why some of the rank-and-file regard their elected leaders as the.."enemy".....

I started in '75.......Thirty days and you're on seniority/benefits. Same pay,.....No wage progression. Daily stipend paid to pension plan for any day worked as a casual. An extra 50 cents an hour as a casual because you didn't get benefits......

The Idea was.....A Union Employee is a Union Employee........If you paid dues, there was no..."rank"....no "wage" progression. A ten year Union member getting hired at a company was regarded as JUST as experienced as any two year member who was an existing employee. And you did the same work......
The companies who pushed for........wage progression,...tiered compensation,......were getting experienced employees at a discount,.....And NO Training, to boot!

Yes,.......We Teamsters voted for these things,......that were HEAVILY promoted by the companies. The usual threat: "If we don't get these things, we'll have to.....CLOSE the Doors!..."
And guys fell for it,........Of course, if you were on seniority,...it didn't affect you.....But, it did affect the BASIC Union philosophy of: "An Injury To One Is An Injury To All!"...
....which was the companies' real target........to destroy the rank-and-file's belief in bedrock Union principles.

Once again,.....the Pogo Principle: "We Have Met The Enemy, And He Is Us!".......Short-term gain for long-term Union destruction.....
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Nailed it. von.
 
Crystal said:
Interesting subject. I started in 1969 and as far back as I can recall I voted the way my local wanted. I vaguely remember when we voted in the wage tiered system. I think it was to help the company compete with the non unions. It made sense at the time. But it came back to bite me on the ass in 2004 when Red Star shut down due to Hoffa's 1 day strike.

I got hired as a casual at ABF. I had to work 70 days as a casual and then 30 on probation. I think it took 3 years to make top scale. 35 years in the business and I was paid the same as a kid that ABF sent to driving school. I didn't complain because I was happy to finish out my career on a union job. What goes around comes around.
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Crystal, I point the finger at myself also. I most likely voted that stuff in back in the day when it was presented to us. Along the way though I realized how unfair that was to the newer guys. As they say, hindsight is better than foresight.
 
So here's the way it worked for me. I retired at 62 never wanting to touch another ABF steering wheel ever again. I had it all figured out. The retiree insurance was going to carry us until we both got to medicare age. I was a genius in my own mind. Then the retiree insurance premiums started to escalate exponentially because the insured base was too small and 4 people maxed out their coverage. And COBRA coverage was outrageously high ( 90% of what the company pays} I went back to my terminal manager with my hat in my hand and asked if they might rehire me as a casual. He said "remember when I asked you if you wanted me to leave your employment info in the computer and you laughed at me?" I said "yeah" , looking down at my shoes. He said "I'll have to completely rehire you now" " You think they will?" I asked sheepishly, not really wanting to hear the answer, remembering my pissing matches with central dispatch over the years. "I don't know, but I guess we can ask," he said. And so they did, including sending the safety man over from Portland to give me a check ride with triples, which we both got a big laugh out of. If I got 60 hours work as a casual road driver a month ( 15- 4 hour shifts) they paid my insurance for both of us that month, and it saved me a small fortune in premiums. It was the teamster coverage less dental. I paid my dues every month I got enough work, which was virtually every month. Even after I hit 65 and went on medicare, I needed insurance for my wife for 3 more years. It was primary for her and supplemental for me. Over the course of my casual work, I also added about $600.00 to my monthly pension as well. It is calculated in 750 hour blocks. Under that amount and you don't get a bump in your pension. Each 750 hour bump is worth about $60.00 a month in pension increase. Casuals are at-will employees, and as such accrue no seniority or holiday or vacation pay. You are essentially hired and fired after each work assignment, but you have the choice of working or not, which a full-time employee does not. If I worked a holiday, I got 4 hours extra pay without the 8 hours holiday pay. Rate of pay was full contractual mileage and hourly rate. I appreciated what ABF did to help me out with the insurance. It saved me a hell of a lot of money over those years. I realize it helped them out as well, Road casual work at a relay terminal fluctuates with freight movement so much, it is hard to keep a full time junior driver from starving out. And I moved a lot of time-keepers to Portland and Spokane and Seattle they didn't have drivers available and rested for that they got paid for instead of hauling for free. I am proud to have worked for them. If my situation can help other employees from making the same mistakes I made, Then I am happy to have helped.
 
I retired at 62 and went on Obamacare. Cost about $600 a month less than COBRA insurance. Luckily we’re both healthy,......and the timing worked out so that when the Treasury Department yanked 34% of my pension,.....I was going on Medicare.
And........the cut in pension enabled us to get a subsidy for more than half of our remaining health care.

I know everyone has different situations,......but I sure don’t want to have to drive truck anymore. Back hurts, shoulder hurts, eyes going bad, reflexes slipping..........
........and those are just my problems.....Increasingly ignorant drivers/dispatchers/receivers/ general public.......everyone has a cellphone in their hand.....like driving in a nation full of drunk people....
E-logs.....management able to spy on you like a little kid....

I’m too old to put up with all that.....42 years was enough......

Lord help the general public if I’m ever forced to wear a blue smock and be a “greeter”.........THAT’LL be a misnomer.........I’ll “greet” yer a**.......

This job beats you up and spits you out.........Once Spitten, twice shy, you know.......
 
Triplex said:
Crystal, I point the finger at myself also. I most likely voted that stuff in back in the day when it was presented to us. Along the way though I realized how unfair that was to the newer guys. As they say, hindsight is better than foresight.
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canaryinthemine said:
I retired at 62 and went on Obamacare. Cost about $600 a month less than COBRA insurance. Luckily we’re both healthy,......and the timing worked out so that when the Treasury Department yanked 34% of my pension,.....I was going on Medicare.
And........the cut in pension enabled us to get a subsidy for more than half of our remaining health care.

I know everyone has different situations,......but I sure don’t want to have to drive truck anymore. Back hurts, shoulder hurts, eyes going bad, reflexes slipping..........
........and those are just my problems.....Increasingly ignorant drivers/dispatchers/receivers/ general public.......everyone has a cellphone in their hand.....like driving in a nation full of drunk people....
E-logs.....management able to spy on you like a little kid....

I’m too old to put up with all that.....42 years was enough......

Lord help the general public if I’m ever forced to wear a blue smock and be a “greeter”.........THAT’LL be a misnomer.........I’ll “greet” yer a**.......

This job beats you up and spits you out.........Once Spitten, twice shy, you know.......
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Yeah, I know Canary. I started over here at ABF in 1986 when Garrett went down and I started over here @ 70% of scale thanks to Jackie Presser's wage give-back. It stuck in my craw, but I was happy to have a chance to finish my pension. I turn 74 tomorrow, and am still in reasonably good shape, so I have no regrets as it turns out. I know it's not the same company it once was, but that is on management. The Old Guard were tough, but they were honorable men. Well, most were. Except for Columbus Dalmut, who was my relay manager's boss back then, and he had Carlock scared to death, which gave him bonus points with me. I always wanted to get back to the Fort and shake his hand before he retired and thank him for convincing Carlock to retire early. We got a couple of really good managers in Ontario after that. I think a couple of us even got back off their blood pressure meds eventually. Oh, by the way, I never damaged any equipment until I was a casual and I hit a deer and an elk and did some damage to the front ends of 2 trucks. Most companies would have quit calling you after that, but ABF just said don't worry about it, it happens.
 
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hangbelly said:
Yeah, I know Canary. I started over here at ABF in 1986 when Garrett went down and I started over here @ 70% of scale thanks to Jackie Presser's wage give-back. It stuck in my craw, but I was happy to have a chance to finish my pension. I turn 74 tomorrow, and am still in reasonably good shape, so I have no regrets as it turns out. I know it's not the same company it once was, but that is on management. The Old Guard were tough, but they were honorable men. Well, most were. Except for Columbus Dalmut, who was my relay manager's boss back then, and he had Carlock scared to death, which gave him bonus points with me. I always wanted to get back to the Fort and shake his hand before he retired and thank him for convincing Carlock to retire early. We got a couple of really good managers in Ontario after that. I think a couple of us even got back off their blood pressure meds eventually. Oh, by the way, I never damaged any equipment until I was a casual and I hit a deer and an elk and did some damage to the front ends of 2 trucks. Most companies would have quit calling you after that, but ABF just said don't worry about it, it happens.
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Happy Birthday, HB! Did you retire out of PTL-145? I came through there many times. You mentioned Garrett...isn’t 145 the old Garrett terminal?
 
Trucker 206 said:
Happy Birthday, HB! Did you retire out of PTL-145? I came through there many times. You mentioned Garrett...isn’t 145 the old Garrett terminal?
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Yes 145 is the old Garrett terminal in Portland. I retired out of 490 in Ontario Oregon. The old ABF terminal in Everett Washington (now closed) was a Garrett terminal as well. It was built back during WW2. You half expected to see Humphrey Bogart walk around a hallway when you were in there at night. If you haven't seen it, watch the 1940 classic movie "They Drive By Night" with Bogey and Ida Lupino. It's a little cheesey now, but it's worth the time.
 
hangbelly said:
Yes 145 is the old Garrett terminal in Portland. I retired out of 490 in Ontario Oregon. The old ABF terminal in Everett Washington (now closed) was a Garrett terminal as well. It was built back during WW2. You half expected to see Humphrey Bogart walk around a hallway when you were in there at night. If you haven't seen it, watch the 1940 classic movie "They Drive By Night" with Bogey and Ida Lupino. It's a little cheesey now, but it's worth the time.
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Good movie!
And Happy Birthday Bro. Hangbelly!

I’ll take a slice of cake....Ice cream, too.....
 
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hangbelly said:
Yeah, I know Canary. I started over here at ABF in 1986 when Garrett went down and I started over here @ 70% of scale thanks to Jackie Presser's wage give-back. It stuck in my craw, but I was happy to have a chance to finish my pension. I turn 74 tomorrow, and am still in reasonably good shape, so I have no regrets as it turns out. I know it's not the same company it once was, but that is on management. The Old Guard were tough, but they were honorable men. Well, most were. Except for Columbus Dalmut, who was my relay manager's boss back then, and he had Carlock scared to death, which gave him bonus points with me. I always wanted to get back to the Fort and shake his hand before he retired and thank him for convincing Carlock to retire early. We got a couple of really good managers in Ontario after that. I think a couple of us even got back off their blood pressure meds eventually. Oh, by the way, I never damaged any equipment until I was a casual and I hit a deer and an elk and did some damage to the front ends of 2 trucks. Most companies would have quit calling you after that, but ABF just said don't worry about it, it happens.
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Oh,......By the way..........Jackie Presser is buried near Cleveland on the shore of Lake Erie.......
......which is a problem because of all the pollution caused by the runoff from everyone pissing on his grave....
 
hangbelly said:
Yes 145 is the old Garrett terminal in Portland. I retired out of 490 in Ontario Oregon. The old ABF terminal in Everett Washington (now closed) was a Garrett terminal as well. It was built back during WW2. You half expected to see Humphrey Bogart walk around a hallway when you were in there at night. If you haven't seen it, watch the 1940 classic movie "They Drive By Night" with Bogey and Ida Lupino. It's a little cheesey now, but it's worth the time.
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I’ll do that! We recently installed several of those Roku streaming boxes around the house. I haven’t dug too deep into them yet, but I’m guessing there’s a ‘Humphrey Bogart Network’ on there somewhere. 490/ONT...helluva drive along I-84 and the Columbia Gorge in the winter...with triples...if you dared!
 
seabreeze said:
Didn't Tony Pro. own a concrete plant at one time?
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Yes he did. Also a few meat processing plants......Stay away from Vienna sausages.....

vongrimmenstein said:
Do you think they would do an archaeological dig for Jackie presser? Chipping away with a hammer & chisel. He would be so proud. von.
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The smell of urine, sulphur, and brimstone identifies his gravesite........
 
Crystal said:
Interesting subject. I started in 1969 and as far back as I can recall I voted the way my local wanted. I vaguely remember when we voted in the wage tiered system. I think it was to help the company compete with the non unions. It made sense at the time. But it came back to bite me on the ass in 2004 when Red Star shut down due to Hoffa's 1 day strike.

I got hired as a casual at ABF. I had to work 70 days as a casual and then 30 on probation. I think it took 3 years to make top scale. 35 years in the business and I was paid the same as a kid that ABF sent to driving school. I didn't complain because I was happy to finish out my career on a union job. What goes around comes around.
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Yeah buddy! 70% of scale back then just under $10.00 an hour as I recall. I just didn't dwell on it. It was something I needed to tolerate to get to where I wanted to end up. The next contract we voted on grandfathered all of us back up to scale plus the contractual increase. I got a 22% wage increase when that contract was ratified. To say I was one happy camper would have been an understatement! I still wanted to pee on Presser's grave for it though... My first year at ABF I nearly starved out at the bottom of the board. I was working casual for PIE when ABF wasn't calling me. They over-hired with me, and my relay manager understood I needed to pay my bills so he covered for me. There were a few months I didn't even earn my benefit package. I nearly went to PIE, but they couldn't hire me, thank god! Same with CF. They wanted to hire me and send me to Ashland Oregon. The wife saved me from that mistake! I turned down a job offer from Yellow after I had worked a little for them after I was laid off at Garrett. I kicked my self for that one until they blew up. I took a DOT physical for Roadway, but I just didn't feel right about that job for some reason. So I stayed at ABF. I remember it was Labor Day 1986 and I had called Portland dispatch to see if there was any work, and they said it didn't look like it, so we got ready to go camping up near Wallowa oregon overnight. I was literally walking out the door and the phone rang and Portland dispatch says "your truck is in, come to Portland" I said you told me there wasn't going to be anything. I'm going camping. Phil, being the jerk he was says " either get in that truck and come to Portland or resign!" I looked at my family's long faces and thought about it a couple of seconds and said "Alright" But I really thought about it, believe me! Johnney Paycheck's song " Take this job and shove it" played loudly in my head all the way to Portland that trip. I was in Portland years later the day that they fired Phil for verbally harassing another dispatcher. I went to the motel and slept like a baby with visions of sugarplums dancing in my head. When I think of how this journey could have gone wrong so many times to get me here, it makes my palms sweat!
 
hangbelly said:
Yeah buddy! 70% of scale back then just under $10.00 an hour as I recall. I just didn't dwell on it. It was something I needed to tolerate to get to where I wanted to end up. The next contract we voted on grandfathered all of us back up to scale plus the contractual increase. I got a 22% wage increase when that contract was ratified. To say I was one happy camper would have been an understatement! I still wanted to pee on Presser's grave for it though... My first year at ABF I nearly starved out at the bottom of the board. I was working casual for PIE when ABF wasn't calling me. They over-hired with me, and my relay manager understood I needed to pay my bills so he covered for me. There were a few months I didn't even earn my benefit package. I nearly went to PIE, but they couldn't hire me, thank god! Same with CF. They wanted to hire me and send me to Ashland Oregon. The wife saved me from that mistake! I turned down a job offer from Yellow after I had worked a little for them after I was laid off at Garrett. I kicked my self for that one until they blew up. I took a DOT physical for Roadway, but I just didn't feel right about that job for some reason. So I stayed at ABF. I remember it was Labor Day 1986 and I had called Portland dispatch to see if there was any work, and they said it didn't look like it, so we got ready to go camping up near Wallowa oregon overnight. I was literally walking out the door and the phone rang and Portland dispatch says "your truck is in, come to Portland" I said you told me there wasn't going to be anything. I'm going camping. Phil, being the jerk he was says " either get in that truck and come to Portland or resign!" I looked at my family's long faces and thought about it a couple of seconds and said "Alright" But I really thought about it, believe me! Johnney Paycheck's song " Take this job and shove it" played loudly in my head all the way to Portland that trip. I was in Portland years later the day that they fired Phil for verbally harassing another dispatcher. I went to the motel and slept like a baby with visions of sugarplums dancing in my head. When I think of how this journey could have gone wrong so many times to get me here, it makes my palms sweat!
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And you know what... All that misery and suffering and dislocation that gutted an industry was all because Jimmy Carter and his democratic congress wanted to deregulate the trucking industry and supposedly save the America consumer 4 billion dollars a year. Yeah, they sure took care of the working man alright. It's been 40 years of chaos and these dehydrated chicken haulers from Ft. Smith weathered the storm. Who would have thought....
 
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