I retired from Yellow a few years ago. I went through this same thing in 1980 with a regional carrier. I had 10 years seniority at 30 years old and was in the middle of the seniority board.
The employer wanted 7.5% for a year when that didn't work they asked for 15% all cuts were voluntary most of the guys gave myself and quite few other guys told them to stick it. My decision was based on many of the same arguments I have read here. This resulted in real brawls not the Internet variety . The company folded in March of 82 at that time 95% of the freight was hauled by union carriers and many of the packages UPS hauls now went freight. I bounced around as a casual for 6 months before making seniority 6 months later that company cut jobs. It took another year of working casual before making seniority with another company. That lasted a year before they moved the break bulk out of the area. Six more months of bouncing around before I caught on with YFS as a casual, 18 months later .I finally made seniority and was back to 70% with full benefits. Five years had passed It took another 2 years to get back to full rate.
Seven years to get back to where I was. I was one of the lucky ones out of 200 guys at my barn 5 ended up with union freight jobs and another 5 guys ended up with non union freight outfits. A few guys killed themselves Lot's of guys ended up divorced , quite a few took really bad non union road jobs, Other guys got sick with no benefits and ended up losing everything.
In retrospect I don't think any of my arguments against the give backs were wrong but if there was the slightest chance of my original company staying in business.I would have gladly taken the pay cut and avoided the whole disaster of a company going down.
The employer wanted 7.5% for a year when that didn't work they asked for 15% all cuts were voluntary most of the guys gave myself and quite few other guys told them to stick it. My decision was based on many of the same arguments I have read here. This resulted in real brawls not the Internet variety . The company folded in March of 82 at that time 95% of the freight was hauled by union carriers and many of the packages UPS hauls now went freight. I bounced around as a casual for 6 months before making seniority 6 months later that company cut jobs. It took another year of working casual before making seniority with another company. That lasted a year before they moved the break bulk out of the area. Six more months of bouncing around before I caught on with YFS as a casual, 18 months later .I finally made seniority and was back to 70% with full benefits. Five years had passed It took another 2 years to get back to full rate.
Seven years to get back to where I was. I was one of the lucky ones out of 200 guys at my barn 5 ended up with union freight jobs and another 5 guys ended up with non union freight outfits. A few guys killed themselves Lot's of guys ended up divorced , quite a few took really bad non union road jobs, Other guys got sick with no benefits and ended up losing everything.
In retrospect I don't think any of my arguments against the give backs were wrong but if there was the slightest chance of my original company staying in business.I would have gladly taken the pay cut and avoided the whole disaster of a company going down.
