I can tell you I personnaly made the call to Sr. before leaving the company ( I was a team driver for 12 years months away from million mile ring) and he told me himself that he was aware of what was going on and R&L was in the freight business to move the freight the cheapest way possible, and if we couldn't live with the changes that was coming down we might had better start looking for employement else where. Keep in mind I had been with the company 12 years no write ups, no violations, never missed work, was if I say so a pretty good employee, the kind they should of wanted to keep. It is the cold hard fact that the Roberts is going to do what makes their bottom line rise if that means letting long time employees go than that is what they will do, family first, and we aren't family.
This is why they are buying other companies (ABCO) they are paying these guys like 21 cents amile and out 3 weeks, this is what is taking your job, already took mine. Read my post on the ABCO title.
The Roberts and R&L, and every other trucking company, and every other business in this country are in survival mode...
This is easy to understand if you think about it, we as individuals and families are in survival mode also....
We are being careful in what we spend, we are saving more, because we don't know what the future holds, we want to survive this Obama economy......
The Roberts are not out to get anyone, or hurt anyone, they have proven over the years to be good decent people...They want their company to survive, just as you want your family to survive..
You can't expect them to pay $1000.00 to get a trailer load of freight moved, if they can get it done for $700.00, anymore than one could expect you to pay a man $1000.00 to paint your house, when you can find someone else to do it for $700.00...
Its not personal, its just business, and "supply and demand" with labor and trucks comes into play also...
Things work in cycles in this country, and things will not be like this forever.
One day, the employee will have the advantage again, right now the employer has the advantage...
No ones job is safe, and if employers can find a way to get a job done for less, they will...It would be wise to just do the best job you can, so if it comes down to you or someone else losing out, make sure they have a reason to keep you...
This is just life as "IT IS", sorry if the truth hurts, it is not my intention to make anyone mad, but what I say is the truth...
God bless all of you...