Swift and Teamsters?

[fishmonger]

Hello everyone I'm new around here and considering a career in trucking. From what I'm reading everyone says to stay away from Swift. But I'm at least curious to what is happening with Swift and the Teamsters. Are they going union? If they do will other OTR companies follow suit? Will the Teamsters make Swift a better company to work for? Tougher to get in?

I was raised in a "Union House" as my father has been a member of the STA/ILA for over 35 years so I've seen the benefits/draw backs for working in an organized labor situation 1st hand. To me the benfits outweigh the negitives for the most part.

I'm not really interested in LTL and want to run OTR so I'm thinking Swift (don't shoot me just yet as this is just a thought) may be looking good to get in a union situation and do what I want to do. I'm not sold just yet.

Any information or thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in Advanced,

Joe

[BigWheels]

I'm curious too....

What is happening between Swift and the teamsters?????

[ben45750]

Yeah me too...... (It will never happen in a million years) but curious what is happening.

[redsfan]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

Keep em comin, Joe! Keep em comin! I think my side is gonna split!

[BigBird01]

I work for swift and still rofl, there is no way in %^*( that swift will go union. Jerry just bought us out again that is all I know of.

[redsfan]

From what I have read the Teamsters are pushing for the ousting Jerry Moyes and opposing the transaction. I haven't seen anything serious at all as to Swift going "union".

Of course, the only reason that the Teamsters are sticking their nose into the affair is because of their concern for the shareholders... The Teamsters actually own shares in the company, or at least they did in January of this year.

http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_R...t%20buyout.htm

[fishmonger]

From what I have read the Teamsters are pushing for the ousting Jerry Moyes and opposing the transaction. I haven't seen anything serious at all as to Swift going "union".

Of course, the only reason that the Teamsters are sticking their nose into the affair is because of their concern for the shareholders... The Teamsters actually own shares in the company, or at least they did in January of this year.

http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_R...t%20buyout.htm

Thanks Reds that was much more informative than your 1st post. Since the teamsters own shares in Swift wouldn't unionizing make it a conflict of interest? The reps would just sit around and talk to themselves trying to keep their own interest (both sides) in mind while screwing the employees.

[PackRatTDI]

From what I have read the Teamsters are pushing for the ousting Jerry Moyes and opposing the transaction. I haven't seen anything serious at all as to Swift going "union".

Of course, the only reason that the Teamsters are sticking their nose into the affair is because of their concern for the shareholders... The Teamsters actually own shares in the company, or at least they did in January of this year.

http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_R...t%20buyout.htm

Thanks Reds that was much more informative than your 1st post. Since the teamsters own shares in Swift wouldn't unionizing make it a conflict of interest? The reps would just sit around and talk to themselves trying to keep their own interest (both sides) in mind while screwing the employees.

The Teamsters do something illegal? Say it ain't so, Joe!

[heavyhaulerss]

does anyone know what the chicago teamsters & the movie casino have in common ? no this is not a joke....

[greg3564]

From what I have read the Teamsters are pushing for the ousting Jerry Moyes and opposing the transaction. I haven't seen anything serious at all as to Swift going "union".

Of course, the only reason that the Teamsters are sticking their nose into the affair is because of their concern for the shareholders... The Teamsters actually own shares in the company, or at least they did in January of this year.

http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_R...t%20buyout.htm

Jerry Moyes bought the company's shares and it is now a privately held company. Hell would freeze over before he let his drivers go union.

[Watcher]

I have to agree, I seriously doubt that the Teamsters would have anything to do with Swift. Though...it couldn't hurt

Watcher

[Odie]

I work for swift and still rofl, there is no way in %^*( that swift will go union. Jerry just bought us out again that is all I know of.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, If the employees of Swift want to vote the union in, Swift does not have any say in the matter??? IIRC, a Union company is union becasue of the employees not, the company bringing them in.

[kebo072]

what's that Heavy?

It's too hard to organize OTR drivers because they aren't into pay, bennies, or hometime.

They seem to be more content with things like chicken lights, big radios, fancy lugnut covers, and chrome. Not that there's anything wrong with that stuff - to each their own, as the saying goes. But personally, I'd rather have higher .cpm, better benefits, and more time kicked back at the homestead.

[ben45750]

I work for swift and still rofl, there is no way in %^*( that swift will go union. Jerry just bought us out again that is all I know of.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, If the employees of Swift want to vote the union in, Swift does not have any say in the matter??? IIRC, a Union company is union becasue of the employees not, the company bringing them in.

yeah, your right. The employees of Swift would be the ones that would vote.

[ben45750]

It's too hard to organize OTR drivers because they aren't into pay, bennies, or hometime.

They seem to be more content with things like chicken lights, big radios, fancy lugnut covers, and chrome. Not that there's anything wrong with that stuff - to each their own, as the saying goes. But personally, I'd rather have higher .cpm, better benefits, and more time kicked back at the homestead.

It would also be to hard to organize an industry (OTR Drivers) were the turnover rate is so high.

[greg3564]

It's too hard to organize OTR drivers because they aren't into pay, bennies, or hometime.

They seem to be more content with things like chicken lights, big radios, fancy lugnut covers, and chrome. Not that there's anything wrong with that stuff - to each their own, as the saying goes. But personally, I'd rather have higher .cpm, better benefits, and more time kicked back at the homestead.

It would also be to hard to organize an industry (OTR Drivers) were the turnover rate is so high.

Over 100 percent turnover rate with almost 18000 drivers spread all over the country. That would be almost impossible.

[countryhorseman]

I work for swift and still rofl, there is no way in %^*( that swift will go union. Jerry just bought us out again that is all I know of.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, If the employees of Swift want to vote the union in, Swift does not have any say in the matter??? IIRC, a Union company is union becasue of the employees not, the company bringing them in.

Swift is now a privately held company, no outside stocks, one person has the say in how, when and how his company is run. If Swift was still publicly held, then yes, the drivers could try and unionize, but I am afraid it would fail miserably.

OOIDA's Land Line Magazine and the Trucker Newspaper have both had articles about the final buy back of all the outstanding stock by Jerry Moyes.

[greg3564]

I work for swift and still rofl, there is no way in %^*( that swift will go union. Jerry just bought us out again that is all I know of.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, If the employees of Swift want to vote the union in, Swift does not have any say in the matter??? IIRC, a Union company is union becasue of the employees not, the company bringing them in.

Swift is now a privately held company, no outside stocks, one person has the say in how, when and how his company is run. If Swift was still publicly held, then yes, the drivers could try and unionize, but I am afraid it would fail miserably.

OOIDA's Land Line Magazine and the Trucker Newspaper have both had articles about the final buy back of all the outstanding stock by Jerry Moyes.

I think having a union would be better under a private company. At least with most publicly held companies you can pressure management with unfair working conditions through stockholders. I still think it would be next to impossible to organize such a massive company.

[countryhorseman]

The employees of Walmart have failed, numerous attempts to unionize in this country, and they have had some pretty serious ogranizations behind them in the process.

So trying to unionize the drivers of one company, the size of Swift - theoretically impossible.

I would have to research whether or not they could legally try it, without retribution from the owner. Hmm, something more to ponder.

Later