How to bring back Teamsters....

[Kevin0915]

Hmm.... that's funny.... I'm almost 54 years old, and I can't think of a SINGLE freedom that I had as a child that I don't have now.

Plus I gained one! I get to stay up (or out) as late as I wanna!

i think that picture on Golfhobo's profile, is actually him. Cause he really is asleep or passed out.

[One]

heres the bottom line...with the decline of the teamster, so declined driver wages, increased working hours and decreased company accountability.. Truck driving is a very dangerous and demanding job, it should pay a good middle class wage. If freight rates are higher because of unions...so WHAT? O/Os rates go up too.....i dont wanna buy lettuce for cali in GA anyway i want my lettuce from GA so some of this dumb hauling junk across the country because some idiot will work for less in chihuahua Mex and since freight rates are low u can still haul the junk clear across the country and still make .05% more profits than if u made it closer to the point of consumption....

[GMAN]

heres the bottom line...with the decline of the teamster, so declined driver wages, increased working hours and decreased company accountability..

I am not sure that it was the decline of the Teamsters that has demonstrated a loss of driver wages in this country, but deregulation of freight rates and the deregulation of the ability to get ones authority. We have greater competition which has put pressure on rates to move down or remain about the same. Since driver wages are tied directly to the freight rates we see some stagnation. On the other hand, 30 or 40 years ago drivers could make 300-400/week. Today, drivers can earn $700-2,000/week, depending on their experience and specialization. That is not exactly poverty wages. And actual working hours has changed little during that time. And company accountability is left to the marketplace and stakeholders, where it belongs. It is NOT up to any union to hold a company accountable.

Truck driving is a very dangerous and demanding job, it should pay a good middle class wage.

It does. Since when does $30,000-50,000 average annual pay not put you in the middle class? I don't see truck driving as all that dangerous. You are more likely to be involved in a serious accident while driving a 4 wheeler than a big truck. I recall statistics that stated that most accidents occur within 5 miles of home.

If freight rates are higher because of unions...so WHAT? O/Os rates go up too.....i don't wanna buy lettuce for cali in GA anyway i want my lettuce from GA so some of this dumb hauling junk across the country because some idiot will work for less in chihuahua Mex and since freight rates are low u can still haul the junk clear across the country and still make .05% more profits than if u made it closer to the point of consumption....

I don't think that just because union driver wages go up that owner operator rates also go up. Owner operators are self employed. It is like comparing apples to oranges. I prefer buying my produce locally, when possible. I just like supporting local farmers and businesses. If you really want to support union jobs then you should stop buying items made by non union suppliers. Stop buying products made in China, Malaysia or other countries. Companies buy products abroad rather than pay the high union wages, pay high taxes and deal with the EPA. I would think that those of you who like dealing with unions would work with your unions to push for more products to be made in the U.S. I would also think that you would boycott products that are made outside of this country. After all, they are taking American jobs. You want higher wages for yourself, but don't want to pay the high price for union produced products when you can find them for half the price. I would like to buy more products made in this country, but so many have moved offshore that it is now difficult to find many of the products that I use. I remember commercials that aired a couple of decades or so ago. It was a union commercial which encouraged people to purchase products with a "union" label. You people need to put your money where your mouth is.

[golfhobo]

i think that picture on Golfhobo's profile, is actually him. Cause he really is asleep or passed out.

You're SUPPOSED to think that! Obviously, I am in "deep cover" and am watching EVERYTHING that goes on around me!

[Joey Shabadoo]

heres the bottom line...with the decline of the teamster, so declined driver wages, increased working hours and decreased company accountability.. Truck driving is a very dangerous and demanding job, it should pay a good middle class wage. If freight rates are higher because of unions...so WHAT? O/Os rates go up too....

You hit the nail on the head there, One!
Unions raise the wages for non-union drivers, too...something alot of folks don't understand.
It's the same thing in LTL...drivers for FedEx Freight, Conway, etc get similar wages as their Teamster driver counterparts.
Reason being...the non-union companies pay their workers better to keep from being organized.
Same deal for the domestic autoworkers at Toyota, Honda, etc who get similar UAW wages.

But this will NEVER EVER happen in truckload...too much competition.
The barriers of entry are too low.
Drivers are too dumb.
Add in all the Mexican-based carriers that are going to flood the market from south of the border per NAFTA cross-border trucking...
plus all the illegals who will be granted CDL's to ease the "driver shortage"...
and the rates/wages of today will seem like a king's ransom compared to what they will be 10-20 years from now.

That's why if you're smart, you'll stay the hell away from this business.
If you're currently in it, you'd do well to find an exit strategy ASAP.