Must be a union driver?
 

A fax just came across with a load going to Brooklyn, NY and it states "Must be a union driver" Why? Does it have to do with loading/unloading? Never heard of it.

Ever try dealing with the UNION in NYC those guys will make you sit for HOURS for a LABORER to move a 4x4 so you can back into a spot to unload you offer tomove it they look at you and go IT IS NOT YOUR JOB. They only allow an electrian to change the light bulb it is worse than picking up steel in a mill for chirst sakes.

Not just any union. Must be a teamster recognized by NY trade something or other.
Most NY construction sites, Javitz center,a lot of office furniture deliveries,are ruled by them. So is Atlantic City Casino deliveries.
Therer are weird arrangements like so many deliveries per job do not have to be teamster or you can deliver it but you you pay a fee that covers the salary of a union worker for the day.

I once delivered a load to a constudction site and was given $50.The boss said to give it to the guy who asks for the caerd. A guy with a clip board shows up and wants to see my card. I handed him the 50 and he went absolutely ballistic. I was scared to death as he told other teamsters what I did. I thought they were going to kill me....no kidding...they refused the load and I was blocked in for quite a while. I got back to the yard and told the boss what happened.
actual conversation
Me"I thought you had an arrangement"
Boss"No, I just thought $50 might work"

I used to deliver furniture at night in Manhattan.
There is a whole world that works at night in NYC
Usually they try to take all the furniture out and new furniture in
before the office opens in the morning
There is a deadline and so its hectic but they overhire a zillion teamsters
to get the job finished.
(btw union furniture guys only use dollies,if a guy has to move his thermos, he puts it on a dolly)
On my first delivery I was pushing furniture down a ramp.
I did it for an hour or so and I was confronted with really mad dudes.
They yelled at me and again I was sure I was going to get a knee smashed or something.

"you a wanna do sometin?)"
"you pick up the gah -bidge,we don't touch no gah-bich"
"but don't touch the furniture, we'll rip the paper off and you pick it up...."
they could not drop the subject and kept mumbling about me
That was a very long night.......

I figured there was something to it as it was going into NYC.

Funny thing is, when these Trucking companies broker loads out, 9 chances out of 10 its because it sucks. Otherwise they would gobble it up.

Stories like this are the reason so many people have such a low opinion of unions. I have heard a number of horror stories from some who have been in some of these unions.

I was a former member of UAW Local 442 at the Webster City, IA Frigidaire plant. You get NO protection from the Union unless you've been there for 20 years because all your supervisors are going to be 20 year veterans in the company/union and who do you think the union people are going to believe?

Been down that road, never again. So anyone who says I need a union at my job at Wal-Mart will be lucky they get away with only me spitting in their face.

If they demand you be a union driver you Demand Union Scale for any time involved with the load.

I've picked up there.

I had to break a picket line in NJ. They all stood in front of the entrance and I literally had to push them with the truck. They orignally told me no one could unload me and to turn around. But after calling the company I found out they were lying.

you didn't have to you chose to.