Drive for Marten Transport, you WILL lose!
#31
06-25-2009, 12:31 AM
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: the Buckeye
Posts: 1,732
As a former 30 year Teamster, (Locals 63 and 578-Southern California) and former shop steward at UPS and now "semi-retired"..I can tell you first hand that (A). The Teamsters power is rapidly dwindling in this country and has been for many years. Union leadership only care's about it's next forced dues increase and has completely lost touch with their base members, the trucking industry. (B) The few unionized companies that still exist such as YRC and ABF are basically teetering on the edge of financial doom. The Teamsters long ago abandoned the freight business and now concentrate on organizing government employee's because it's much easier..I used to be a big Teamster "flag waver", but over the years became convinced that the Teamster brotherhood is a myth. Give away contracts, minuscule pensions, and the ability to fire an employee at will are the norm in most contracts now. Teamster power is a joke..."Card check" legislation was gutted by Congress and the Mexican trucks keep rolling across the border...Some Teamster Power" huh ? Jimmy Hoffa is not his father and never will be...Just a fat former attorney who never did an honest day's work in his life. UPS is having their own issues now in this economy. Lay-offs and "furlough" days are happening at the company because the volume just isn't there anymore....That "shut-down" hoopla has been talked about for years and will never happen because you couldn't get four truck drivers to agree on the correct time of day, much less to organize..By the way...TDU is a dissident organization that has no credibility in today's labor movement...
#32
06-25-2009, 09:04 AM
Hi Snowman ! Long time, no hear from...good to see your still around. I'm still pulling cryogenic tankers part-time as usual..Did get divorced though after 24 years....single after 08/12/09....damn, almost made the "magic 25"...
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"What did BROWN do TO ME ?????
#33
06-25-2009, 10:50 AM
Only $5.18 and you bend over and take it with a smile !!! LOL :lol2: :clap: The trucking companies are counting on people like you who fall in line, you guys deserve the worst and that is what you will get, because you are cowards who will never stand up for your own profession. Kids out of high school will take your jobs and so will Mexicans !!! Trucking companies aren't counting on anybody for anything. They know that someone is going to drive their truck, Unionized Driver or not. I'm not worried about high school kids or Mexicans taking my job. I am more concerned, about the out of work ex-unionized office worker, or ex-unionized automobile assembly line worker, coming into the industry, to show us "How it's done".
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Space...............Is disease and danger, wrapped in darkness and silence! :thumbsup: Star Trek2009
#34
06-25-2009, 10:51 AM
At least you still have a job!!
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Space...............Is disease and danger, wrapped in darkness and silence! :thumbsup: Star Trek2009
#36
06-25-2009, 11:56 PM
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: the Buckeye
Posts: 1,732
I've only been a teamster for a year so I cant compare it to 30 yrs ago but they have won a couple battles here and there. Big Brown doesnt make it easy for anyone. They push and push knowing full well they are testing us and the teamsters to see how far they can go. I try to shrug it off. Its just a job and as long my checks are good thats all I ask of them. I do things the way they want most of the time and they leave me alone!
#37
06-26-2009, 05:21 AM
Yes, UPS will push you..I don't miss that constant "looking over the shoulder" stuff and I sure don't miss my days on the package car with that constant push to do more with less time. Just document everything and never speak to a supervisor without a steward present. Even the little things can get turned around on you..Thanks for the kind sentiment about the divorce..don't know what happened. She had her mid-life crisis and just decided I was no longer good enough, so life goes on...Dating at my age kind of sucks though, I'm clueless....
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"What did BROWN do TO ME ?????
#38
06-26-2009, 07:42 AM
I drive for Marten...only 4 months now...but, have been out here 17 years and find them to be a great company. As far as scaling loads goes, it's true about the 42,000 lbs....but, Martin trailers are also equipped with axle guages that are fairly reliable and a guage inside your truck showing drive axle weight. Once you figure out how to use them they're pretty reliable tools. I will add that I've found some faulty guages on trailers...but, not too many. On loads I question...I scale it...claim it at tax time...scaled a lot at first...then got the hang of the guages and don't worry about it anymore. I've also found most folks in the "office" as with most places...are pretty good folks. I've never had to ask for my detention pay or had to "argue" for any pay due. In fact, I was 4 days late in getting home once...before I could message in to ask for the PO for $200 ($50 a day, it was sent to me). Anywho...I haven't run across a company in 17 years that has 100% satisfied employees...and I can't say every week out here I've got the miles I've wanted...but...that's nothing new.....6 week average is more than what they promised.
Bear in mind, my comments are not "against" the unhappy driver...just stating my experiences thus far. Do I have some complaints???? What driver doesn't...comes with the job...ie...that's trucking.
#39
06-26-2009, 09:44 AM
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: the Buckeye
Posts: 1,732
Yes, UPS will push you..I don't miss that constant "looking over the shoulder" stuff and I sure don't miss my days on the package car with that constant push to do more with less time. Just document everything and never speak to a supervisor without a steward present. Even the little things can get turned around on you..Thanks for the kind sentiment about the divorce..don't know what happened. She had her mid-life crisis and just decided I was no longer good enough, so life goes on...Dating at my age kind of sucks though, I'm clueless....
#40
06-26-2009, 10:34 AM
If UPS drivers stick together they will never be able to bust the union.
Same thing with FEDEX drivers who should be joining the union soon if those guys stick together. That would be good for the industry and all truck drivers if FEDEX goes union.
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