Wall RSS FeedWorkers Attending Local Union Meetings Get Answers to Their Questions
July 12, 2008 Teamster.Org
Teamster carhaulers attending local union meetings this weekend and during the past week have expressed strong support for the tentative national carhaul agreement.
Today, about 60 members of Local 957 in Dayton, Ohio turned out to hear Teamsters Carhaul Division Director Fred Zuckerman explain the changes contained in the tentative agreement.
“The meeting went exceptionally well — the reaction was very positive once our guys got the changes explained to them,” said Mike Darner, a Local 957 business agent. “There were questions about Article 48 pertaining to keeping the trucks loaded and Fred explained how equalization is not working. Even guys who expressed doubts last week are now in support of the tentative agreement once Fred explained the details.”
“The members are fully aware of the very difficult economic conditions facing the industry and the nation in general, and they believe this agreement addresses job security and their concerns about health, welfare and pension benefits,” said George Yarbrough, a business agent for Local 612 in Birmingham, Alabama. “The members had questions, and once they heard the answers they were satisfied.”
A dozen workers, about half of the local’s carhaul membership, attended the meeting on July 8.
At Local 651 in Lexington, Kentucky, 55 workers attended the meeting July 7.
“The meeting went very well,” said Ken Barnes, a business agent at Local 651. “Fred Zuckerman (Teamsters Carhaul Director) reviewed the entire contract and answered the drivers’ questions. We heard from several people who came to the meeting leaning toward voting no, and they told us they changed their minds when they got the full picture. Our members are aware of the tough times we are all facing.”
About 75 carhaulers attended meetings July 8 and 9 at Local 120 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“The members had lots of questions and concerns, but I think that after hearing the answers, they were very positive,” said Louie Miller, Vice President of Local 120.
“They know the state of the industry and I think that overall they believe we did a good job negotiating this agreement,” said Miller, a member of the national negotiating committee.
About 200 carhaulers attended the meeting at Local 89 in Louisville, Kentucky.
“The meeting went great,” Zuckerman said. “I spent some time revealing the lies that TDU is spreading and the members told me they see right through TDU’s lies. The reaction to the agreement was very positive.”
More local union meetings are scheduled this weekend.
July 13th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
OK so let’s tell the real truth here and reason some of this out. First it says 5 tours. It was explained to us that a tour is until you go to bed. One of my fellow carhaulers who is former freight confirmed this. TOUR is very old freight language. So 5 tours is 5 days NOT legs. They have to send you back towards home after 5 DAYS! Second if you run out of hours they have to pay you for EVERY HOUR you spend waiting for them to catch up. Third you are NOT compelled to take the 36 hour reset, you can do it the old fashioned way. If you think that any of these companies are gonna want to pay you for sitting, guess again. Yes, if you VOLUNTEER to take a long load, say on the 4th tour (day) then you are subject to being out indefinitely. Last (and it’s right there for you to read in article 48) if the company abuses it and it gets deadlocked in arbitration they FORFEIT article 48. END!
July 13th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
HOMER HOW CAN THE COMPANY ABUSE AN ARTICLE THAT HAS NO EQUIALIZATION, THERE IS NOTHING TO ABUSE, THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO WITH THERE TRUCK , THEY CAN SEND YOU ANY DIRECTION THEY WANT, THEY CAN SEND YOU INTO A TERMIAL FOR A LOAD 35 MILES LONG, THEN SEND YOU BACK FOR ANOTHER ONE ON THE SAME TOUR, YOUR LIMITED TO 2 PER TOUR, YOU WAKE UP THE NEXT DAY THEY CAN SEND YOU BACK FOR ANOTHER 2, DRIVERS CAN EVEN BE LAID OFF AT THAT TERMINAL AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT BACKHAULING MORE THAN 20% OF TOTAL LOADS AVAILABLE, THEY CAN ROLL AVAILABLE LOADS OVER TO THE NEXT DAY IF NEEDED, IT IS NOT DISPATCHED LOADS, JUST AVAILABLE LOADS, ALL THE WHILE THEY GOT NEW HIRES HAULING THE LONG LOADS AT A 15% REDUCTION, WHICH IS REALY A 25% IF YOU ADD MY VACATION PAY TO IT,AND IF A JUNIOR DRIVER(85% PAY DRIVER) AT YOUR TERMINAL IS GETTING THE LONG LOADS WHILE YOU OUT HAULING THESE 35 MILE TRIPS, YOU HAVE NO GRIEVENCE, THERE IS NO ABUSE , IF ANYBODY THINKS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO PAY US $748.00 TO RESET OUR HOURS, THEY LIVE IN FAIRYTALE LAND, I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TELLING US, I HEARD IT, BUT THE LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT IS GOING TO BE CONTESTED BY THE COMPANIES, WE CAN RUN OUT OF HOURS ANYTIME WE WANT TO, IT SAYS YOU WILL BE COMPESATED, AND THE COMPANIES ARE GOING TO SAY THAT REMAINDER OF DRIVING TIME, THEN 8 HOURS FOR THE NEXT DAY, ALSO THE DRIVER CHOOSES WHETHER HE USES THE 34 HOUR RESET OR THE OLD WAY, ONE LITTLE BREAKDOWN I CAN USE MY 70 UP PRETTY FAST, AND WE GOT ANSWERS AT OUR MEETING TODAY ALSO, THEY CAN TAKE CURRENT PLANT TRAFFIC PUT IT BACK ON THE RAIL FOR 1 YEAR AND 1 DAY, BRING IT BACK AS RUNNING MILE, IF YOU DON’T THINK THE BIG THREE WILL JUMP ON THIS, AGIAN YOU LIVE IN FAIRYTALE LAND, WHAT IF THEY MOVE RAILHEADS WHERE THE FREIGHT COMES IN,, IS THIS GOING TO BE NEW BUSINESS? IF THIS THING GETS VOTED IN WE WILL BE RUNNING 100% RUNNING MILE IN 3 YEARS.
WHAT IF AT DISPATCH THEY TELL YOU CAN TAKE A PIECE OF SHIT LOAD, OR YOU CAN VOLUNTEER TO TAKE ANOTHER LOAD THAT PAYS BETTER, WHAT IF EVERY GOOD LOAD IS A VOLUNTEER LOAD, THIS IS NOT ABUSE, THIS MIGHT BE YOUR NEW DISPATCH PROCEDURE.
“trips during any tour of duty which cause him to not be returned within such time period. If a driver is forced to take any dispatch during such a tour of duty which causes him to run out of hours. on the road, he will be compensated for all time spent picking up hours. A driver will not be required to pull more than two road trips from the same location within such a tour of duty.”
I’M VERY HAPPY THAT THEY PUT IN THERE I WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PULL MORE THAN TWO ROAD TRIPS FROM THE SAME LOCATION WITHIN SUCH A TOUR OF DUTY,(SAME DAY?) NOW THAT’S PROTECTION.
AND HOMER I DON’T THINK WE EVER HAVE TO TAKE A 36 HOUR RESET, I THINK IT’S 34
I CAN GO ON AND ON, THEY HAVE CONTINUALLY ABUSES ARTICLE 22 AND 48, AS FAR AS EQUIALIZATION, THEY WILL HIRE MORE DRIVERS AT OTHER TERMINALS, THEN BACKHAUL OUT OF OUR TERMINAL, OUR GUYS WILL STAY OFF A EXTRA 2 TO 3 WEEKS AFTER A SHUTDOWN WHILE THE BACKHAUL DRIVERS MAKE A DECENT LIVING, IF ANYBODY THINKS THAT THEY CAN MAKE A DECENT LIVING WORKING 9 MONTHS A YEAR ON RUNNING MILE, GOOD LUCK!!!!!!! BECAUSE EVEN WITH RUNNING MILE THERE IS GOING TO BE SLOW TIMES, ATLEAST 2 TIMES A YEAR MAYBE MORE.
WE CAN SEND PEOPLE TO THE MOON, AND THESE COMPANIES CAN’T EQUALIZE LOADS, GIVE ME A BREAK!!
July 14th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
IF THE STATE OF OUR INDUSTRY IS SOOOOO BAD, WHY ARE OUR LEADERS GETTING RAISES EVERY YEAR AND THERE WANTING ME TO TAKE A CUT, FRED’S SALARY WENT FROM 211k TO 246k TOTAL COMP 06 TO 07, THAT’S ALMOST A 17% INCREASE.
July 14th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
NO VOTE IS A MUST. WHATS THE PROBLEM SENDING THEM BACK TO THE TABLE…
July 14th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
The answer I got is that the union is backing the companies and not us. This deal is set up to make us compete against terminals and each other, which is what they say their trying to stop. They said that they know of the favoritism in Central Dispatch. The funny thing is they never did anything about it before, so what do you think they are going to do now.
July 15th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
My response is that something HAS changed. When was the last time the International called a strike?
July 16th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I know since I have been a Teamster in Car hauling, there is always a strike vote before negotiations start. The answer to your question would be in the late 80’s for five weeks!
July 16th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Suckerman speaks out of the side of his mouth!
July 17th, 2008 at 1:01 am
IN 85 IT WAS MAINLY OVER NEW HIRES STARTING OUT AT A LOWER WAGE THE SAME YEAR THAT FREIGHT GOT IT,NEWSREPORT SAID IT WAS LIKE 3 WEEKS LONG , I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE 5 WEEKS, REMEBER IT WAS WHEN DELTA FLIGHT WENT DOWN, AND THAT WAS AUGUST 2, 1985, SINCE THEN I BELIEVE EITHER ALLIED OR RYDER WAS ON STRIKE BY THEMSELVES,
1995
The teamsters’ union agreed today to suspend a monthlong strike against the car-hauling subsidiary of Ryder System Inc. after reaching a tentative deal with the industry over the weekend, a union spokesman said. About 5,000 teamster drivers and other workers have been on strike since Sept. 7 against Ryder Automotive Carrier Group, the country’s largest hauler of new cars to dealerships from factories, ports and railheads. 1995
,1985 Carhaul: Shortly after ratification of the UPS pact, Presser began negotiations on behalf of Teamster truck drivers who deliver new automobiles to dealerships (carhaulers). The carhaul contract expired on June 1, 1985. Presser negotiated a new agreement in mid-June which provided for a minimal wage increase of 60 cents an hour, imposed a two-tier wage system, reduced pay for trips of more than 1,100 miles, eliminated cost-of-living adjustments, and provided for only half-pay for loaded return trips. The union’s 21,000 carhaul drivers and support personnel rejected the contract by a 4-to-1 majority. Although no strike was planned, the union was forced to strike on July 26, 1985, after employers sought additional wage and benefit concessions during the subsequent round of negotiations. After a 19-day strike, a new contract was tentatively approved which offered the same wage increase. However, management agreed to remove the half-pay loaded return trip proposal. The employers also agreed to let members vote on any concessionary economic proposals during the life of the contract (under the previous agreement, only Teamster leadership voted on these changes), and were able to make permanent a temporary provision allowing companies to divert freight from terminals where there have been layoffs. But the pact’s initial rejection and the snap strike were both seen as blows to Presser’s leadership