POSTED bY TDU Teamsters for a Democratic Union

Q. How do you know when a proposed contract is rotten?

A. When they use corporate sales tricks to try to get you to buy it.

Carhaulers are getting sales calls, and there will be more to come. Many are getting “polled” and asked directly how they intend to vote on the contract.

The callers are not Teamsters. They work for Contact America, Meyer Teleservice, or another nonunion tele-marketer.

By tomorrow you may be getting “robo-calls” from computers.

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I find myself trying to educate drivers on this contract and loosing sleep, over the worry of it. I speak to many drivers in my travels and I’m shocked by the lack of knowledge in the language, and articles. I see grown men, that have been in the business for many years and are stunned by all the changes, when you explain it. This is a contract that will change our way of living forever. I don’t know about you guys, but I truly love my job and I’m devoted to it. For some, this will be the last true car hauling job depending on how much seniority you may have. The institution that I believe in and ware with pride on my sleeve, has the capability to change our lives. This is disturbing to me, because we the members are on an island all by ourselves. How do I explain this to my wife and kids? My wife that has supported me through all the ups and downs of this industry.  Here I am on Art 38, and have been away from home for 13 weeks. You go home here and there, but nothing amounts to the quality time with your wife and kids. Are these sacrifices for nothing? Yea some may say, “Your Making Money.” The point is that we all make these type of decision based on this great job and now it’s in jeopardy of being gone, do to the lack of leadership in our union. In the terminal that I work out of, there is about 30 guys that are 38’s and we will never be called back, if this contract flies. That is so unfair through my eyes, because we have given up everything to keep our jobs going. I have good friends that don’t have the options that I have, and are away from there families. They will never be called back if this contract is ratified. Thats why my passion is so intense, when it comes to this contract. I don’t hate the IBT, I hate the leaders that have no compassion for it’s members and stand shoulder to shoulder with the companies that think we make too much. The companies that walk over a dollar to pick up a dime, and have no respect for it’s employees. How do they sleep at night? What makes this even worst, is the waiting game. Waiting on the ballot count to find, we have been had! We have no protection and the only support we have, is each other. I will walk a picket line with you guys any day, and  rather do that then, to see the outcome of Suckerman’s game.