Mexican Truckers Hitting US Highways Taking Union Jobs?

Tell you what, you want to see what Unions do for America? Visit Flint MI, Visit Detroit MI. You will see first hand what Unions do for America.

Want to keep your job? Do you know what I say? I say do your job well. There's nothing wrong with earning a living wage, unfortunately, Union employees don't actually have to WORK for a living wage, they can do whatever they want and the company just has to suck it up. It's next to impossible to fire a Union employee.

Wanna know why there are corrupt cops? Police Unions, wanna know why there are bad teachers? Teachers Unions. wanna know why Mexican companies are getting shipping contracts? Trucking Unions.

The recent snow storm debacle in New York perfectly symbolizes what is wrong with Unions. Unions in my opinion are bad for America.

reply to post by whatukno

The Union I was a member of worked nothing like that, if you didn't pull your weight you didn't work, end of story. I think they're is a big misconception of most Union's, not saying there isn't bad ones cause I've seen them, but they're not all created equal.

Why should a company pay some 64 year old guy to sit in the break room all day just riding out the days till he retires and gets to collect his pension?

Why should a company shut down because the employees instead of going to work want to go outside with signs and walk in an oval? And how is this not extortion? How is striking not extorting more money from the company?

I say if you want a raise, do a better job, and make the company more money and EARN a raise instead of just striking and extorting a raise from the company.

Again, if you want to see what Unions do for America, visit Flint and Detroit, you will see exactly what Unions have done for America.

Click here for more information.

Give these truckrs a drug test (pull a hair sample for a longer history of drug & alcohol abuse) and see how many of them would pass.

Cheap goods are just that. Cheap.

I have 30 year old american made leather goods that while unstylish will still outlast what you can buy today.

The bitterness of cheap quality will last far longer than the brief pleasure of a low price every time.

Save up your money and buy quality once.

reply to post by groingrinder


hey great idea on the colored font...looks freakin awesome

reply to post by TheRedneck


Great response redneck...you seem up on the topic...

Originally posted by whatukno
They shouldn't be Union jobs anyway, Union jobs are destroying this countries ability to employ Americans.

The problem with Unions is they limit Americans from getting these jobs. Why should I pay someone so that I can work? That doesn't sound like America, that sounds like communism to me.

Well clearly if there waseren't unions the Chinese would be shipping their jobs here and REAL AMERICANS would be driving em things.

Originally posted by whatukno
Tell you what, you want to see what Unions do for America? Visit Flint MI, Visit Detroit MI. You will see first hand what Unions do for America.

Want to keep your job? Do you know what I say? I say do your job well. There's nothing wrong with earning a living wage, unfortunately, Union employees don't actually have to WORK for a living wage, they can do whatever they want and the company just has to suck it up. It's next to impossible to fire a Union employee.

Wanna know why there are corrupt cops? Police Unions, wanna know why there are bad teachers? Teachers Unions. wanna know why Mexican companies are getting shipping contracts? Trucking Unions.

The recent snow storm debacle in New York perfectly symbolizes what is wrong with Unions. Unions in my opinion are bad for America.

Your argument is such a joke! I would even go as far as calling it "Ad Hominem" in that, according to you; All things union must be corrupt. Your argument sounds like a Fox News echo chamber.

Unions are not what caused the demise in Detroit or Flint and if you think so, I challenge you to prove it. According to your theory, it should be next to impossible to make any money as the owner of a pro ball team seeing how they are all unionized. FYI, some of America's most successful companies utilize union labor. Companies like Boeing, G.E., Kraft Foods, Southwest Airlines, General Mills, IBM, Kroger and Safeway, not to mention the NFL, NBA, MLB and the NFL.

Unions are not destroying America. In reality, it's Free Trade that has placed the american standard of living into a tug of war with that of developing nations and guess who's losing? Unions are just standing up for the american standard of living even though people like you won't.

Just exactly what is your personal experience with a union anyway, if any? Have you ever been a union official or representative? How did you come to know so much about unions? I have a feeling that your factual knowledge of unions and how they work is as devoid and hollow as your argument against them.

Originally posted by aravoth
post removed by staff

Key Phrase " there is no free market "

Private industry (and foreign nationals) are the ones advocating for this stuff - yet it is socialism to put in place counter measures. You and your friends keep dragging this debate into dregs by failing to admit to business's hand in governments process. Then you suggest the best way to counter this is to do nothing, because that is also the scourge of socialism.

reply to post by whatukno

wanna know why Mexican companies are getting shipping contracts? Trucking Unions.

Er, you haven't driven in a while, have you?

The Teamsters represent very few truckers. The closest thing the transportation industry has is OOIDA, an independent lobbying group for truckers. The reason Mexican truckers are getting the contracts is because they do not have the regulation Americans do. Of course they can run a load cheaper! They drive poor trucks, don't stop for rest breaks, and don't have all the USDOT-required expenses.

Those few companies that do use Teamsters? They are mostly regional, or a few national carriers like UPS. It is terrible what the Teamsters have done to the UPS drivers... they get home every day (drive overnight), make in excess of $100K/year, and are never asked to drive illegally. Me? I got to stay out one to two weeks at a time, had to fudge my log books to keep getting loads, and made about $40K/year. See how bad those Teamsters are?

Incidentally, the Teamsters do not hurt the carriers either.... last I heard the unionized carriers were the strongest and largest around.

TheRedneck

reply to post by Flatfish


I worked for a Kroger once, here's my experience...

I got a job as a night stock clerk, it was a second job for me because my then wife was pregnant at the time and could not work.

I was forced to join the union, even though I did not want to, as a condition of my employment. Working hard was discouraged, doing the job efficiently and making sure that the job was finished was discouraged. I was actually once told to slow down because I was making the rest of the crew look bad.

When I started I was part time, so I waited for a full time opening to become available, when one did and I went to bid on it, some other union thug would undercut me for the job, then not take the job. Just so that I wouldn't be able to get a full time job.

When my son was born I decided to see how unions really work, I no called no showed for a week, when I went back, I was written up once and still had my job. (actually at that point I didn't even want the job because I was so thoroughly disgusted with how the union crew worked.)

I observed one of the other night stock clerks facing items on one shelf for 4 hours. This is how they wanted me to work, do as little as possible for as long as possible, doing a good job was nearly forbidden. We were given breaks, and during the breaks all the other people could talk about was how they couldn't wait for when they could strike.

Originally posted by whatukno
reply to post by Flatfish

 

I worked for a Kroger once, here's my experience...

I got a job as a night stock clerk, it was a second job for me because my then wife was pregnant at the time and could not work.

I was forced to join the union, even though I did not want to, as a condition of my employment. Working hard was discouraged, doing the job efficiently and making sure that the job was finished was discouraged. I was actually once told to slow down because I was making the rest of the crew look bad.

When I started I was part time, so I waited for a full time opening to become available, when one did and I went to bid on it, some other union thug would undercut me for the job, then not take the job. Just so that I wouldn't be able to get a full time job.

When my son was born I decided to see how unions really work, I no called no showed for a week, when I went back, I was written up once and still had my job. (actually at that point I didn't even want the job because I was so thoroughly disgusted with how the union crew worked.)

I observed one of the other night stock clerks facing items on one shelf for 4 hours. This is how they wanted me to work, do as little as possible for as long as possible, doing a good job was nearly forbidden. We were given breaks, and during the breaks all the other people could talk about was how they couldn't wait for when they could strike.

So apparently, it's just like I thought. Your vast knowledge of unions and how they operate can be attributed to a single part-time job at a Kroger grocery store. Looks like the best advice I could offer to you is to refrain from ranting on subjects for which you admittedly have very limited knowledge.

Have you ever wondered just why there may be ten or twenty Baptist churches is a single small town? Well let me attempt to enlighten you a little. Many people will find the atmosphere at one church more acceptable to their likings or maybe they develop a liking to one minister over another, but just because they don't like the other church doesn't make all Baptist churches bad.

If what you're saying is even true, it sounds to me like you just happened to fall in with a bad bunch. I worked through a union for over 30 yrs. and I spent over 20 of those years as an elected representative. I also spent 10 yrs. as a member of the board of trustees, managing our benefit trust funds totaling in excess of 500 million dollars. During my short stint with the union, I never heard one single union member ever wish for a strike. Do you have any idea just how hard strikes are on working families? Furthermore, the only time I was ever asked to slow a job down was back in the 70's and it was the employer who made the request due to the fact that the job had been bid on a cost plus basis and the more it cost him, the more he made.

Are you sure that when you were told to slow down at work that it didn't really go something like this? "Slow down and do your job right!" By the way, the person who finishes the job the quickest hasn't always done the best job. If you don't believe me, just ask your wife or girlfriend.

reply to post by Flatfish

If you don't believe me, just ask your wife or girlfriend.

Little uncalled for don't you think? After all I am not disparaging you personally, don't think that you need to go there.

What I said was the truth, I was making these guys look bad. I was doing the job more efficiently and better than they were. It's not actually hard to put stuff on a shelf right.

Again, look at Flint, look at Detroit and tell me that Union jobs are good for the country, if they were so damn good for the country why aren't these cities world class places to live? Detroit is such a cesspool that it's a national joke.

When people in an area out price themselves, businesses are going to look elsewhere for employees. Foreign car companies down south pay a living wage, and there is no UAW down there. Coincidence? I don't think so.

The fact is, Unions make the average employee cost WAY more, union leadership are corrupt and steal dues, they aren't really looking out for the employee, but looking out for their own bottom line. A good employee should be rewarded for hard work, not just because they have been there for 20 years.

Originally posted by whatukno
reply to post by Flatfish

 

I worked for a Kroger once, here's my experience...

I got a job as a night stock clerk, it was a second job for me because my then wife was pregnant at the time and could not work.

Something else I would like to add to this comparison of union vs. non-union. During my 32 yrs. as a union employee, my wife never had to take a job outside the home making me the sole bread winner for our family. My wife was afforded the luxury of being a stay-at-home mom who was there to properly raise my children. Today, the lack of stay-at-home parenting is probably the single largest cause of the escalating high school drop-out rates and increases in gang activity here in the U.S..

What happened to the good old days when only one person had to work to support a household and children were not left to fend for themselves due to lack of supervision after getting out of school every day? I'll tell you what happened; Corporations discovered that if the right pressures were exerted via outsourcing and the utilization of illegal immigrant labor, they could get both husband & wife under their employ for the price of one. So much for the american standard of living.

In all honesty, I usually agree wholeheartedly with most of your opinions and post but this stance you have taken against all unions is just off track.

reply to post by Flatfish

In all honesty, I usually agree wholeheartedly with most of your opinions and post but this stance you have taken against all unions is just off track.

I tend to be socially liberal and fiscally conservative.

All I know is, I look around Detroit, all I see is dilapidation, sorrow, and despair. The biggest employer round these parts are the big 3, and I don't see the UAW doing anything to help this community out.

When I see jobs evaporate, I have to ask why, when a company like GM can't make a profit, but the Unions won't give an inch, the reason that the company isn't doing well becomes quite clear.

Other unions I have a problem with are Teachers Unions, Police Unions, and Federal Unions, these professions in my opinion should not be unionized, all that does is protect the worst of these people from getting fired.

Originally posted by whatukno
reply to post by Flatfish

 

If you don't believe me, just ask your wife or girlfriend.

Little uncalled for don't you think? After all I am not disparaging you personally, don't think that you need to go there.

What I said was the truth, I was making these guys look bad. I was doing the job more efficiently and better than they were. It's not actually hard to put stuff on a shelf right.

Again, look at Flint, look at Detroit and tell me that Union jobs are good for the country, if they were so damn good for the country why aren't these cities world class places to live? Detroit is such a cesspool that it's a national joke.

When people in an area out price themselves, businesses are going to look elsewhere for employees. Foreign car companies down south pay a living wage, and there is no UAW down there. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Nothing down here in the south pays a living wage, I have worked 6 jobs here and not one of them paid a living wage, so I hardly doubt car companies are, I for sure know that the dealerships aren't as my neighbor used to making 9 bucks an hour detailing cars, with no breaks until they decided to go to piece work which was $20 a car and you might have not had one single car during the 8 hr shift, the $9 wasn't even a living wage. If someone thinks that is a living wage they haven't got their head screwed on right. On top of not getting a living wage, they can fire you for no reason at all, they don't have to give you breaks, not even a lunch break, they can fire you to replace you with illegal mexicans, and on top of that, they will never EVER have to pay UEI you will not be able to collect unemployment. What's more they can keep you from getting another job by slandering your name and you have no recourse. you gotta just bend over and take it!!!! The south sucks big donkey dingaling, if I knew then what I know now, I would NEVER have moved to the facist south EVER!!!!

Originally posted by whatukno
reply to post by Flatfish

 

If you don't believe me, just ask your wife or girlfriend.

Little uncalled for don't you think? After all I am not disparaging you personally, don't think that you need to go there.

What I said was the truth, I was making these guys look bad. I was doing the job more efficiently and better than they were. It's not actually hard to put stuff on a shelf right.

Again, look at Flint, look at Detroit and tell me that Union jobs are good for the country, if they were so damn good for the country why aren't these cities world class places to live? Detroit is such a cesspool that it's a national joke.

When people in an area out price themselves, businesses are going to look elsewhere for employees. Foreign car companies down south pay a living wage, and there is no UAW down there. Coincidence? I don't think so.

The fact is, Unions make the average employee cost WAY more, union leadership are corrupt and steal dues, they aren't really looking out for the employee, but looking out for their own bottom line. A good employee should be rewarded for hard work, not just because they have been there for 20 years.

I apologize if my statements were offensive to you as I assure you they were not intended to be. I was not implying that you didn't know how to please your mate, only that "fast" wasn't always "best" and that our mates can attest to that fact.

Can you provide any proof of your assertion that "union leadership are corrupt and steal dues?" My union was required to conduct annual audits performed by independent auditing firms and one of the most watched items in those audits is "union dues," which by the way were a mere $3.00 per month or $36.00 per year in my union. ($36.00 per year is enough to break a working family, right?) On top of that, our annual audits were nothing in comparison to audits performed by the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Have you or the non-union companies that you endear ever been audited by the Dept. of Labor? These audits are multiple yr. audits they take more than a week to perform, (last one took 8 days for us.) and they scrutinize every penny taken in by the union and every penny paid out. They review the minutes of all union meetings to insure that the union officials have not done things which were not previously approved by the membership.

Have you or your company ever had the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission come into your place of business to inspect and supervise their hiring practices for weeks at a time? My union did and we were informed that we had the fairest hiring system that the EEOC had ever witnessed in Texas. (Our hiring was done on a daily basis, up to 350 people per day.)

When our competition opted to employ cheap illegal immigrant labor, we requested that the Feds. check us all for compliance with current immigration law at the time. We begged them for mutual inspections for 5 yrs. and eventually we even had to hire a lobbyist to get it done, go figure. The results were that my union was 98% compliant and our competition was less than 50% compliant. Can you name me one, just one, non-union company that has requested government audits to be performed on their own company to insure compliance with any laws whatsoever? It is important that you realize that no company is more heavily scrutinized than unions and IMO, if corporations had to undergo the same level of scrutiny, they would cease to exist.

Again, I apologize if I offended you in any way.

Let me iterate, I live in a part of the south(Florida) who makes it their number one priority to keep unions out. None of the Fed laws are enforced here, no one will even investigate. The reason being, there is NO representation at all in this state for Employees, not one lawyer, not one court, not one union, and it's getting worse by the day here. Ever had to lift piles of shingle up ladders and work on a roof with no workmen's comp whatsoever? Yeah it's not pleasent. Not one bit if you get injured on the job you are SOL!!!!
Oh, and they will probably replace you with an illegal mexican when you get injured, to add insult to injury, literally!

reply to post by ldyserenity


I live in S. Texas and I hate to say that it's no different here. Just 9 days ago, one of my friends did indeed take a fall while working construction, (building apartment houses) and not only does he have no worker's compensation benefits, he also has been forced to pay all medical bills. He fractured the heel bones in both feet and is expected to be off work for at least 8 wks. This would never be allowed to happen had he been employed through a union.

And to hear some say that it's the company that will take care of it's people while union officials only steal dues and look out for their own best interest.