Start A Truckers Union Or Support OOIDA Or Nothing

Mike

Well-Known Member
For those drivers who feel that some serious changes need to be made withing the trucking industry to make things better for drivers, which route do you think would be the best to take?
  • Get the word out on the OOIDA and push more drivers to support this organization?
  • Support a start-up drivers Union that represents both company drivers and owner operators?
  • Have two Unions started, one representing owner operators, and the other representing company driver?
  • Do nothing and deal with your own personal situation as an individual
I don't know how possible it is for a drivers Union to be put together, but if it can be done, I think it could eventually become a strong organization that would be very beneficial to drivers. Every issue that is brought to the table would be a tough fight, at least at first, but eventually, as long as drivers truly stuck together, and as long as drivers didn't go overboard with wanting several things fixed at once (and quitting the organization as soon as they didn't get their way with something), I think it could be great for us.

One issue that I always thing about though, is whether one Union would be the way to do it, or whether we would need separate Unions representing company drivers, and owner operators.

Something else I think about is the fact that we already have the OOIDA out there working for us, and I truly think they could be the only organization we need, but we would need to work together to get more people supporting the OOIDA.
At the same time, I think we would need to know where the OOIDA stands with supporting all of us if we were to get the support to a much higher level. Would increased support give the OOIDA what it needs to be more convincing when they represent us over the issues that they are out there trying to help us with? Would they work with us to organize a strike for certain issues?

And lastly, Do you think the best route to take is to avoid all of the above, and just handle these situations individually, without the representation of the OOIDA, or any organized Union

Post your thoughts and ideas about this.

Remember, this is not a "will it ever happen thread". I want to know, if the conditions around the trucking industry is ever to improve, which route would be the best to take to make it happen. I would like to keep this as constructive as possible, and once we get some good input from several drivers, point this discussion toward some OOIDA reps.

Also, anybody out there with the plan of putting together an organized union will eventually see this and may get some good ideas from it as well.

I am including a poll, so be sure to vote in the poll as well. This is a public poll, so members and guests may vote.
 
Well, I think it is clear that something needs to be done, and we are never going to get it done by just talking about it, bitching on the CB, or threatening an unorganized strike.

My first thought is to try and get more support to the OOIDA. I hear many people say that the OOIDA can't really help us, but how do we know when some a small amount of truckers are actually a part of them.

A Union would probably do well also, providing enough people actually participated in it, but there again, how do you get good participation toward it?

I would support the union, but I think our best option is go get behind OOIDA. The organization is knowledgable about the situations we face, and I think they could do great things for us if we could get drivers behind it.
 
My two scents.

I've worked in union house's for about 5 years in the midwest and in the northeast. They were both Teamsters but diffrent local's. And what is important at one local is not important at another. And my experence is they are getting more and more concerned with the money they make (dews) than the money there members make. They do work for the drivers as far as greevenses and vacations and that sort of thing and there are locals all over the country. And they do have the know how on what is legal and what is not. Hell they have delt with kind of business for the last fifty years. The bad thing the union is basicly the medator between the drivers and the companies not the industry.


With that said if we could get the unions to work for what they are paid to do and incorperate unions with OOIDA that would be excelent. The locals could settle diputes between the drivers and the company. OOIDA with the help of the local's could settle disbuts between the drivers and the industry as a whole.

If OOIDA see's something going on that efect's the industry as a whole(like fuel prices). They can contact the locals and tell them what needs to be done. OOIDA would have the strength and the support (unions) behind them to addres any problem out there. And will be taken serioly.
 
I voted for two organizations.

O/Os are small business owners right?
So how can they vote for union control in thier own company?

Anyway all I want as a company driver is more home time, better vacation, you know, the usual union wants and needs.

How can a union help a O/Os?
They need a real solution to thier problem, and organization always helps!

I may be naive, but every body I know says they want less government control. If we ask the government to control things more, does that really solve our problems.

The Teamsters made things better not only because they had good ideas, but they also recruited!!! Things will happen if you have numbers, and a voice!
 
I may be naive, but every body I know says they want less government control. If we ask the government to control things more, does that really solve our problems.

To me, the answer to that is "no". I have a feeling though, it is going to come down to that though, if anything is ever to happen, because the problems have gotten so far out of hand.
 
I'm for some organization. I went with the Teamsters because it was our last resort. As a small group, we're easily defeated and dismissed. As a unified group on a base/beginning set of ideas or goals, we would be unstopable. Why do we keep hearing that we're so short of drivers in this country, and our companies tell us that they're nothing without good drivers, but when it comes down to it, we're expendable. A traineer will take your spot if need be.

In my situation, I considered signing with the union the same as me or anyone else retaining legal services. They're there if / when you need them. Has it worked in every case? No. Has it gotten out of control in some cities? Yes. Can some form of it work? Yes and No. It would work if drivers would stand together. I don't want the world given to me, I just want what I earned, and benifits that a strong union can get.

Here's my situation right now.

I start another job soon.
 
you can't have a union of owner/operators but an association is acceptable that is what OOIDA is their problem is they think everything can be solved thru negotiation problem is the people they negotiate with know they have no teeth . if they were to cal for a trucker vacation for a few days people would suddenly take them seriously
 
i have been a member of OOIDA for about 3 years now. even though i am a company driver, this has no bearing on the outcome of anything OOIDA does. its the overall membership that they strive to work for, whether you're a company driver or owner-operator. i have worked for a union company, what i call a "mickey mouse union", as i and my former co-workers agreed on, the union was "in bed" with the company......what representation for the union guys was that....??

there will never be a "National Union" for truckers.............
 
this might sound dumb but i'll ask anyways. what does OOIDA have to offer a company driver and as a company driver, what have they done for you ? i huess this is kinda directed to Pro1 since he is a member and has been for the past few years. i really just have the basic knowledge of them and not really sure what they are doing or are good for.
 
this might sound dumb but i'll ask anyways. what does OOIDA have to offer a company driver and as a company driver, what have they done for you ? i huess this is kinda directed to Pro1 since he is a member and has been for the past few years. i really just have the basic knowledge of them and not really sure what they are doing or are good for.

i can get insurance from them if i need it, like the accidental policy if i get hurt on a job. i can get dental insurance, i can get a health insurance plan if i need that. i can get many of the things that an owner-operator can get. i can also get discounts on motel/hotel rooms. all i need is my membership card.

but the most important thing i get, is (some) representation in D.C., which i simply cannot take time off for this.

say as you wish (anyone, that is, no one in particular), but this is about the closest thing to a "national union" we will ever see.

they advertise a membership of 160,106.............
surely, we can't all be owner-operators...........

 
I am an OOIDA member, and a company driver. I support the organization due to the representation it provides all drivers, and due to the work they do to keep us informed on all the issues surrounding the trucking industry.

Awareness of what is going on is a key factor in improving the trucking industry. Doing something about what we are made aware of is the next step.

I have to agree with Pro1 regarding a national union at this point though. As much as I would like to see it happen, I think it is just impossible to bring in truckers from hundreds and hundreds of different companies, private fleets, and owner operators into one union. At least right now. Given time, if the truckers can become more focused and aware of what is going on, and more begin actually working towards doing something about it, then a Union might be a possibility. However, once you see drivers actually out doing something about the industry, I think you will find out that a Union probably isn't needed.

  1. Take what the OOIDA provides you.
  2. Take an active approach to improving the industry, rather than just complaining about it
  3. Start policing ourselves as a community. (There are too many truck drivers out there constantly doing stupid things that do nothing but make things harder on the rest of us). You don't have to confront them on a CB, or in a truck stop. When you see a driver driving like an idiot, report him to his company, or the police. When you see them throwing trash/waste out on the ground, report it to their company and/or to the truck stop where they are doing it.
    This step is one that I think is very important. It is a must to cut down on the lowlife's that are out there causing the rest of us to be looked upon as trash.
 
thanks pro1 and Bullwinkle for the replies. i guess i am gonna have to look more into them as i didn't realize some of the things posted was available thru them.
 
I voted to start a single truckers union...But this will never happen because it say's union in it..

I am a member as well of OOIDA but they are more tuned to O/O's so why couldn't there be one for ALL truck drivers...I know they do some thing's for company drivers too, but not much.

I think the name OOIDA is confusing..160,000+ members that is just a drop in the bucket of all the truck drivers around.
 
I voted to start a single truckers union...But this will never happen because it say's union in it..

I am a member as well of OOIDA but they are more tuned to O/O's so why couldn't there be one for ALL truck drivers...I know they do some thing's for company drivers too, but not much.

I think the name OOIDA is confusing..160,000+ members that is just a drop in the bucket of all the truck drivers around.

yes, it is a 'drop in the bucket", but right now, its all we really have for any type of, or form of support, or some voice we need in washington, as well as those lease/purchases that OOIDA finds fault with, when a member asks for help. alone, one person may try to make a difference..........but 160,000+, its a little easier to make a difference.

i think too that OOIDA will listen to us more than say a union, as OOIDA (right now at least) isn't sleeping with any big company. how many unions are "sleeping" with the company for which they represent the drivers...??

this i KNOW, as i worked for a union shop, that "sleeps" with the owner of the company..................
 
My choice is to support OOIDA and encourage others to do the same. I learned about OOIDA from this site and joined as soon as I got out of school. I have been doing pretty well out here and don't have a ton of bills, so last month I contacted them about their lifetime membership and decided to go ahead and do that. Seemed like a pretty good thing to invest my money into.
 
I don't see the trucking industry ever getting unionized. Too many different companies out there, many of who operating much differently than each other.

Stick with OOIDA
 

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