Truckers Strike - January 3rd through 8th, 2008

[Bullwinkle]

Has anybody heard anything about this? I stumbled across this today, and was wondering if any of you had any information on it. There is a website dedicated to it, but it is nothing but a guestbook from what I can tell where you submit a comment.

[gearjammer]

it is making news all over the net and i have hear people say it is starting to make some radio news, try madtrucker.com I think they are setting up a forum for it i personally have seen it on 5 different trucking sites.
BTW. I am planning on honoring it and support it, we have to do something

[pro1driver]

every now and then, some crackhead gets things stirred up...........

in other words, same ol' same ol' BS......................

[marekpol]

I don`t believe it, one supposed to be on 10/15/2007, and what nobody care. Work below minimum low wages satisfied everybody. If you think you`re making money, I want to hear from you. More than 20 years in f,,,,,,, trucking business, dead business.

[gearjammer]

go to madtrucker.com it is starting to get a lot of info posted on it about the shutdown

[pro1driver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marekpol I don`t believe it, one supposed to be on 10/15/2007, and what nobody care. Work below minimum low wages satisfied everybody. If you think you`re making money, I want to hear from you. More than 20 years in f,,,,,,, trucking business, dead business.

its not so much that anyone is making money, its that no one will band together and do this. there are way to many smaller trucking companies that will be waiting to "do the job", even if for only a day at the most.

you WILL NEVER get a huge gathering of truckdrivers to do anything. we all "talk the talk", but don't "walk the walk"..........its our nature, and the way it is.....................

and you say, "more than 20 years in f,,,,,,,trucking business, dead business"................

well then, smarty...........what keeps YOU IN IT THEN.....????

[Bullwinkle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gearjammer it is making news all over the net and i have hear people say it is starting to make some radio news, try madtrucker.com I think they are setting up a forum for it i personally have seen it on 5 different trucking sites. BTW. I am planning on honoring it and support it, we have to do something

Thanks for the link. I see the specific forum there for it, but not much discussion about it.

How long has this been in the works? Strange that it is less than a month away and I just now heard about it.

Is there a list of things that are trying to be accomplished or anything?

[fiona]

I will have to take a good look at that link and then take it from there. I have not heard of a sort of strike, I wonder if it just for a certain region or company.

[marekpol]

I made my money for about 15 years or more, but for the last 7 years I`m praying for better future. I paid off my truck and I don`t go on the road if load is not paying money( 1.89 +). If I want to work for free, I will go and work for Charity. I have to support my family like all truckers and I feel bad that I can`t pay for my daughter college, and bring home every month less money. I`m working for last 3 years trying to get out of trucking business, and I hope I will.

[pja1965]

more info.... athttp://www.myspace.com/truckerstrike08

[Bullwinkle]

If someone is going to seriously try to organize something like this, they need to get a good page set up that lays out the reasoning for the "strike", or work stoppage, and then set a date for about a year down the road, maybe even more.

Even then, I still don't see it working successfully. Not until the work stoppage is done by an actual organized group.

And I still think that drivers could do better by simply becoming vocal and active toward making changes in the industry.

I would fully support a strike, if it were to ever truly be properly organized, with some solid leadership. I just can't see it ever happening.

[fiona]

Bullwinkle I completely agree everything that you said here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullwinkle If someone is going to seriously try to organize something like this, they need to get a good page set up that lays out the reasoning for the "strike", or work stoppage, and then set a date for about a year down the road, maybe even more. Even then, I still don't see it working successfully. Not until the work stoppage is done by an actual organized group. And I still think that drivers could do better by simply becoming vocal and active toward making changes in the industry. I would fully support a strike, if it were to ever truly be properly organized, with some solid leadership. I just can't see it ever happening.

[gearjammer]

the madtrucker site has had the forum up on the strike for about a day and already it is getting a lot of info on it ,you are right we need a central point of information ,that was a discussion among a lot of us that support something being done ,so now you have a place to find and even more important POST any info you might come across
as far as leadership, if we all start to go to one site there are a lot of very smart people in this business so I am betting the leadership will naturally come to the forefront mainly because the one thing we all agree on is that something needs to be done.
from what I am hearing this is starting to catch hold in all parts of the country so it isn't just a regional thing.
how to make it work? thats easy stop saying it will never work and believe it will, they are asking you to do shut down for one week in a year, you know what? just do it and if it works then it will be a great benefit to all of us,if it doesn't then to all the naysayers you candsay I did my part did you? think of it you my be only one of two shutting down but you will not be alone as I am going to do it also!!!
what we need is for all of us to keep talking about it and talking some more remind people to check out the madtrucker website for updates I know that there is a website that someone is working on that isn't up yet, however if it does get up I am sure madtrucker will post a link.
come on folks it is your livelihood being threatened here. aren't you willing to do something about it???
One last thing lets all keep our eye on the prize it may be that the ONLY thing we can agree on is that something needs to be done, but lets not start quibbling on the details, be willing to stand with your fellow drivers and I think that REAL change and benefits will follow

[pja1965]

I hear two diffrent dates one in Jan., and one in March which one is it.

[gearjammer]

I have seen over 5 dates but the Jan. one I have seen the most with the March one a close second, I am going to take off in January as I make plans a week ago after reading about it on truckerstrike.com and then if it goes fine if it doesn't I figure that there will be enought time and interest by then that the march one will be even bigger so I am looking to see what I want to do then, I haven't take off for a vacation in over 10 years so I am killing 2 birds with one stone I am supporting my fellow truckers and am going to give myself some much deserved fun, I am still figuring out on how to make it tax deductible as an additional bonus I may have to plan a half hour meeting in there somewhere hell I will even be able to take mileage expenses for the car that way, i guess I better throw a few cans of gas in the trunk though it might get to be a bit hard to find it on the road during them dates

[Bullwinkle]

There are two groups of drivers to consider with this. Company drivers, and Owner Operators.

When you consider a strike, this works well for all owner operators, as they control their own business, and can take the time off with no concerns other than the loss of income.

Company drivers are in a different situation. If you don't have vacation time built up, or if the company doesn't grant vacation, your only option is to walk away from your job. Given the extremely small percentage of company drivers that will participate in something like this, you can bet those that do will lose their jobs.

[gearjammer]

ever heard of the blue flu, and actually that is the reason I figure that march will be much bigger, that will give company drivers a chance to build up some down time or put in for their vacation, and talk among themselves the companies are not going to get rid of their drivers they are screaming now about a driver shortage, they would if only a few did it but there is no way the would get rid on even 10% of their drivers

[Bullwinkle]

What demands are going to be set for this? This is something that needs to be lined out before people can be expected to walk away from their jobs.

fuel prices aren't going to get company drivers out of their trucks. They are company drivers because they don't want to deal with that part of the job.

Freight rates - Again, this isn't going to get company drivers out of their trucks.

pay per mile/detention/flexible driving hours/layover pay/ - These things will get a company driver attention, but what will be pushed for?

I used to have my own truck, but right now I am a company driver. My current job is a very relaxed job with quite a bit of hometime. I am in the process of changing to another company though, due to a planned move to Arkansas, and the company I work for doesn't operate there.

If this looks like a serious shutdown, and has any sign of doing something, I can maneuver myself into being out of a rig during the January 3rd-8th timeframe, but it is important to know what the shutdown is set to accomplish. It has to be things that are better than what my potential new job is going to provide me anyway, which is already good benefits, good pay, and good hometime. It's not perfect, but I need to know that what we are shutting down for is going to push to get me better than what I can get anyway.

Does that make sense?

My plan here with this site is to eventually do one of two things:

1) provide a place for truckers to get together and discuss trucking issues, and support organizations that are out there fighting for truckers rights. Currently, the only organization out there is OOIDA, and I think they do a good job, but they need more support.

2) If things continue to stay poor overall for truck drivers, I want to get an organization started through this site to start pushing for better conditions for truck drivers.

I support any organized effort that is truly out there to help truckers, providing it is well thought out, and has lined out goals

[2lilboots]

I heard about the strike via truckers on the cb, but they didn't have very much info on it either. How do you get an organization together to actually fight for bettter working conditions for truck drivers. OOIDA is mainly for owner operators right? There really isn't anyone out there standing up for the company drivers. Pay and hometime is very important. Why do you have to fight to get the right mileage pay. Since they can pay with Rand mcnally miles you get screwed out of 100's of miles running around a city to get to your destination. Hometime for 34 hours, what a crock of poo. You spend most of that time catching up on sleep and washing your clothes. Who will actually listen too the plight of the truck driver??? The companies themselves don't give a rat's butt about how they treat the drivers. I have seen dispatchers and office personel get away with some outright indecent behavior towards drivers. We all talk about this stuff in the forums, but it is about time we get a united front and make some changes. I have heard enough trucking horror stories about lives being ruined by companies putting stuff on their dac record. Drivers sitting not getting any miles who have families to feed at home. Grr that ticks me off

[gearjammer]

well i am hoping that all the important issues will be addressed starting with the absurd regulations and rules that we have to drive under today, they add new regulations that make no sense and a lot of then reduce our ability to make a living.
then I would like to see the HOS. be addressed in a way the meet reality does anyone think that the 14 hour rule was set up with safety in mind??
then there is the way we drivers and O/o"s are being ripped off ant the truck stops and no I am not talking about fuel but everything else food,drinks, showers,right down to toothpaste, they basically hold a monopoly since the have run most of the independent trucks out of business and that is one of the reasons even the company drivers are making less and less each year
Safety wise besides the HOS, driver training especially today needs to be addressed
The Mexican issue needs to be settled once and for all or the already low rates will sink even further.
The fact that law enforcement treat us very unfairly is just wrong, if there is an accident thru AAA's own study it shows that the care is at fault 80% of the time yet the truck driver will be cited most of the time.
traffic laws need to be enforced on the 4 wheelers much more aggressively things like tailgating,unsafe lane changes , no turn signals, failing to dim lights ect need to be enforced
double and triple brokering needs to be addressed hell by the time the load finally makes it to the trucks delivering it there are 4 or five other people that have taken a cut of the pie is it no wonder Rates and pay per mile are so low to skirt the lows against double brokering a load they no just call it logistics and the government just looks the other way
these issues and more in my humble opinion need to be addressed and I hope that if/when a shutdown occurs that they will be it really doesn't matter if at the moment there is no big clearly written agenda we all know what the problems are the big thing is we stick together and show the powers that be they need to address all the problems plaguing the industry,
I still like the madtrucker site for information and if you think it is a bit lean there then join it and add your 2 cents to the growing network of dissatisfied professional driver that are on the roads today
and if nothing else keep spreading the word








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