Truckers' strike/slowdown

[BrianR]

Actually, there are many segments of the trucking field who are agitating for pay-by-the-hour. Especially the unions, whose pay can be based upon the minimum wage.

I once figured out that if I were paid for ALL the work I did, my paycheck would work out to about $1.35/hour.

And that only counts logged work... when training a new student, I can easily put in 20 hour days for the first week or so. After the first two weeks, they usually can handle the job without my august presence.

The theory goes that if we were paid by the hour instead of by the mile, there'd be less pressure on us to make tight deadlines, take breaks more often (lessening our fatigue level) and letting us lower our overall stress level.

I dunno about this... wait staff tends to make less than minimum wage because of their "tips". If our paymasters would try to give us $1.35/hr and claim that all our benefits and "bonuses" count as income, we'd be right back at our earning level and STILL have to meet that tight deadline.

I need to think more on this.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by BrianR

I once figured out that if I were paid for ALL the work I did, my paycheck would work out to about $1.35/hour.

So you're about right there with the schoolteachers; who are also out supplies that the school can't afford to provide.

[BrianR]

Here are a few links to oil executives trying to defend their profits. Try this, this and this.

[BrianR]

I managed to stand with my brother truckers at our park and wank.

In that time, my student and I managed to rouse passing drivers to at least honk in support, if not stop.

I got on the Channel 7 news in an interview segment, he was shot for stock footage waving and jumping up and down. Goofball.

I also donated water, sodas and sandwiches. Other people offered pizza, more water, donuts and assorted other foods.

Tomorrow, there is a parade planned. I might go with them, but my truck will stay safely parked and my job safely secure.

[tw]

Sir Richard Branson said he as seen this happen three times since the 1970s. However, he says he has never seen so much wealth being transfered so quickly. With significantly reduced wealth, who suffers? In the 70s, truckers were some of the first victims.

[BrianR]

Here we go again...

[Elspode]

I think its time for CW McCall to make a comeback, and perhaps another Smokey and The Bandit film would be useful.

[xoxoxoBruce]

My bill from the trashman has a $10 fuel surcharge added.
Oh, and the vending machines at work just jumped 25% on everything. That stuff comes by trucks, too.

[monster]

Originally Posted by BrianR

I managed to stand with my brother truckers at our park and wank.

In that time, my student and I managed to rouse passing drivers to at least honk in support, if not stop.

I got on the Channel 7 news in an interview segment, he was shot for stock footage waving and jumping up and down. Goofball

Is "wank" being used here in an alternate context to the one Brits are familiar with? If not, well them I'm not flipping surprised you were on the news and drivers honked.

[Cicero]

Buy local!!! Yea!!
It's just going to get worse, support your local farming community.


(I just got done driving a couple accounts just now (for that job I quit) and the money earned only paid for gas)

[BrianR]

Originally Posted by Elspode

I think its time for CW McCall to make a comeback, and perhaps another Smokey and The Bandit film would be useful.

I hope so. Already, we've seen Dave Dudley come back from retirement to record a new album after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

[BrianR]

Originally Posted by monster

Is "wank" being used here in an alternate context to the one Brits are familiar with? If not, well them I'm not flipping surprised you were on the news and drivers honked.

Not exactly. The "wanking" referred to is to expose the futility of what they were doing. Nothing good will come of this, the protests we've all seen will not bring one iota of help to us, all we've done is piss off everyone.

What we wanted to do is educate the public about the ramifications of allowing this to go on, that they will ultimately pay for the costs being heaped upon the truckers. *I'm* not paying the extra fuel and neither will other drivers. We'll pass it along in the form of higher freight rates. The consignees will pay it if they want their freight. YOU will pay the higher retail cost if you want bread/milk/cars/anything.

I'm just going to be the scapegoat.

[Cicero]

Originally Posted by BrianR

What we wanted to do is educate the public about the ramifications of allowing this to go on, that they will ultimately pay for the costs being heaped upon the truckers. *I'm* not paying the extra fuel and neither will other drivers. We'll pass it along in the form of higher freight rates. The consignees will pay it if they want their freight. YOU will pay the higher retail cost if you want bread/milk/cars/anything.

The prices have already gone up, but as a vendor, (before I just quit) I talked to all the corporate clients we had, and sent out a notice that we would not be raising prices (in effect raising retail), we would be cutting credits given to corporate clients. Direct sales only. Cutting production to precisely what they sell, and no credits given back for what they don't sell, which is a wasteful policy after you consider materials and production costs.


You can complain about gas charges, as we all do. Rightfully. But there are many ways to get around raising costs at retail. Corporate gets a lot of credit, not to mention all the discounts, and they get away with wasting a lot of the items that you just delivered.

So far I have donated 1400.00 in wasted bread to food banks this year, and this is unfortanately because corporate likes shelves to "look full" and get credit back on all that they waste. Take their credit away and you will be able to afford delivery charges. This did not work at two companies but it did at about 20 others. No more wasted product on the vendor's dime. Yea!!!

Imagine their surprise when they just assumed I would be raising wholesale prices. "Everybody has done it and we are marking up retail here". Nu-uh. We are cutting your credits. Our product is costly enough at the stores, we are cutting the amount of material waste, labor, and delivery costs..thank you, g'bye.

Oh and again, buy local.

[BrianR]

Sorry, I don't control the merchandise. I just move it from point A to point B. I know nothing of credits, waste, thrift or anything else. I just drive the truck. And refuel it to the tune of $500-$600 a day.

Look to the corporate entities that send things and buy and sell. They might control costs better, but my costs will not change...it will still take X gallons of diesel to go from A to B. That cost is a cost of doing business and will NOT come from the pockets of corporate fat cats, the truckers or anyone else but the end consumer, who also pays a certain amount to cover those wasteful losses.

Brian

[elSicomoro]

I just spent the most amount of money ever to fill my tank from empty to full: $41.59. Ouch...