Challenger and Teamsters finally sit down at the same table......and negociate!

[ratfink]

Well this august 24 th was a full moon and strange things happened in Montréal.

Challenger had to send top brass (I think liner calls them "higher ups) to a meeting with a mediator from Canada industrial relation board (http://www.cirb-ccri.gc.ca/index_eng.asp), Teamsters lawyer and theyre organizers.

challenger had to explain themselves about complaints filed by drivers.

Last april 26th a complaint for intimidation was filed about a letter challenger posted at all terminals warning drivers about the consequences of exchanging information.

After the complaint was filed, the letter was finally removed but I guess some explanation was in order for mr CIRB mediator.

challenger also had to explain the reason why they revoked to some drivers the privilege to take theyre trucks home for the week ends like theyve been doing for the past 15 years in some cases.

My guess is that if challenger had to send top brass like that is that this is serious business and a lot of negotiations were going on, dont know who is the higher up (think it's mr prezz himself) a lawyer and most probably the Dorval gopher, oups scuze me the terminal manager.

I dont know the outcome of all of this but I do know that a lot of drivers are waiting to see if theyre previlege is going to be restored.
If not, a lot are going to find another job, simple as that.

A lot of drivers were hired under that condition, that they could take the truck home because they live too far from the terminal.

Who would of known that one day challenger would sit with Teamsters and negociate.

It was a full moon, now, I do believe that anything can happen on a full moon LOL

[ralph]

You make this sound like it was a "question and answer" meeting and not a negotiations meeting or am I missing something in your post?

[ratfink]

Yeah I know that you miss a lot in any of my postings, on purpice or not I'm not sure.

They (challenger) were reeled in to explain themselves and negociate, what is it that youre missing?

Anytime you get an employer to sit for an audience with an auditor, from the Canada industrial relation board and another parties who have filed a complaint, well call it whatever you want to minimize the fact, there will be some negotiations.

I would think that this must be important since challenger sent mr prez and the lawyer in there.
If it wasnt so important, they wouldve sent Dorval's gopher in chief.

If my english is so bad that you cant understant what I say, maybe someone will be kind enough to explain to you what I mean when I write something.

Or maybe I should start to use little pictures to help you.
Or maybe if I talk about any other employer... you would suddenly understand faster, I dont know, doesnt matter....

[buzzy]

Well this august 24 th was a full moon and strange things happened in Montréal.

Challenger had to send top brass (I think liner calls them "higher ups) to a meeting with a mediator from Canada industrial relation board (http://www.cirb-ccri.gc.ca/index_eng.asp), Teamsters lawyer and theyre organizers.

challenger had to explain themselves about complaints filed by drivers.

Last april 26th a complaint for intimidation was filed about a letter challenger posted at all terminals warning drivers about the consequences of exchanging information.

After the complaint was filed, the letter was finally removed but I guess some explanation was in order for mr CIRB mediator.

challenger also had to explain the reason why they revoked to some drivers the privilege to take theyre trucks home for the week ends like theyve been doing for the past 15 years in some cases.

My guess is that if challenger had to send top brass like that is that this is serious business and a lot of negotiations were going on, dont know who is the higher up (think it's mr prezz himself) a lawyer and most probably the Dorval gopher, oups scuze me the terminal manager.

I dont know the outcome of all of this but I do know that a lot of drivers are waiting to see if theyre previlege is going to be restored.
If not, a lot are going to find another job, simple as that.

A lot of drivers were hired under that condition, that they could take the truck home because they live too far from the terminal.

Who would of known that one day challenger would sit with Teamsters and negociate.

It was a full moon, now, I do believe that anything can happen on a full moon LOL

I can understand Ralph's confusion, RF.

At your opening statement you make a statement regarding a meeting to explain the revocation of privlidges, then in your closing remarks you make a statement this was a negotiation session.

It can't be one or the other.

As far as taking vehicles home.................. that is an internal issue. Out of route miles, extra insurance, C-TPAT/PIP Security issues, or just a misuse of the privilidge could all be contributing factors in the privlidge revocation.

No one except the people actually present know what transpired at the session.

Conjectures start rumours that can haunt a person.

[ratfink]

Allright allright, maybe I over react again and in a way you guys are making me work harder on my english so I should thank you for this.

I,ll try to make it simpler then.


1- cmf pizzed a lot of drivers for a long time.
2- drivers asked union to help
3- cmf posted an intimidating letter in terminals.
4- drivers filed a complaint to CIRB about the letter posted in terminals.
5- union keeps recruting members
6- cmf takes away trucks at home to a few drivers, coincidently the union organizer. (teach him a lesson? maybe)
7- another complaint is filed about this.
8- after the complaint is filed,cmf decides to take trucks at home previleges to everybody. (knee jerk reaction to look good? maybe)
9- CIRB reels in everybody to an audience on the 24 th . Teamstrers and cmf
10- mr cmf prez and lawyer + teamsters and theyre lawyer and organizer sits down at the same table and there had to be some negociations going on.

In those audiences they just dont sit and small talk huh?

The reason I posted this is to show that it doesnt hurt or nothing incredibly awfull will happen to drivers who STAND UP and defend themselves when they think they are right!

CIRB is a very important tool for anybody, employer or employees and they just dont reel in people like that just for fun.

Heres a link explaining the role of the CIRB

http://www.cirb-ccri.gc.ca/about-apropos/role_eng.asp

This probably cost a lot of money to everybody but if it's what it takes to be heard, well so be it.

And youre right about not knowing what hapenned at that session, I have no clue so I'm not speculating on what hapenned but just reporting that there was a meeting like I would do for any other carrier.

I dont care who is the carrier, I'm just happy that FINALY some drivers have the balls to go thru all of this to defend theyre rights.

tragedy it's cmf instead of another carrier??? nahhh they asked for it!

It's not a rumor it's a fact, and trust me, this wont haunt me, I'm not the one that should be haunted by my actions!

How do you guys say that...

they harvest what they have sown!

[elmo]

hummmmm, wonder if the fellow that his truck privileges revoked and... lets see if it happens!!!! get them back !!!
i just wonder that maybe .. just maybe he might be leaning on the >>>>> can i please sign a card and join a group that even if were not accreditated managed to move a mountain even though just a few inches,,, lets wait and see... this is going to be very interesting to follow.... wow

[ralph]

Ratfink, I'm NOT picking apart your posts, only reading what you post. Votre anglais est plus meilleur que mon francais!! (Your english is much better than my french)

Did they actually negotiate OR did they discuss the "alleged" penalties/punitive actions?

[Pipeman]

Ratfink, I'm NOT picking apart your posts, only reading what you post. Votre anglais est plus meilleur que mon francais!! (Your english is much better than my french)

Did they actually negotiate OR did they discuss the "alleged" penalties/punitive actions?

Ton francais est tres bon Ralph!!!! For the good of all drivers, I hope they succeed in getting a Teamster Contract in place. One that has health and welfare benefits and a PENSION fund.

[ratfink]

Ratfink, I'm NOT picking apart your posts, only reading what you post. Votre anglais est plus meilleur que mon francais!! (Your english is much better than my french)

Did they actually negotiate OR did they discuss the "alleged" penalties/punitive actions?

Ralph, ok you're not taking apart things. Maybe it's just because my posts were taken appart and most of the message I was trying to bring up were ridiculized and taken appart in the past.
(Youre friend liner was very good at that in the first challenger post that has more than 17000 people read)
So with time I'm just a little less patient and trust me, I'm not patient to begin with.


What hapenned in there?? I have no clue.
But I do know that when a complaint to CIRB is filed, they are taken seriously and I do know that challenger has sent mr prez to the meeting instead of theyre gopher in chief in Dorval.

So it has to be serious matter.

Now logic and the understanding of how these things work, I'm sure that negotiations were going on.

I never said that sanction or punitive actions were taken but negotiations were certainly going on.
They didnt get to the meeting to just talk about the weather or how challenger is a magnificent company, I'm sure to the mediator from CIRB, challenger is just another employer and complaints were filed against them.

By the way thanks to at least trying to communicate in french, got to admit that it was much better than the first time you tried,

remember challenger thread page 14 post no 133?

ralph (http://www.truckstopcanada.ca/forum/member.php?26-ralph)
http://www.truckstopcanada.ca/forum/images/statusicon/user-offline.png Moderator http://www.truckstopcanada.ca/forum/images/reputation/reputation_pos.png



Join DateDec 2006Posts1,327

http://www.truckstopcanada.ca/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif Re: challenger motor freight



(http://www.truckstopcanada.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=25984#post25984)





vous visser

[ratfink]

For the good of all drivers, I hope they succeed in getting a Teamster Contract in place. One that has health and welfare benefits and a PENSION fund.

I think so too, and it's not just about challenger, they like to play victim but it's more about the whole industry.
Just look what happened to us and our trade since the deregulation and those clowns took over the industry to "revolutionnize it".

That bunch of Einstein of trucking fckd it up allright!

It's about time someone stands up to them.

[liner]

So with time I'm just a little less patient and trust me, I'm not patient to begin with.





What...not patient. Who would have ever thought that!!! LOL

[ratfink]

Ok ok, patience is not not not my thing,
I even have a cute little sign bellow my truck door handle,

It reads,

CAUTION, does not play well with others!

go figure LOL

[Mule Bleue]

I can understand Ralph's confusion, RF.

At your opening statement you make a statement regarding a meeting to explain the revocation of privlidges, then in your closing remarks you make a statement this was a negotiation session.

It can't be one or the other.

As far as taking vehicles home.................. that is an internal issue. Out of route miles, extra insurance, C-TPAT/PIP Security issues, or just a misuse of the privilidge could all be contributing factors in the privlidge revocation.

No one except the people actually present know what transpired at the session.

Conjectures start rumours that can haunt a person.

Guess what Buzzy, I was there, an as everything that have been said must stay confidential I can't talk about-it, but I can talk about the final agreement:

First the fact that the president of Challenger is sitting at the same table as the lawyer of Teamsters in presence of a CIRB mediator is a huge victory by it self.

An yes when 2 different parties are sitting at the same table like it or not there's discussions an you call it what ever you want, me I call it negotiation.

About the complaint that have been file by Teamsters Canada for a letter that have been posted on april26th, Challenger will posted a new letter that wil explain that there's no problem to exchange personnal information betwhen the drivers. This letter will be posted for a period of 30 days at the same place as the april 26th letter been posted, in english an french.

Regarding the truck home there will be a trial period of 2 month where the operation will work to their best to route driver to their home with a load, Challenger will review the truck home policy, an also review with drivers that have lost truck home what can be done for the best of both for a win-win solution.

So I think that what Ratfink have write down is dam close to the reality, don't you think!!!!

[Mercenary]

Having seen both sides of the coin (union vs non-union) I can honestly say that I am liking working in a non union environment today. I have had some issues at my current company and they have all been handled quickly and to my satisfaction. That said, I am very well compensated for what I do and it would be a completely different issue if the pay and the respect wasn't there.

I still believe OTR drivers are woefully underpaid. I cannot comment as to how you guys are being treated because I haven't worked in that environment but I believe the payscale reflects how much the companies value their employees. I know it isn't all about money but that is a huge factor in overall employee morale.

I would like to see a big company such as Challenger go union simply because I believe the OTR companies will continue to take advantage of their drivers until something big like this happens. I'm not singling (sp?) out Challenger by any stretch....pick one.....H&R, Yanke, Bison.....any one of those goes union and I believe you will see upward pressure on wages and compensation almost immediately.

[ratfink]

I would like to see a big company such as Challenger go union simply because I believe the OTR companies will continue to take advantage of their drivers until something big like this happens. I'm not singling (sp?) out Challenger by any stretch....pick one.....H&R, Yanke, Bison.....any one of those goes union and I believe you will see upward pressure on wages and compensation almost immediately.

Now we're talking.


I fully agree with you, it's about time.

[ratfink]

Regarding the truck home there will be a trial period of 2 month where the operation will work to their best to route driver to their home with a load, Challenger will review the truck home policy, an also review with drivers that have lost truck home what can be done for the best of both for a win-win solution.



Wait a minute, does that mean that challenger and teamsters have met and discussed (I still call that negotiating) some kind of agreement and it was all to make sure that it would be a good deal for both parties???

Now mr challenger, do you see that sitting down with drivers wasnt too hard after all huh???

[Mule Bleue]

Having seen both sides of the coin (union vs non-union) I can honestly say that I am liking working in a non union environment today. I have had some issues at my current company and they have all been handled quickly and to my satisfaction. That said, I am very well compensated for what I do and it would be a completely different issue if the pay and the respect wasn't there.

I still believe OTR drivers are woefully underpaid. I cannot comment as to how you guys are being treated because I haven't worked in that environment but I believe the payscale reflects how much the companies value their employees. I know it isn't all about money but that is a huge factor in overall employee morale.

I would like to see a big company such as Challenger go union simply because I believe the OTR companies will continue to take advantage of their drivers until something big like this happens. I'm not singling (sp?) out Challenger by any stretch....pick one.....H&R, Yanke, Bison.....any one of those goes union and I believe you will see upward pressure on wages and compensation almost immediately.

Thanks Mercenary,

Finally some one talking with the big common sense, you're right that we are UNDER PAID , do you read that Mr rocketscientist. The main reason why we are so much under paid is because those rocketscientist decide to cut rates to have the business, can you believe that, to stay competitive they cut the damm rates. You have to live in a very different world, some where very far away from planet Earth to think like that, it is like a sci-fi film. Do you think it is the drivers who cut the rates, or may be the dispatcher, or the girl at the customer service, hein who do you think?? All the trucking compagny owner, they are the one who are guilty, they are so much selfcenter on their self, that they don't realize that cuting the rates like they are doing , they are shouting their self in their feet, an then when it will start hurting badly they will cut on the drivers pay, complaining that is the new reality of the market, they have no choice to stay competitive, with who for Christ sake??? The chinese carrier, or may be the martian carrier!!!

Yes it is not only Challenger who is guilty, it is the whole trucking industry that is badly sick, an we as Drivers we can't afford to rely on thoses rocket scientist to solve the problem we have to do our share of it by having the Teamsters get into the game to protect us, I will never rely on the rocket scientist.[smilie=real mad.gi:

[ralph]

Congrats to YOU ratfink. You and your group got the "topdog" to come to a meeting. It sounds like you did "negotiate" and are on your way to making things "better" (in your opinion) for the CMF drivers.

I have a question (now questions) for you and your negotiating team. The teamsters are @ SGT (also a PQ based carrier). Is this unrest a PQ based issue/problem or is it that the "Quebecois" are less tolerant of bull ship?
I am sure you know the SGT contract and what it includes. What would you (your bargaining group) like to see the same in your contract/differently in your contract? The reason I ask is there is a member who posts here and his experiences with SGT and the Teamsters "appear" to be less than 100%.

[Mule Bleue]

Congrats to YOU ratfink. You and your group got the "topdog" to come to a meeting. It sounds like you did "negotiate" and are on your way to making things "better" (in your opinion) for the CMF drivers.

I have a question (now questions) for you and your negotiating team. The teamsters are @ SGT (also a PQ based carrier). Is this unrest a PQ based issue/problem or is it that the "Quebecois" are less tolerant of bull ship?
I am sure you know the SGT contract and what it includes. What would you (your bargaining group) like to see the same in your contract/differently in your contract? The reason I ask is there is a member who posts here and his experiences with SGT and the Teamsters "appear" to be less than 100%.

I'll gladly awnser your question; regarding SGT I can't tell, but from my past experience I would say you do have the contract that you have base on the strengt of you member, wich mean that if the members do stand together they will have a good contract. When you pin point Qc carrier why don't you choose Robert Transport I think that they are a very good example that Teamsters do work pretty well in OTR, not perfect but pretty good.

Second regarding you comment about the peoples in "LA BELLE PROVINCE DE QUEBEC" when does you theROC will understand that we are DIFFERENT, we do have enough ball to stand up instead of whinning over the cb or in trck stop, we do the thing that need to be done, does it disturb the managament sure an I'm glad that it does, keep in mind that without drivers a trucking compagny is NOTHING!!! Got it

What kind of contract will we have in the future ,I don't know but I sure of one thing; lot better than what we do have now + we will a negociating POWER!!!!! plus we will be RESPECTED by management an the rest of the industry an will probably have a dominos effect, an it is about time!

[ralph]

I wasn't aware/didn't know that Robert drivers worked under a Teamster contract.

I am wondering from what you and your group know of the two Teamster contracts (Robert and SGT) what are you people wanting that are similar and different?

[Mule Bleue]

I wasn't aware/didn't know that Robert drivers worked under a Teamster contract.

I am wondering from what you and your group know of the two Teamster contracts (Robert and SGT) what are you people wanting that are similar and different?

I don't have a copy of SGT contract but I do have a copy of Robert, Lemieux trans, Papineau, Saguelac, waiting for a copy of the new contract of Kingsway, who by the way sign for a 7% raise an improvement of 30% on pension fund. These are Qc carrier, waiting for some other copy from western carrier, might be very interesting .

[Pipeman]

Here's how you get a copy in Alberta.

http://www.alrb.gov.ab.ca/collectiveagreements.html

[ratfink]

Congrats to YOU ratfink. You and your group got the "topdog" to come to a meeting. It sounds like you did "negotiate" and are on your way to making things "better" (in your opinion) for the CMF drivers.


No no no Ralph, trust me on this one, I had nothing to do with this one.

[ratfink]

I have a question (now questions) for you and your negotiating team. The teamsters are @ SGT (also a PQ based carrier). Is this unrest a PQ based issue/problem or is it that the "Quebecois" are less tolerant of bull ship?
I am sure you know the SGT contract and what it includes. What would you (your bargaining group) like to see the same in your contract/differently in your contract? The reason I ask is there is a member who posts here and his experiences with SGT and the Teamsters "appear" to be less than 100%.

Less tolerant to BS? I dont know, maybe, As for the "unrest" well I think it's not only at dorval, altho, people there did pizz off (wasted) a lot of drivers.
I remember what 2 years ago, they had an "open door day" to recruit.
I was told by someone in the office that this campaign costed about 10000$ in adds and stuff.

Cost a lot of money, lunch, adds in all the major papers to attract drivers ect,

Results??? 2 drivers came to respond to the adds, one was on a bicycle, (didnt have his licence yet), and another came with his wife driving, he was about to regain his licences after loosing them to DUI charges.

They did enjoyed a good lunch but didnt make the cut.
(true story I witnessed it, I also enjoyed the lunch, hey free lunch)

So it's not news about pizzing off drivers and it's a small world soooo word gets around fast.
All this to say that yeah maybe the one who stayed are less tolerant to BS.

And about the guy youre referring to, well with a little research, I could get his posting when he told us that he was anti union to begin with and he approached the company asking them to lower his salary to "get an edge over the other drivers" (his words, not mine) so I would think that nahhh he wont be 100% satisfied with this.


Well well what do you know? I found his thread after just minute of searching.... mc94xr (http://www.truckstopcanada.ca/member.php?1013-mc94xr7)




Re: challenger motor freight page 40 post no, 395
if we didn't sign the union card, i wouldn't've been hired. theres supposed to be a bunch of bonuses the union was taking credit for but in tough times, they quit giving them out. stuff like fuel efficient driver, 0 idling and stuff. so i volunteered to take a pay cut to give me an edge over the union members. thet dont want to show us the contract because there is stuff on there that will make the teamsters look bad. obviously there has been some back door deals made behind our backs. dont even go to an agency. i gotta lay low till my probation is done but i cant fight a union on my own. i dont need jimmy hoffa jr making my life a living hell. this union is like a moffia. i call union dues job protection fees because they are extortion. pay them or yir gone. the reason why im complaining is no one else seems to get it. they people who payed the most get better treatment. there words: seniority. its so obvious. hard work doesnt get rewarded- just paying the union the most does. just typing on this sight worries me that the wrong person will read my postshttp://www.truckstopcanada.ca/images/smilies/duh1.gif