Home› A Moving Train

why don't truckers strike? - gas prices?

blondieblue227blondieblue227 Va, USA Posts: 4,509
edited April 2008 in A Moving Train
didn't they do that in the 60's or something?
why not now?
*~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • beachdwellerbeachdweller Posts: 1,532
    blondieblue227 wrote:
    didn't they do that in the 60's or something?
    why not now?

    it would suck for us, but would be a powerful thing to do. We need to localize commerce/food/etc...can't see this happening though.
    "Music, for me, was fucking heroin." eV (nothing Ed has said is more true for me personally than this quote)

    Stop by:
    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14678777351&ref=mf
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    blondieblue227 wrote:
    didn't they do that in the 60's or something?
    why not now?

    What would they be striking for? Who would they be striking against? What would the demands be? How would they put food on their tables while they shut off the trucks? Many of these guys are independent owner/operators.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • brain of cbrain of c Posts: 5,213
    they did last week.
    d'oh!!!!!!

    http://www.myspace.com/brain_of_c
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    The independent truckers did have a one day strike to protest the high gas prices.

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,344170,00.html

    Sorry for the Foxnews link....first thing that came up on a google search.

    Just like brain of c said....:D
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    Yeah, there was some small scale stuff last week, with some trucks driving really slowly, and others shutting down for the day, but ultimately, they need to keep those trucks rolling to make any money. That's why then generally drive fast, and don't sleep enough. My uncle was a long-haul trucker and I totally feel for those guys. It is a hell of a tough job, and diesel fuel costs have just gone crazy around here. Yesterday a station I drove past showed $4.44 for diesel. But again, I don't know what the OP is advocating in terms of a remedy.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    blondieblue227 wrote:
    didn't they do that in the 60's or something?
    why not now?
    No leverage.

    Prices are driven by global economics and supply....if all US truckers stopped driving, the excess fuel would be sucked up by pent up demand with no affect on prices.
    Now if one would take the position truckers striking would force the government to intervene in prices we're in trouble.
    We need to examine the weakness of the greenback and get that 25% price reduction.
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • NevermindNevermind Posts: 1,006
    Truckers dont pay for the fuel. The companies do.
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    Nevermind wrote:
    Truckers dont pay for the fuel. The companies do.

    Not the independent operators. All of their expenses (truck, insurance, maintenance, fuel, etc...) come straight off the top. They get paid per load.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    jeffbr wrote:
    Not the independent operators. All of their expenses (truck, insurance, maintenance, fuel, etc...) come straight off the top. They get paid per load.
    What's the % of independent operators??? Is it high enough to make an impact if they were united in a slowdown/strike??
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • South of SeattleSouth of Seattle West Seattle Posts: 10,724
    I work in the corporate office for a major trucking/logistics company and gas is definitely effecting things. One thing that we did was lower the maximum speed limit for our drivers. By adjusting a few MPH you save Millions in gas prices.
    NERDS!
  • blondieblue227blondieblue227 Va, USA Posts: 4,509
    my mom was talking about some type of strike in the 60's or 70's.
    did that even happen? what was she refering to? nobody remembers?
    *~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

  • macgyver06macgyver06 Posts: 2,500
    callen wrote:
    No leverage.

    Prices are driven by global economics and supply....if all US truckers stopped driving, the excess fuel would be sucked up by pent up demand with no affect on prices.
    Now if one would take the position truckers striking would force the government to intervene in prices we're in trouble.
    We need to examine the weakness of the greenback and get that 25% price reduction.



    nice post!
  • melodiousmelodious Posts: 1,719
    There has been talk, but the thing is that there is atleast 14,000 trucker drivers waiting in ol' Mexico to replace those who initiate such a gesture. Then it will be the beginning of and end to an era, (high wages and independent trucking) and (my perspective only~~no proof, just what I hear) this will begin to bring down outlandish wages applied to accreditation...

    Maybe truckers learned from that protest concerning immigration...If ya come out in the surface, it can leave one vulnerable to more restriction and control

    Our economy is way too fat, according to world standards...



    Let's hope for the best...live under the LAW and hope for a better way...
    all insanity:
    a derivitive of nature.
    nature is god
    god is love
    love is light
  • blackredyellowblackredyellow Posts: 5,889
    tybird wrote:
    What's the % of independent operators??? Is it high enough to make an impact if they were united in a slowdown/strike??

    I don't know the %, but my trucker uncle tells me it's pretty high... He works for a small trucking company, and there are rumors that it will cut it's staff and hire independent drivers. Between fuel costs, health benefits, etc., he tells me that it is cheaper for the companies to just contract out to independents.

    Not sure entirely how true that is coming from a bias source, but it makes sense.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    macgyver06 wrote:
    nice post!
    thanks
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    Wouldn't most of us starve if they went on strike?
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    LikeAnOcean wrote:
    Wouldn't most of us starve if they went on strike?

    Theoretically. But the reality is that they'd starve before we would and unless they're suicide bombers, they'll be back on the highway before they'd watch their kids starve. The other reality is that at some point we'll be paying their higher fuel costs in higher consumer prices.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    Truckers would be wise to strike. Many shipping firms charge fuel surcharges without passing on those surcharges to their drivers. Independent ops need to leverage their influence on the transport system to ensure that they're getting a far shake on those surcharges.
  • Rats of MultaRats of Multa Posts: 250
    jeffbr wrote:
    Theoretically. But the reality is that they'd starve before we would and unless they're suicide bombers, they'll be back on the highway before they'd watch their kids starve. The other reality is that at some point we'll be paying their higher fuel costs in higher consumer prices.


    a. im curious what percentage of american truck-drivers have and/or support any children,...

    b. so basically [ultimately] what we need is a consumer strike,...

    ...???
    we don’t know just where our bones will rest,
    to dust i guess,
    forgotten and absorbed into the earth below,..
  • godpt3godpt3 Posts: 1,020
    the truckers are too hopped up on meth to notice anything.
    "If all those sweet, young things were laid end to end, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised."
    —Dorothy Parker

    http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6902/conspiracytheoriesxt6qt8.jpg
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    Rats of Multa wrote:
    a. im curious what percentage of american truck-drivers have and/or support any children,...

    b. so basically [ultimately] what we need is a consumer strike,...

    ...???

    I'm not advocating for or against truckers or strikes. I have no idea the percentage of truckers who have children. I have only personally known a few long-haul truckers (including my uncle) and they were all supporting families, but won't project that to the entire population of truckers.

    I don't know why I as a consumer would strike. Fuel costs are going up, and I would expect that to drive up costs of goods and services.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • Rats of MultaRats of Multa Posts: 250
    jeffbr wrote:
    I'm not advocating for or against truckers or strikes. I have no idea the percentage of truckers who have children. I have only personally known a few long-haul truckers (including my uncle) and they were all supporting families, but won't project that to the entire population of truckers.

    I don't know why I as a consumer would strike. Fuel costs are going up, and I would expect that to drive up costs of goods and services.


    indeed. the inflation that fuel is causing throughout the entire market-system might be one reason to desire to curb/halt spending/consumerism, but yeah, we're all basically fucked.
    we don’t know just where our bones will rest,
    to dust i guess,
    forgotten and absorbed into the earth below,..
  • blondieblue227blondieblue227 Va, USA Posts: 4,509
    Rats of Multa wrote:
    b. so basically [ultimately] what we need is a consumer strike,...

    ...???


    that's not going to happen!
    in my opinon.

    we love to buy, buy, buy with our credit cards.
    *~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

  • blondieblue227blondieblue227 Va, USA Posts: 4,509
    Two truck drivers die as fuel protests spread across Europe


    http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080610/ts_afp/europeinflationprotestenergytransport
    *~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

Sign In or Register to comment.