What is Fret Waiting For?

[Buzz]

Is our contract going to expire without our president calling for a strike vote before the end of the school year? I'm sure there will be negotiations over the summer. Wouldn't it be wise to have that as a bargaining chip?  Just sayin'.

[PROUD MEMBER]

I would think if needed we will have a strike vote in June before the end of school. Reason I say "if needed" is the last I heard the Union and the owners are supposed to have one more negotiation meeting this Wednesday 5/31/23. Hopefully it will take place and an agreement can be made.

[Buzz]

I would be very, VERY surprised if that meeting results in a contract.

[PROUD MEMBER]

I hear you and unfortunately I agree with you. Having said that, then we should all be prepared to go on strike in September because what could possibly change over the summer?

[Buzz]

Pretty sure there will be negotiations over the summer, don't know what will come of them. But if there has to be a strike, better from the first day of school than the middle of winter.

[PROUD MEMBER]

Only good thing is I don't believe the owners have as much power as they did during the last strike with Bloomberg.
Also due to the shortage of drivers in the industry the owners are also making a lot of extra money and I'm sure they want to keep striking while the iron is hot!!!

[Slowbus]

He's clearly waiting for a miracle or the Holy Spirit

[Buzz]

Only good thing is I don't believe the owners have as much power as they did during the last strike with Bloomberg.
Also due to the shortage of drivers in the industry the owners are also making a lot of extra money and I'm sure they want to keep striking while the iron is hot!!!

I don't think they had any power during the last strike because they couldn't do anything about what we were striking for. The whole strike was fucking ridiculous. How do you go on strike against your owner when he can't do a fucking thing about what you're striking for? Actually, he was with us. You think he wanted to lose the EPP?

The International told Michael not to do it, but he called a strike anyway. Big mistake, but even bigger to end it without a contract in place. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" I was told. Yeah ... a bridge to fucking nowhere!

[PROUD MEMBER]

Obviously, they had some power. We went on strike for five weeks and then went back to work, and did not gain anything but lost many things. And now it's 12 or so years later and we're talking about striking again to gain back what we lost then.

[Buzz]

But their power came from us going back too soon. We should never have gone back to work without a new contract. They could do anything they wanted because what were we going to do, go on strike again?

The union failed us big time. First by going on strike in the first place, then by going back to work with no negotiating power.

[Slowbus]

But their power came from us going back too soon. We should never have gone back to work without a new contract. They could do anything they wanted because what were we going to do, go on strike again?

The union failed us big time. First by going on strike in the first place, then by going back to work with no negotiating power.

buzz I feel that you should be the union president .

[Buzz]

buzz I feel that you should be the union president .

Well ... that's one vote. Thanks!     

You're fairly new here so you probably don't know this: Carmine's father, Sal, was the best president we had in all the time I've been here. Unfortunately he got on a runaway train with corrupt delegates and a system that had been in place for decades. Some scumbag drivers who had the illusion of taking over the union dropped a dime and the guy ended up paying for the sins of the delegates  because he was the top guy. Did 4 years in "college" for something that was beyond his control. It was a shame what they did to that guy. He had BALLS OF STEEL and none of this shit we've been going through the last 10 years would have happened.

[Buzz]

p.s. - And I believe Carmine inherited his dad's gonads. He's no pussy either.

[Buzz]

At the same time, Tomas isn't even in office a full year yet so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now.