This will be long. I’m sorry.
I’ll start out telling everyone, I have worked at brown since the early 2000’s. I’m a FT driver for about 10 years and I was PT before that.
I am like most of you, disappointed in the fact, the company did not do anything special for us after the past couple of years. I’m not surprised, since I’ve been around long enough for the turkeys. We were heroes to them, the shareholders, and our communities. Having that being stated, we could have been at home drawing unemployment, like many workers across America at the time. Digging themselves into financial hardships. So, in some ways we should be grateful that wasn’t us.
On to this contract, regardless to the way some perceive it. I think it is a fair contract. Could it be better? Yes, we all know the company is rolling in money. They can afford to pay us all the $7.50 extra from day one of ratification. The a/c, heat shields, fans those are all write offs. I’m afraid some of my hello fresh customers may one day be disappointed that their meals will no longer arrive precooked for them.
For part timers, from comments I’ve read on here and comments on YouTube videos like RoswellHub, you all seem to be upset the most about the contract. Mainly due to the fact new hires earning almost the same as you from ratification. I get that. But what I think what a lot have failed to see is that over the life of this pending contract, that new hire hired in starts at $21 will only receive a $.50 raise each year up to $23 by the end of the contract. That is $2 over that 5 years. Where you will be given $4.75 over the rest of the contract after you get the initial $2.75 or more to reach $21, plus the up to $1.50 longevity raise if you qualify. As you can see, over the course you will earn more than them over the contract. Maybe they should have front loaded the raises, but this way it rewards the ones that are here longer. Remember if you need more hours now you will get dibs on pvd work for the holidays for some extra cash. How many of you plan on making a career out of this? How many are here for spending money to get thru college, or are utilizing tuition reimbursements? The majority of career part timers are here for the benefits. If you aren’t planning on being here thru the life of the contract, does your opinion really matter? I think that is a fair question.
For the converting 22.4’s, it will get better for you. Does a 4 year progression suck? Yes, it does. Ask around your building to all of your drivers. The majority of them went through 4, you might find a few along the way, that only did 2 years. Keep in mind you are starting out close to, if not more, than what they topped out back then. I know, I know, things are expensive. My money doesn’t go as far as it used to. Even with the $7.50 over the contract, $49 won’t have the same spending power as the $37-38 I made a few years back. That is the way it has been and will continue to be until something changes with fiat currency. My advice don’t live beyond your means. It is not always about how much money you make, it is what you do with it. Ours jobs provide us with a livable wage, even through progression in most parts of the country.
On a side note, I voted NO on the last contract because I knew the company would abuse your classification. I have also stated and still believe the UPS should pay extra for anyone working on Saturdays, and if they start Sunday operations, I will say the same thing.
If this contract gets voted down, I feel as if the public will see us as the babies some of us are. Myself included. In some ways, I was hoping we would strike for more multiple reasons like helping brick and mortar businesses. That and I could have stayed cooler on a strike line, than in that rolling sauna we call package cars.
Like I said before I think it is a fair deal. I encourage everyone to look over it multiple times and make the decision for themselves and their families.
