DOL Aids RTC in Delinquent Pension Abuse
As our Union representatives have told us from day one "relying on the laws and government agencies to win our fight for us is not a sure bet".
Well they were right. The Department of Labor (DOL) has informed Louise M. Slaughter (Member of Congress), and I, that they consider Rood Trucking Co. up to date on our pensions up to the end of their investigation, ending in August 2003. They have closed the case and feel no further investigations necessary.
To put it simply, Rood will not have to answer to the government for their abuse of the McNamara O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), in failing to deposit our pension money no longer than quarterly over the last few years.
Therefore Rood will probably resume these illegal practices, as there seems to be no consequences for this behavior. The pension account is obviously not there for the drivers but for the illegal use of our employer, and that's ok according to the DOL, as long as Rood puts the money back before it goes to court.
What can we do?
Well it is increasingly evident that we have only one course of action, which will protect us from the illegal actions of this company.
A Union Contract!
This is the only protection we have any hope of getting. Consider the facts:
- Rood has no consequences from the DOL for stealing the pensions, and has shown no evidence of stopping this practice.
- Rood has shown no evidence of good will towards the drivers no matter how long they have worked for them, firing even the most loyal employees over at best minor or non-existent infractions.
- Rood changes policies whenever it feels like, no mater the effect on the drivers. What's next— seniority?
- Rood makes bad business decisions and blames the drivers. It is their inability to run a business with millions of dollars worth of government contracts that has led to their bankruptcy and loss of contracts.
- Rood continues to put the drivers at risk with the aging and ill-maintained fleet of tractors and trailers.
- Rood continues to fight the drivers' efforts to gain job security and better benefits. They have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars that could have been spent on keeping peace with the drivers, who have continued to keep the trucks rolling. (No matter what the weather, or time)
I could show a hundred different ways George Rood has said we don't matter but the fact remains he said it best when he said we are no more than a lunch pail to him.
If we have a Union contract we have a document that both the drivers and Rood agree to, that states all the rules so to say. A document that is enforceable if broken by the company.
