Back in early January, Ford terminated its contract with the transport company Jack Cooper, which it had previously enjoyed a relationship with for roughly 40 years as its second-largest customer. That move prompted Jack Cooper to try and renegotiate its contract with General Motors, its biggest customer, but those talks quickly broke down and led to Ford’s cross-town rival backing out as well. As one might expect, those moves led to the demise of Jack Cooper, leaving its 2,500 employees without jobs, who were represented by the Teamsters union. Now, that same entity is fighting back.
Carhauling Teamsters from Locals 89, 332, and 604 have begun picketing GM plants in Flint, Michigan, Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Wentzville, Missouri, all as that automaker has begun utilizing nonunion carriers at those facilities. The pickets come as the Teamsters begin negotiating for a new contract and plan to demand for higher industry standards, more pay, stronger benefits, and job protections for every member covered under the agreement.
The Teamsters union added that it’s “prepared to escalate and target other nonunion carhaul companies serving major U.S. automakers nationwide, including at Ford Motor Company.”
“Nonunion carriers out of these plants are dragging down standards that Teamsters have fought for decades to win,” said Avral Thompson, President of Local 89 and Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division. “We are fighting for every union family that depends on these jobs to provide fair wages, strong benefits, and the ability to retire with dignity.”
As Ford Authority recently reported, long-time Jack Cooper employee McKinley Archie gathered up some of his friends and co-workers to launch a car hauling business of their own – Squirrelly LLC. That entity is based out of Stone Mountain, Georgia, and is already hauling vehicles from the Ford Kentucky Truck plant to dealerships across the U.S., with Archie serving as its cofounder and chief compliance officer.
Comments
The goal in business is to be better…faster…and less expensive than the competition. Your Customer’s loyalty has to be continuously “earned”. It’s not an entitlement.
Considering the RIDICULOUS amount Ford and GM charge for “destination”, they need to be using the union carriers. The destination fee should not be a profit center, no matter how tempting for the MFGR.
Why?