December 22, 2009: Carhaulers used to be one of the strongest units in our union. But automakers are shifting more and more business to nonunion carriers, and union drivers are losing ground.

TDU spoke to a driver at one of the biggest nonunion carriers, United Road Service, about the union and what we can do to rebuild Teamster membership in carhaul. Here’s what he had to say:

I used to drive for a Teamster carhauler, but I got laid-off during the downturn. So I looked for work and got a job hauling cars for United Road Service.

I look around at my new job and I see a lot of people who used to work for Cooper, Allied, or Cassens. We may not be covered by the Teamster contract—but we are still Teamsters. And we want to bring the union to United Road.

The pay rates at United Road are all over the map. Some drivers are getting a percentage gross of their loads. Others are getting a mileage rate. And it’s low—usually around 37 cents a mile.

We pay 20 percent of the cost for our health insurance. And we only have a 401(k) to cover our retirement.

It’s not like we’re pulling cheap freight. This company is making a killing on every load.

Even the young drivers who’ve never been union are interested in getting organized. They know that when carhaulers were united, we made some real gains. They want better benefits, a real retirement. And they want to provide for their families.

The Teamster officials like Hoffa and Zuckerman have done nothing to get us organized. But it’s not too late.

I’ve been a Teamster for years. I’ve seen that we can have real power when we can stand together. It’s time to bring all carhaulers together into the Teamsters.