T
Tryin2BFair
Guest
I would like advice about harrasment and retaliation against truck drivers. I drive out of Ohio for a contract carrier based in Minnesota hauling mail for the US Postal Service.
I recently was asked to take a run that was longer than what I was scheduled for and would require and overnight stay. I let them know asap that I couldnt do the run. I was then told to take the run as scheduled and they would figure something out. I took the run, they didnt figure anything out and told me I had to take it the rest of the way. I refused because running it is in violation of the 10 hr rule. The company told me to park the truck, lock it up and find my way home which I did. Then they give me 2 days off for abandoning the truck that I was told to lock up.
On my next run I was asked to meet the other driver at the yard. I asked for a phone call from the driver when he was about 2 hours away so I had time to get there because of bad weather. I recived the phone call later and did not meet the driver. I was also late getting back because of bad weather.
I have now recieved 2 write ups. I feel I am being harrassed and intimidated into running illegally and unsafely in order to keep ontime.
I like what Im doing and for myself and the protection of the other drivers am willing to take a stand. How can I do this and protect myself? Would I have any recourse if I was to be fired for refusing runs that are in violation of the FMCSR being that I have run them before? Would I be out of line if I told the dispatcher that I would be recording our conversations being we have a problem in communication? Can I request that I be removed from the scheduled runs in violation and rescheduled on runs that are not, still maintaining the 50+ hours a week I have gotten since I started working there? If I need an attorney (I cant afford one) would I need to get one in Minnesota or can I get one in Ohio? How can I protect myself from further harrasment and retaliation?
Thank you for any help.
[Edited by Tryin2BFair on 12-15-2000 at 09:04 AM]
I recently was asked to take a run that was longer than what I was scheduled for and would require and overnight stay. I let them know asap that I couldnt do the run. I was then told to take the run as scheduled and they would figure something out. I took the run, they didnt figure anything out and told me I had to take it the rest of the way. I refused because running it is in violation of the 10 hr rule. The company told me to park the truck, lock it up and find my way home which I did. Then they give me 2 days off for abandoning the truck that I was told to lock up.
On my next run I was asked to meet the other driver at the yard. I asked for a phone call from the driver when he was about 2 hours away so I had time to get there because of bad weather. I recived the phone call later and did not meet the driver. I was also late getting back because of bad weather.
I have now recieved 2 write ups. I feel I am being harrassed and intimidated into running illegally and unsafely in order to keep ontime.
I like what Im doing and for myself and the protection of the other drivers am willing to take a stand. How can I do this and protect myself? Would I have any recourse if I was to be fired for refusing runs that are in violation of the FMCSR being that I have run them before? Would I be out of line if I told the dispatcher that I would be recording our conversations being we have a problem in communication? Can I request that I be removed from the scheduled runs in violation and rescheduled on runs that are not, still maintaining the 50+ hours a week I have gotten since I started working there? If I need an attorney (I cant afford one) would I need to get one in Minnesota or can I get one in Ohio? How can I protect myself from further harrasment and retaliation?
Thank you for any help.
[Edited by Tryin2BFair on 12-15-2000 at 09:04 AM]