Top photo: The loading dock from my perspective.
Bottom: Truck # 11 of 18 today.
Yup, it's true. I actually work for a living. I don't like it but I do like having a roof over my head, food for me and CharlieGodammit and money for a steady supply of Busch and gunpowder.
I work for a major grocery chain on the Left Coast in the Distribution Center - warehouse for all you regular folks - loading trucks. I won't tell you my employer. I don't want to compromise their reputation in any way, shape or form. They've been good to me over the years and I appreciate it. And I also don't want to get fired for embarrassing them.
Some days I load, some days I get other work on the dock, but I put in 40+ hours a week, 10 hours a day, 4 days a week.
And for you that want to make union members out to be lazy and liberal, I am a union member - Teamsters, Local 439. The days of the union members working at their own pace, walking off the job at will, and generally misbehaving are long gone. The main thing my union offers is a decent (not great) wage, good medical benefits, and free representation in case of discipline to make sure the punishment is justified and not excessive. As far as me being lazy because I'm a Teamster? Come out and do my job. I fucking dare you. Load 18 to 22 trucks in a 10 hour day. You do the math, that's less than 1/2 hour per truck.
I've been at the job for damned near 20 years now. I don't like the type of work (I was a machinist by trade) and I feel my age every night when I finally get home, but it pays pretty good and the medical benefits are very good.
That's the difference between me and a liberal. I'm working at a job I dislike but I'm paying my own way and can proudly say that everything I have, I earned. No handouts for me or Woody.
I used to work in a warehouse very similar to you. I worked for a telecommunications company for 36 years, in a major warehouse. We had the electric forklift, the green machine and Big fucken Bertha. Then I got my guts up and started driving truck. I delivered huge reels of cable, poles, telephone booths, fiber optic equipment and the gear'n. (I was 2 when I started. J/K that was a lie.) I loved my job, I was and still am, Union, and it gave me and my son, a good life. I respect you Brother.
ReplyDeleteSo, you get three day weekends?
ReplyDeleteSuweet!
I LOVE MY 3 DAY WEEKENDS!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love them so much I occasionally take 4 and 5 day weekends.
What I really like are my vacations - they start on my weekend and end when my weekend ends. That means I get Friday through Monday off - 9 motherfucking days in a row.
Thanks, Bella. I knew these photos would bring back memories for you.
ReplyDeleteLove and respect for you too, Sis.
Come to think of it, how come you guys haven't found Jimmy Hoffa? International Brotherhood of Teamsters???
ReplyDeleteWhen I die and if I go to heaven, the one question I'm gonna ask God is "Who Xed out Hoffa?"
ReplyDeleteThat and "Who Xed out JFK?"
And "Do 95% of women really masturbate or are they just being modest?"
i use to be be a newspaper printer i am still prez of gcc/ibt local 4535 i bust my ass every day even though i now work for one of the worlds largest candy makers..the paper buisness is drying up and i got mouths to feed
ReplyDeleteI'm a Teamster (Local 519) that's been laid off awhile. I've had really good jobs, and really crappy ones. I do construction so we get what we get. Some jobs have insurance, most don't, and that's where the bennies end.
ReplyDelete