The Talk Show American

THE TALK SHOW AMERICAN: Truck drivers from India to take U.S. jobs?

Friday, July 21, 2006

Truck drivers from India to take U.S. jobs?

An American company is recruiting long-haul truck drivers from India with the goal of placing them with U.S. trucking firms.

The Teamsters Union strongly opposes the plan by Gagan Global LLC of Garnerville, N.Y.

Teamsters Union spokesman Galen Munroe told WND the plan "is yet another example of corporations exploiting a visa program to replace highly trained, hard-working Americans with cheap labor from overseas."

Gagan Global has contracted with the Indian state government of Andra Pradesh and its Overseas Manpower Consultancy to run a training school in the Asian country.

Gagan Global CEO Philip Gagan told WND a first batch of 200 Indian truck drivers has been recruited to attend the school in preparation for work in the U.S.

"We are recruiting Indian truck drivers," Gagan confirmed to WND. "We are very demanding on our requirements to get into the school. The requirements are that you have to have five years of heavy driving experience on tractor-trailer trucks, you have to be HIV-negative, have a clean police record, verifiable references that the government in India can verify."

What about the ability to speak English?

"The Indian truck drivers have to be able to read and understand English," Gagan explained. "We like them to speak English. They all speak pigeon-English, mostly what they learned in schools."

How does Gagan Global know that the Indian drivers will be able to read road signs or communicate with other drivers on the road?

"We know that if they can read English and understand what they are reading," Gagan told WND, "then we think they can learn enough English in the four-months training program to be able to be productive in the U.S."

Gagan argued that the reason he created the company was to address the growing shortage in the U.S. for long-haul drivers.

"There's a massive shortage of long-haul truck drivers in the U.S.," Gagan said. "Long-haul truck drivers get home four days a month. There just aren't enough Americans who want to do that kind of work."

A May 2005 study conducted for the American Trucking Association argues that there is "already a shortage of long-haul heavy-duty truck drivers equal to about 1.5 percent of the over-the-road workforce, or about 20,000 drivers."

The driver shortfall is projected to reach 114,000 by 2014. Another 219,000 new truck drivers "must be found to replace drivers currently of ages 55 and older who will retire over the next 10 years and to replace those in younger groups who will leave the occupation."

Teamster Union spokesman Munroe strongly objected. In an e-mail to WND, he wrote:

While there is currently a shortage of long-haul drivers, the problem lies with corporations like Gagan Global that are championing the race to the bottom for American workers. If corporations would treat their employees fairly and offer competitive wages with decent benefit packages, this shortage would disappear.
Gagan Global is in the process of applying to the Department of Labor to get H-2B visas for the Indian drivers. H-2B visas are designed to be issued only when there are no qualified and willing U.S. workers available for the job. Gagan acknowledges that no H-2B visas have yet been issued to Indian truck drivers training in India with his company.

Regarding the issuance of H-2B visas, Munroe wrote WND:

Gagan Global has twisted the intent of the H-2B visa program to fit their desire for a fatter bottom line. The assertion that there are no American workers who are willing to take long-haul truck driving jobs is absurd. It would be more accurate to say they do not want to be exploited by taking poor-paying, long-haul jobs at nonunion companies.
On the company website, Gagan Global explains why Indian drivers are suitable to help address the shortage in long-haul drivers:

We also found that while the average long-haul truck driver makes between $50,000 and $90,000 a year, these truck drivers make far less, and work a whole lot more. So what we have here are people who are never shy of work, extremely friendly and cooperative, and most of all, tough guys who are more than up to handling the American trucks.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am from Portland, Oregon but have lived in India for the last 6 years. My boyfriend is Indian and has a heavy Duty Vehicles licesnse he made in Dubai. If he could only get a job in the US on an H2B visa for a couple of times he would be able to support his family. I really think it sucks that the Teamster always seem to quarrel and are pricing themselves out of the market.If these Indian drivers are up to the job - let 'em have it. Just come and visit here and see how bloody hard their lives are. They just want to eat and survive and take care of their mothers and fathers who do not have social security etc. Not anyone's mistake - but also not theirs. It's the whole set up in India. Just be generous and kind.

Anonymous said...

Once again the man screws the little guy. Last time I checked there are restrictions placed on us, for our working day. 11 hours on, so why would it matter if they are willing to work longer. Why, would you shop our jobs out? Support us in a America before you look to make a quick profit. Jerks!!!

Anonymous said...

My Brother stayed with my step father in a village. He cud not study whereas I am a Java programmer. He was sent to Dubai as a labour. He stayed there for 3 long years and now he has come back. When I met him, I cud see the sun burns and deep scratches in his hands, which filled tears in my eyes. i am thinking of sending him abroad in driving profession. He is not very gud in English but can understand and speak an average english. As soos as I came to this web page, there was sparkle in my eyes that At Last, I wud be able to settle my brother. But as soon as I studied the whole article, I felt Bad. My brother has just done matric. He is married and has got a daughter. He is getting just Rs3500/- and I think with this salary he wud nt be able to fill his tummy, how wud he take care of his family?But, I am sure of one thing, that if he is given a training, he wud deinitely be able to co-op with it. If he could only get a job in the US on an H2B visa, he would be able to support his family. He is very hard working and can work for long hours. Just be a little kind with this GOOD ENGLISH condition, so that you do not miss a very hard working guy. Many Thanks

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