Three Truck Drivers Show True American Grit

Let me tell you a story about three truck drivers from East Liberty, Ohio. It’s a true American tale of valor and perseverance. And it’s symbolic of the past seven years of Bush administration attempts to stamp out the labor movement while slashing taxes, oversight and regulation on corporations.

The drivers are Emerson Young, John Jolliff and Steven Daniels. Young wrote a letter complaining about two bosses at TNT Logistics of North America in East Liberty.

Then TNT fired all three drivers. It was Aug. 26, 2002.

TNT did it although all three had received safe driving and performance awards. Jolliff and Daniels were among 90 dock workers and drivers who listed grievances that they wanted Young to put in the letter. But Jolliff and Daniels didn’t have anything to do with writing the note. Still, TNT fired them too.

So that letter must have been pretty foul, pretty down and dirty, to have provoked dismissal of not just one, but three meritorious drivers, right?

Let’s take a look at it. Mr. Young refers to the offending supervisors, Robert Wheeler and Jeff Basinger, with formal, courteous titles throughout:  “Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Basinger.