To whom it may concern,
I would like to tell you what some of the votes and political decisions that have been made in this “right to work” state has done to just our family. My husband has been a truck driver for over 10 years, he has never been late on a load, nor has he called in sick except one time that I can remember, that was due to injury on the job, he only allowed himself to be out of work for a few days.
My husband started working for Brian Wilson Trucking in Emmett Idaho, whom praised his work all of the time that he worked there. With the economy going as you all know that it is, it was becoming harder for Brian Wilson to find loads for my husband to get. He would be laid over for a few days waiting, or he would be stuck at home for a day or two, all of this with no pay. My husband did not complain, not once. He was never late on a load with Brian Wilson trucking.
Then I became ill, as I have severe anxiety and depression, I needed my medication changed. Since Brian Wilson Trucking was having a hard time finding loads, they said that if he could deliver the load on a Monday, that he could have a few days off, that way I would not have to go to the hospital to be monitored, since we had not insurance, and my husband could be home with me. This falls into the Family medical leave Act anyway. So Brian Wilson Trucking told my husband to be at the truck yard by 7:30 AM. He arrived at 7:00 AM, to warm up his truck which much to his surprise was gone. My husband immediately called and was told that he was late, so they had someone else take the load. He politely informed them that he was half an hour early, however that he was sorry perhaps he misunderstood. I heard the conversation that he had the night before, and it was said for him to be there at 7:30 Am as we have loud volume on our phone.
My husband was called the next day, and told to pick up his final paycheck. He was at that point under the understanding that he was being laid off, on the check stub was written, “I hope everything works out for you, and good luck” What a kind message we thought, knowing how the loads were doing. So naturally my husband filed for his unemployment, and started looking for work. Much to our surprise, my husband was denied unemployment for being fired for being consistently late. At that point, what could we do, we were told that it was near impossible to fight this sort of thing.
Now, a couple of months later, I stand in the food bank line every Tuesday afternoon so that we can have food for our children, we have two girls, one is 5 years old and is named Darbi, and the other is 9 years old and is named Kati. They are good girls who deserve a Christmas. Unfortunately, thanks to Brian Wilson Trucking and the non rights for workers in the state of Idaho, my children get to learn how there is no such thing as santa clause. My oldest daughter is one of the singing angels at the Nazarene church, she sings like an angel, believing that this is the most exciting time in the world for her, because it is Christmas. My youngest has no idea that her Daddy being home everyday is bad, she thinks that it is great she gets to see her daddy all the time now. We do not have the heart to tell her that because he is home, that santa will not be at our house this Christmas. My children cannot wait to decorate a Christmas tree that will never arrive. We are on food stamps, but that does not put gas in our vehicle, or pay our rent. We have lived at 923 s Hayes Ave, unit b for over two years now, and love our neighborhood. When we get that eviction notice, we have no where to go. What shall I tell my singing angel and daddy’s little girl then?
Perhaps one of you, maybe you can have Brian Wilson Trucking tell my children why they are not going to have a Christmas, and why we may be homeless. Why does my husband keep getting bad reviews from Brian Wilson trucking when all he and I ever heard was how wonderful of a driver he was? My husband has looked everywhere for jobs, we have sold off what we can a pawned rings that belonged to my late mother so that we could buy medicine for my children when they had an awful cold.
Of course we are just one family, and Brian Wilson Trucking is just one of the many greedy, hypocritical businesses that thinks that they can get away with these things. There are many families suffering because of this greed and thoughtlessness. So I want to ask, how do you people who voted for this sleep at night knowing that we are not sleeping because we worry for our children. Please make at least some note of this letter, I am so tired of crying myself to sleep at night.
Karen Thomas