He explains how deregulation and collective action by employers transformed trucking’s labor markets-once dominated by the largest and most powerful union in US history-into an important example of the costs of contemporary labor markets for workers and the general public. He then shows how inexperienced workers are convinced to lease a truck and to work as independent contractors. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, led by Jimmy Hoffa, wielded collective power to bolster wages and improve working conditions throughout the industry. Drawing on more than 100 in-depth interviews and years of extensive observation, including six months training and working as a long-haul trucker, Viscelli explains in detail how labor is recruited, trained, and used in the industry. When Dave Dudley recorded the hit country song Six Days on the Road in 1963, long-haul trucking was an industry providing decent jobs. Trucking used to be one of the best working-class jobs in the United States. The typical long-haul trucker works the equivalent of two full-time jobs, often for little more than minimum wage. The Big Rig explains how this massive degradation in the quality of work has occurred, and how companies achieve a compliant and dedicated workforce despite it. The Big Rig Trucking and the Decline of the American Dream Steve Viscelli, Click to preview Long-haul trucks have been described as sweatshops on wheels. Long-haul trucks have been described as sweatshops on wheels. Steve Viscelli - The Big Rig: Trucking and the Decline of the American Dream, Paperback - Long-haul trucks have been described as sweatshops on wheels. Long-haul trucks have been described as sweatshops on wheels.

The Big Rig by Steve Viscelli