Lumper????

There are many reasons docks use lumpers . If a driver or employee gets hurt unloading on the dock he files a claim against the receiver . Guess who a lumper files a claim against ? Many warehouses are union . A nonunion driver isn't allowed to unload . Often union members lump loads on their day off .
Waiting is not a problem if you work for a carrier that pays detention pay . Running dedicated loads eliminates waiting for loads . Some carriers simply exploit drivers that don't know any better . As long as drivers tolerate it or there are wannabes willing to replace drivers that quit because they wouldn't tolerate it the abuse will go on .

 

To go into it a bit deeper.

From the shipping/receiving company perspective-
Lumpers generally work for a company that does lumping. The receiver contracts out to the lumping company to unload the trucks, and often to break down and re-pallet the load, in accordance with the needs of the receiver.

In addition to the workers comp issue that Rick mentioned, this means that the receiver does not have to pay benefits to lumpers. Nor do they have to do the bookkeeping involved with all the withholding of taxes, etc. Also, it means that the lumping company, rather than the receive, is liable for the federally mandated checking to make sure that the worker is in fact legal to work in this country. Yeah, I know, that is a joke, but it is still a consideration. The company saves a great deal of money on their payroll, by doing this.

From the trucking company perspective-
The trucking company does not want their drivers loading and unloading, for the most part. They want their guys to take advantage of the dock time, getting rest, so they are ready to go when empty. (Well, it SOUNDS good, anyhow. . .) Also, they don't want their drivers getting hurt while doing the physical work of loading/unloading.

It all goes back to the allmighty dollar.

 

lumpers = LEGALIZED ROBBERY

 

Amen!!!

 

A lumper is a person (usually a guy, although I have seen a few women doing it) contracted with the receiving company to legally fleece you for everything you own to unload product that the receiver wants off your truck. After all, he has family back in Mexico or wherever to support so they, too, can make that swim across the river. Lumpers also generally do not speak English, or at least pretend they don't when you question their fee.
Our company's policy on lumpers is that the boss would rather pay a lumper than a back claim.

 

It could also be called driver laziness, no exercise, and can't figure out why the belly balloons causing hypertension

 

There are a lot of places that do not allow the driver to unload their truck. I've been to plenty of those.

 

Not to mention those that say they are happy to allow you to unload your own truck, provided you have this or that license, issued by THEIR facility... etc. In other words, forcing you to be at the mercy of the lumper service!