Blue-collar supply chain workers deserve better respect from upper management
Good morning! The end of the year is basically here. Are you preparing for the festivities this weekend to ring in 2023? 🪩
It is important for all workers, regardless of their job titles or responsibilities, to be treated with respect and dignity. This includes blue-collar workers - such as truck drivers and warehouse workers - who often perform physically demanding and often overlooked tasks that are essential to the operation of many businesses and organizations. Treating blue-collar workers with respect means valuing their contributions and acknowledging the important role they play in the success of a company. It also means providing them with fair pay and working conditions and giving them the support and resources they need to do their jobs effectively.
The recent Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals EDGE 2022 conference in Nashville, Tennessee made one thing very clear: upper management at supply chain companies need to reevaluate how they treat their blue-collar employees.
Check out today’s featured article from Supply Chain Brain to read about the need for supply chain executives to abandon previous attitudes toward warehouse workers and truck drivers - it’s time to treat them with the respect that is deserved. ☕️
Featured Article:
Supply Chain Companies Need a Profound Cultural Change in How They Treat Workers | Supply Chain Brain
“There’s no way around it: Supply chain executives are going to have to flatten the hierarchy if they want to attract and retain the best workers. “
Electric Vehicles & Fuel Tech 🔋
Nikola celebrates CARB’s executive order, hydrogen fuel cell electric truck coming soon
Nikola Corp.’s Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric truck is soon to be commercially available after CARB’s recent certificate of compliance to its most recent emissions standards required for sale in California. California’s Hybrid and Zero Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, or HVIP for short, will likely soon be approved for the Nikola Tre FCEV - making it an authorized vehicle under the program.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is a state agency in California that is responsible for protecting and improving the state's air quality. It is one of the most influential and innovative air quality agencies in the United States, and its policies and regulations often set the precedent for other states and countries to follow.
CARB's main responsibilities include:
Developing and implementing state and federal air quality regulations
Monitoring and reporting on air quality in California
Conducting research on air pollution and its impacts on public health and the environment
Providing grants and other funding to support air quality projects and initiatives
Working with industry, local governments, and other stakeholders to reduce air pollution and improve air quality
Electric Vehicles & Fuel Tech 🔋
USPS fleet to be 75% EV by 2028, due to IRA funding
The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden back in August, and the US Postal Service is looking to benefit. The USPS's big goals of expanding its electric delivery vans holdings have been increased, pledging a 75% electric vehicle share by 2028. An additional 106,000 vehicles will be purchased from maker Oshkosh Defense and other retailers, including at least 66,000 electric vehicles. The USPS also unveiled plans to phase out internal-combustion-powered Oshkosh vans and will only purchase 100% electric vehicles from the supplier after 2026.
Transitioning to more electric delivery vehicles can have multiple benefits for the USPS and the communities it serves. Environmental benefits, cost savings, improved public health, and a positive public image are all reasons that the USPS is striving toward these goals.
Let’s Get Global 🌎
Im Getting Too Old For This Episode 4 GIF By Star Wars via GIPHY
😎 An aging workforce is bound to force companies into digitalization in 2023. A recent study arranged by Verdant - a London-based firm - has resulted in the conclusion that industrial firms are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) as the labor force continues to become harder to fill. Digitalization in the supply chain refers to the use of digital technologies, such as data analytics, cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain, to improve and transform various processes and activities in the supply chain. The study was conducted by interviewing hundreds of executives from across the globe and titled, “Global Corporate Survey 2022: Operational Excellence Budgets, Priorities & Tech Preferences.”
🛻 Toyota’s global output hits record in November, but uncertain future remains. The threats of incoming shortages are still prevalent, even after Toyota Motor Corp.’s announcement. Covid cases on the rise in China paired with global semiconductor shortages are likely to chip away at the number one automaker's bottom line. In a statement shared with the public on December 26th, Toyota revealed that the company had a global sales increase of nearly 3% and manufactured 833,104 vehicles in November - a 1.5% increase compared to 2021.
📑 Starting January 1st, ship insurers are revoking coverage of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus war risks. Insurance companies and reinsurers - those who insure the insurance companies - have been warning of scaling back after a multitude of losses associated with the conflict in Ukraine and Hurricane Ian. Shipping insurance is a type of insurance that provides coverage for the goods being shipped, as well as the transportation process itself. It is important for shippers to have insurance to protect their goods in case of any damage, loss, or theft that may occur during the shipping process. Shipping insurance can also provide protection for the shipper in case of liability issues, such as if the goods being shipped cause damage to someone else's property.
iLevel With You 🏡
More topics for the average American household to consider…
🛫 Southwest Air is still shaken up after a Christmas winter vortex. While most other airlines have returned to “business as usual” this week, Southwest Airlines is still reeling after canceling a staggering amount of flights over the weekend. The storm, while brutal, cannot be the only thing to blame - as internal memos within the airline’s management have been leaked to Bloomberg News showing that a significant amount of delays and cancelations can be chalked up to a lack of coordination. DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg has highlighted Southwest Airlines’ failings as something “beyond the consequences of an uncontrollable weather situation.”
⛽️ Diesel prices dip to $4.537 national average. The latest U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed good news for diesel buyers in the latest drop after a string of weekly declines. While still 92 cents above the price in December 2021, the gradual slide is welcome after all-time highs over the summer. The price of diesel fuel is important for the trucking industry because it is a major operating cost for trucking companies. Trucks are typically powered by diesel fuel, and the cost of fuel can significantly impact a trucking company's profitability.
🤖 Tesla cannot market vehicles as “full self-driving” according to California. Senate Bill 1398, sponsored by Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Calif.) of Long Beach, will now disallow dealers and manufacturers in the Golden States from “deceptively naming or marketing” a vehicle when it’s only equipped with partial automation features. For example, Tesla’s “autopilot” feature still requires human drivers to pay attention and handle driving while sitting in the driver’s seat. Federal law has already been put in place regarding this issue, but Gonzalez highlighted the DMV’s lack of enforcement and the need to fortify the rule in the state law.
GET SMART 🧠
Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…
📈 Does your company have a digital supply chain transformation strategy? A digital supply chain transformation strategy is important because it can help a company improve its efficiency, responsiveness, and agility. By digitizing various processes and integrating data and technology throughout the supply chain, a company can reduce the need for manual work, eliminate errors and delays, and make better-informed decisions.
🦺 Forklift safety is essential for its efficiency. Forklifts are often a key component of warehouse operations, as they are used to move, stack, and transport materials and products within the warehouse. If forklifts are not used efficiently, it can lead to increased downtime, increased fuel and maintenance costs, and decreased productivity. On the other hand, if forklifts are well-maintained and used efficiently, they can help optimize warehouse operations and improve overall productivity.
⏰ LA and Long Beach ports now experiencing dwell times similar to pre-pandemic days. Container dwell time at a port refers to the amount of time that a shipping container spends at a port before it is either loaded onto a vessel for export or unloaded from a vessel for import. Container dwell time can include the time spent in storage, the time spent undergoing inspection or customs clearance, and the time spent waiting for a vessel or truck to become available. By reducing dwell time, the La and Long Beach ports can now improve their efficiency and increase their capacity to handle larger volumes of cargo… if they’re lucky.
Cargo Theft 🚛
Business Insider contributor Vishnu Rajamanickam writes about the headway that cargo theft is making, becoming somewhere between a $15 billion and $35 billion industry.
Trade & Border Issues 🗺️
WSJ contributor Paul Berger writes about Marie-Christine Lombard and her advice for global supply chain companies over the incoming future. Lombard is the CEO of France-based freight-forwarder Geodis SA.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for November 28, 2024, from iLevel Logistics Inc.