The Chairman's Corner

By Shiree Hammer

July 2022

I hope everyone had a nice 4th of July weekend; it is hard to believe we are halfway through this year already. I don’t know about you, but the older I get the faster time seems to fly by. Hopefully, everyone survived June without too many hiccups. One might say the news announced by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30 was just that. The U.S. Supreme court denied CTA’s petition to hear the related AB 5 case for CTA v. Bonta. Therefore, the trial remains pending, and any potential modification of AB 5 will be a challenge. This ruling not only has a big impact on the moving and storage industry but the transportation industry as a whole; as many truck drivers on California and U.S. highways are owner-operators. This could also cause the driver shortage to only get worse.

Trying to follow the ever-changing rules and laws pertaining to our industry can be overwhelming especially when you want to do the right thing for your business, employees and customers. It is the one step forward, two steps backward feeling. This time of year, it can feel especially burdensome as we are pulled in many directions trying to push capacity limits and over commit schedules. The added pressure from the labor shortage, fuel cost, supply chain issues and the ongoing pandemic certainly adds to the chaos and stress as we are stretched thin.

So, how do you survive this pressure and maintain some sanity? For those of you who heard me speak in Reno, I touched on this. Teamwork is key and surrounding yourself with a solid one makes all the difference. It can especially be helpful in trying times like these. I feel like we have a great team here at California Relocations. Our motto here at Cal Relo is “Do the Right Thing.” Joe Jr. started this back in the early 2000s and we still live by this today; when in doubt, just do the right thing. It really is that simple and has helped us create a consistent and positive work environment. It has also created a level of trust with our customers which, in turn, helps with the daily flow of operations. When you place value within, it shines outward. Showing appreciation and gratitude to the movers is important, as well as, making sure they feel supported and part of the team. Moving is not an easy job, and they seem to be a dying breed. Those who choose to stay and serve our industry, companies and customers, need recognition—especially this time of year. I know some CMSA members treat their movers to taco parties for lunch, company BBQ’s or simply provide cold Gatorades on a hot day. In all, I think it is important to show appreciation on any level. Thank you truly goes a long way.

The CMSA is another great example of teamwork. Not only does this association help keep us all informed with up-to-date industry news. It provides us with a network of movers and vendors working together for the greater good of the moving industry and our customers.

July 2022- CMSA Communicator