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ST. PETERSBURG BEACH, Fla. — Dozens of trucking executives and industry lawyers assembled to discuss vexing labor relations issues and how best to adapt to the changes ahead of them as the century draws to a close at the 13th annual conference of the North American Trucking Industrial Relations Association.

The meeting also brought out an alphabet soup of agency representatives — from OSHA and DOT to ADA and NLRB to FMLA and MPPAA – to put a spotlight on government regulations and the challenge of dealing with a unionized work force. The meeting was from Nov. 10 to 12 at the Trade Winds resort here.

Cincinnati lawyer Katharine C. Weber called recent Supreme Court decisions related to the Americans With Disabilities Act a win for management because the rulings made it harder for disabled workers to sue companies for employment discrimination.

In June, the high court rejected a truck driver’s lawsuit against a grocery store chain over a claim of being fired because of his limited eyesight. The justices also denied a United Parcel Service mechanic, who alleged he was fired because his high blood pressure exceeded Department of Transportation guidelines, from using ADA to sue to company (6-28, p. 1).

For the full story, see the Nov. 15 print edition of Transport Topics. .