24/7 operations

[TheOCbaby]

The Ports of LA and Long Beach (which bring in 40% of our national container imports) are in my local, and I can tell you that UPS rarely makes any pickups directly at the ports. We generally avoid touching sea containers, but a few inevitably work their way into our system. We are usually the middle man in the whole operation: sea intermodal 40 footers are brought to local warehouses (often with UPS pkg labels already slapped on them); those warehouses pull pallets directly out of the 40's and place them into our 53's; 53's come to hub and are sorted to local, hub to hub, sleeper or rail container. Generally speaking, you need a TWIC card (TSA Maritime security clearance) to have access to picking up containers directly at ports. Most UPS feeder drivers don't have TWIC because it isn't conditional for their job. Local feeder drivers have already been authorized to work up to 70 hours per week for the past few years, but most only work about 55-60. There is a little bit of flex there, but not much, and I know that UPS is still hiring coyotes in the local. I don't know what this alleged "agreement" with the Biden Adm. entails, but I can't really see UPS having a very significant role in it, unless DOT waves 70 hour limits and gives feeder drivers emergency TSA port access. Even then there may be issues, as I understand port truckers often wait 3-5 hours sometimes to pick up a load. Although, that wait may be so high because they need to pick up THEIR load. UPS and Fedex drivers may be in a position to be less discriminating about needing to pick up a single particular load. Then there is the looming vaccine mandate hanging over everyone's head like the Sword of Damacles. No one has heard so much as "boo" from management or Teamsters regarding it. Ears to the ground says that at least 50% of feeder drivers will just walk off if it gets enforced. Probably close to that same percentage already qualify for retirement anyway, so it's no big deal for most of them. I imagine UPS could get better compliance rates from package and the warehouse workers, most of whom still need to work.

 

[Yolo]

Your mum runs a 24/7 operation

 

[Swanson]

The Ports of LA and Long Beach (which bring in 40% of our national container imports) are in my local, and I can tell you that UPS rarely makes any pickups directly at the ports. We generally avoid touching sea containers, but a few inevitably work their way into our system. We are usually the middle man in the whole operation: sea intermodal 40 footers are brought to local warehouses (often with UPS pkg labels already slapped on them); those warehouses pull pallets directly out of the 40's and place them into our 53's; 53's come to hub and are sorted to local, hub to hub, sleeper or rail container. Generally speaking, you need a TWIC card (TSA Maritime security clearance) to have access to picking up containers directly at ports. Most UPS feeder drivers don't have TWIC because it isn't conditional for their job. Local feeder drivers have already been authorized to work up to 70 hours per week for the past few years, but most only work about 55-60. There is a little bit of flex there, but not much, and I know that UPS is still hiring coyotes in the local. I don't know what this alleged "agreement" with the Biden Adm. entails, but I can't really see UPS having a very significant role in it, unless DOT waves 70 hour limits and gives feeder drivers emergency TSA port access. Even then there may be issues, as I understand port truckers often wait 3-5 hours sometimes to pick up a load. Although, that wait may be so high because they need to pick up THEIR load. UPS and Fedex drivers may be in a position to be less discriminating about needing to pick up a single particular load. Then there is the looming vaccine mandate hanging over everyone's head like the Sword of Damacles. No one has heard so much as "boo" from management or Teamsters regarding it. Ears to the ground says that at least 50% of feeder drivers will just walk off if it gets enforced. Probably close to that same percentage already qualify for retirement anyway, so it's no big deal for most of them. I imagine UPS could get better compliance rates from package and the warehouse workers, most of whom still need to work.

It's all publicity/political theater. The ports are not running 24/7 as of now( The port is silent right now and I hear the cranes,the transtainers,side handlers all day and night).Even when they do where are all these truck drivers going to come from?Nothings going to change,except when it comes time to place the blame on the unvaxxed workforce/labor unions.

 

[Poop Head]

The leftist government trying to be in control. Im shocked.

 

[UnionStrong]

Aren't they not supposed to do anything on sundays? Even turning on lights?

That’s sabbath. They light a candles on Hanukkah, I each night for 8 nights, it’s the festival of light.

 

[TearsInRain]

corporate is begging for ready team volunteers; my home district is basically staffed for peak right now, many others are not

i'm really not worried about the package or hub side, the feeder side with the vax deadline will probably be a total catastrophe unless it gets waived to jan

maybe that's what they really want, to force out all the high seniority people and replace them with scabs to save a couple CarolBux on benefits, but they really don't understand how much the whole company relies on those high-YOS people to even FUNCTION on a daily basis

 

[toonertoo]

If the vaccination is forced, has corporate thought about all the drivers and pt'ers who will quit Dec 8? Have the teamsters considered the increase in pension payouts Jan 1? How many 28, 34, 39 year seniority people, who have just been waiting 'til the next contract, will walk out early?

I am betting on most who can retire will. If they feel that strongly about the vaccine, and I totally get it. Peak will be awesome.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I am betting on most who can retire will. If they feel that strongly about the vaccine, and I totally get it. Peak will be awesome.

People retire all of the time. I really doubt anyone will retire over a little shot in the arm.

 

[DELACROIX]

People retire all of the time. I really doubt anyone will retire over a little shot in the arm.

Never underestimate a Teamster in a good retirement plan...About 20 percent of our Feeder
Department are eligible and more than willing...

 

[542thruNthru]

Never underestimate a Teamster in a good retirement plan...About 20 percent of our Feeder
Department are eligible and more than willing...

But they don't live in the West where we have competent leadership.

 

[burrheadd]

corporate is begging for ready team volunteers; my home district is basically staffed for peak right now, many others are not

i'm really not worried about the package or hub side, the feeder side with the vax deadline will probably be a total catastrophe unless it gets waived to jan

maybe that's what they really want, to force out all the high seniority people and replace them with scabs to save a couple CarolBux on benefits, but they really don't understand how much the whole company relies on those high-YOS people to even FUNCTION on a daily basis

Volunteer now or be assigned later your choice

 

[Whither]

Of the top 500 ports in the world for efficiency the US has NOT ONE port on that list. We’re not automated, not modernized and they don’t run 24/7 most importantly though these docks have to pay absolutely outrageous wages and benefits to union workers. Longshoremen make like 175k a year with a full benefit package and the docks are hindered by contractual obligations that stop them from being the most efficient. Until you fix that working 24/7 won’t do a thing. It’s the same thing that happened to the domestic steel industry in the 70s and 80s, gouged by unions and unable to keep up with competition.

 

[UnionStrong]

How dare you!

 

[Swanson]

@Sissy Brown Short Shorts greedy longshore union

 

[UnionStrong]

greedy longshore union

That’s when they were all mobbed up

 

[Swanson]

That’s when they were all mobbed up

 

[Poop Head]

the vax deadline

What vax deadline? Lmao

 

[DELACROIX]

But they don't live in the West where we have competent leadership.

SO TRUE...if our Feeder Department was in the West, we would have over 50 % eligible and willing to book....

 

[542thruNthru]

SO TRUE...if our Feeder Department was in the West, we would have over 50 % eligible and willing to book....

More than 50% of our feeder department is eligible to retire in my local.

 

[Whither]

How dare you!

Well-deserved, I'd say. @Sissy Brown Short Shorts is talking like a company man in that post