Do you think this warning letter for a late Early AM is justified?

[upschuck]

Article 44

Section 1. On Area Package Handling

No employee shall be required to handle any over 70 pound packages alone if it is the employee’s good faith belief that such handling would be a safety hazard to herself or himself. In such cases, the Employer shall provide whichever of the following is requested in good faith by the employee in handling over 70 pound packages:
1. Another bargaining unit employee for assistance, or
2. Appropriate lifting/handling devices, or
3. Another bargaining unit employee and an appropriate lifting/handling device for handling, pick-up or delivery circumstances that require both bargaining unit help and an appropriate lifting/handling device. In all such instances involving package car drivers, where assistance from another bargaining unit employee has been requested in good
faith, both employees will be full-time employees of the bargaining unit except that air drivers or helpers, where permitted by the applicable Supplement, may be used to assist the full-time driver in the delivery and/or pickup of such overweight packages. On Saturdays, air drivers may be assisted by another air driver in the delivery and/or pickup of overweight packages. A helper may be used to assist a driver in the handling of overweight packages when a helper is already on the package car in accordance with the terms of the Supplement, Rider or Addendum. No employee will be required to solicit or accept customer assistance if it is the employee’s good faith belief that the customer is not qualified to help or that such assistance would be a safety hazard to themselves or the customer.
All new and existing employees who handle packages shall be provided with periodic training in the recognition and proper handling of over 70 pound packages.

If the driver suspected the dock worker does not lift properly, then that would be a good faith belief, and therefore well within his rights to accept his help. Nobody knows or plans on getting hurt, so taking all necessary precautions is wise; it is your body to live with, not UPS'. 150lb package is a lot different than a 71lb package.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Some people will use any excuse not to do their job.

 

[Future]

I wouldn't be surprised if the consignee does not allow the driver back on to his property.

Dont know about all that, but I would not want to have to deal with the customer on a daily basis after that arrogant move!

 

[PT Car Washer]

The customer will believe all UPS employees are slackers like this one driver. Really bad for customer relations.

 

[oldngray]

Article 44

If the driver suspected the dock worker does not lift properly, then that would be a good faith belief, and therefore well within his rights to accept his help. Nobody knows or plans on getting hurt, so taking all necessary precautions is wise; it is your body to live with, not UPS'. 150lb package is a lot different than a 71lb package.

I'm pretty sure that language was added after the wildcat but I don't remember for sure what the previous language stated. For certain it was not addressed in the contract that had just been ratified so it did change.

 

[Brownslave688]

Yeah I gotta agree. Max is 150lbs and he was offered help at the delivery. Do you know how much it costs to ship overweight deliveries NDA am?

Which means the company should certainly be able to afford help. If they want to play by rules that's fine we should to. We have a contract that if actually enforced would drive this company crazy.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

The customer will believe all UPS employees are slackers like this one driver. Really bad for customer relations.

Worse than firing 250 drivers? Worse than the Christmas, service failures?

 

[Brownslave688]

The customer will believe all UPS employees are slackers like this one driver. Really bad for customer relations.

If this was a one time deal I would agree. However this guys has clearly made it known he wants help with overweights and informed the company in plenty of time.

 

[play537]

Customer wanted his EAM and willing to get it but the driver needed to prove a point.


Sent using BrownCafe App

 

[raceanoncr]

As most posters have already opined, this, of course, is a contract issue. The contract clearly states, "This and That" and we BOTH (Teamsters and UPS) signed it. The contract was clearly violated.

On the other hand, as posters have also stated, this is also a customer service issue. We (company and WE) are supposed to give customer SERVICE (although that part has been legally taken out of the company's name).

I have been known to "live" by the contract and expected ALL to "live" by the contract but I also had to live with the customers and I also wanted to give customer service. I wanted the company to achieve/maintain a fine reputation for service. So...I broke the "law" once in awhile to give service.

Yeah, this guy followed the "RULES". A warning letter should not be issued and if one HAS been, it should be rescinded. Yes, it can be. I've had it done.

BUT, this guy also should use "COMMON SENSE". What? If he, or we, don't know what that is, look it up. There are OTHER ways to be OCD.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

As most posters have already opined, this, of course, is a contract issue. The contract clearly states, "This and That" and we BOTH (Teamsters and UPS) signed it. The contract was clearly violated.

On the other hand, as posters have also stated, this is also a customer service issue. We (company and WE) are supposed to give customer SERVICE (although that part has been legally taken out of the company's name).

I have been known to "live" by the contract and expected ALL to "live" by the contract but I also had to live with the customers and I also wanted to give customer service. I wanted the company to achieve/maintain a fine reputation for service. So...I broke the "law" once in awhile to give service.

Yeah, this guy followed the "RULES". A warning letter should not be issued and if one HAS been, it should be rescinded. Yes, it can be. I've had it done.

BUT, this guy also should use "COMMON SENSE". What? If he, or we, don't know what that is, look it up. There are OTHER ways to be OCD.

Sometimes, you have to pick and choose your battles....wisely

 

[The Other Side]

I think it was 1 1/2 minutes extra for over 70's but I wouldn't be surprised if that allowance has been greatly reduced. Technically a driver can demand another bargaining unit employee to assist him with an overweight package but if he does he is putting a target on his back. UPS now says they encourage drivers to get customer's help but no mention of consequences of whether that customer gets hurt. And basically you are expected to handle those heavy packages yourself and if you get hurt its your own fault for not knowing your own limits. After the wildcat over the increase to 150 pounds (which was immediately after a new contract was settled and UPS claimed wasn't a bargaining issue) UPS promised all over 70's would have 2 bargaining employees and also special equipment like portable rollers in package cars that didn't exist except 1 per center for demonstration purposes. UPS later changed their story to where they "encourage" drivers to get customers help and old promises vanished. Anyway, if you try to stand up to UPS over the issue expect repercussions.

The allowance for over 70 pound packages has been reduced to 1/3 of a minute extra time. The reason? ABUSE.

One poster here stated that you just add the counts in SPECIAL A and you will get a larger allowance.

Special A was one of the largest programming errs the company placed into diad. It OVER ALLOWED for over 70 pkgs and drivers began to abuse it.

Since being discovered, the company reduced the time allowance on over 70 to near nothing over the standard allowance for a delivery.

Anyone who says differently doesnt know what they are talking about.

Yes, Special A is still in the diad screen, but it no longer has the same effect.

TOS.

 

[MethodsMan]

Which means the company should certainly be able to afford help. If they want to play by rules that's fine we should to. We have a contract that if actually enforced would drive this company crazy.

I guess I'm just not that rogue. I'm also physically able to do the job. Rolling the package to the back of the package car onto a waiting hand truck and then dumping it off at this guys place doesn't seem too taxing on the body. Not really an issue where you need to hide behind the contract. That guy paying huge money for that NDA is essentially paying his paychecks.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I guess I'm just not that rogue. I'm also physically able to do the job. Rolling the package to the back of the package car onto a waiting hand truck and then dumping it off at this guys place doesn't seem too taxing on the body. Not really an issue where you need to hide behind the contract. That guy paying huge money for that NDA is essentially paying his paychecks.

Its a stinking...Dolly...not a handtruck!

 

[rod]

I would have told the customer to grab a couple of buddies and feel free to jump in the truck and unload that pig. I also retired with a good back and was never ashamed to let someone else do the heavy work if they so desired. There's nothing better than a young buck who wants to show off how strong he is. There is nothing wrong with being the Tom Sawyer and letting someone else paint the fence.

 

[oldngray]

I would have told the customer to grab a couple of buddies and feel free to jump in the truck and unload that pig. I also retired with a good back and was never ashamed to let someone else do the heavy work if they so desired. There's nothing better than a young buck who wants to show off how strong he is. There is nothing wrong with being the Tom Sawyer and letting someone else paint the fence.

Just dump it off the truck then let the customer deal with it from there.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

The driver was simply being an ass.

A relative of yours??

 

[upschuck]

Its a stinking...Dolly...not a handtruck!

Baaaaaaaaa

 

[bleedinbrown58]

I would have told the customer to grab a couple of buddies and feel free to jump in the truck and unload that pig. I also retired with a good back and was never ashamed to let someone else do the heavy work if they so desired. There's nothing better than a young buck who wants to show off how strong he is. There is nothing wrong with being the Tom Sawyer and letting someone else paint the fence.

Just curious...what would happen if a customer is helping a driver carry an OW and gets injuried?

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Its a stinking...Dolly...not a handtruck!

Nah....it's a hand cart or truck where I come from. And we don't have hoagies either...lol.