heat inside building

[brown09]

I guess my question is...Do you have a thermometer in your work area? How do you know it hasn't gotten above 35?

I'm just asking because I used to work on 2 different belts that were back-to-back in a wing of the building, so when doors were open we would get a not so lovely cross breeze....So been there done that...But it was always people in the other warm areas of the building that complained about it being too cold...the difference was what we were each used to....the problem with working in operations in a hub is that trucks are constantly coming and going throughout the shift, so even if they have the heat up it is hard to keep it inside the building...in the same area where we had the cross breeze...the person working the recycles area above the belt always wore just a tshirt bc he was too hot otherwise....so it wasn't that they didn't have the heat on, it was that we were losing most of it....

 

[MommaHenNJ]

Yes, I'm in NJ (Tinton Falls hub) and our heat was set & LOCKED at 45...COOPERATE found a 'loop hole' stating that we are a 'warehouse' type facility and they can lower it to that degrees...LEGALLY. Well, yes, we are all complaining...UNION is suppose to be getting a petition for us to sign.....MEANWHILE everyone is SICK.....in 8 yrs. of loading I have NEVER used tights under my jeans, warm ups under a sweat shirt plus a zip hoodie and ....EAR MUFFS. Yesss, breath & all....and yesss, my nose & fingers after freezing for over 4 hrs. once they warm up...are all warm & my nose just will not stop running....today went to dr.....SINUS infection....went to EARS & throat.....now my turn to b out.....we have 8 on our belt....today we were missing 3....not good.
Makes on think of SWEAT SHOPS......I just wrote OSHA no reply yet....I'm 3rd in Shop Stewart & on safety.....I have never had a place cut back on $$ w/ HEAT...in 15 & 20 degree weather....and they wonder WHY we're all sick?! AND their offices are all warm & toasty....HMMMM.............no turkey for Christmas.....no nuthin.....anymore....

 

[705red]

I wonder if you could file a workers comp claim for getting sick? Contact a lawyer, worth a try.

 

[PT Stewie]

Yes, I'm in NJ (Tinton Falls hub) and our heat was set & LOCKED at 45...COOPERATE found a 'loop hole' stating that we are a 'warehouse' type facility and they can lower it to that degrees...LEGALLY. Well, yes, we are all complaining...UNION is suppose to be getting a petition for us to sign.....MEANWHILE everyone is SICK.....in 8 yrs. of loading I have NEVER used tights under my jeans, warm ups under a sweat shirt plus a zip hoodie and ....EAR MUFFS. Yesss, breath & all....and yesss, my nose & fingers after freezing for over 4 hrs. once they warm up...are all warm & my nose just will not stop running....today went to dr.....SINUS infection....went to EARS & throat.....now my turn to b out.....we have 8 on our belt....today we were missing 3....not good.
Makes on think of SWEAT SHOPS......I just wrote OSHA no reply yet....I'm 3rd in Shop Stewart & on safety.....I have never had a place cut back on $$ w/ HEAT...in 15 & 20 degree weather....and they wonder WHY we're all sick?! AND their offices are all warm & toasty....HMMMM.............no turkey for Christmas.....no nuthin.....anymore....

I am a little futher south than you just down the TPK.I heard the 45 deg rumor but did not repeat it here because I could not confirm it.It is always cold where I work so we don't complain.I haven't had any complaints from the hub but I am sure I will.
To your point about "loop holes". I firmly believe corporate has a whole large department dedicated to finding loop holes in the contract ,local codes etc so they can save money without concern for the employees.As I have said before we are canon fodder.

 

[bscott85]

the 45 degree thing is in effect here also

but its no where close to 45 degrees like some1 said with the bay doors constantly opening

i dont know the exact temp in the building but i do know when you can see your own damn breath its pretty ****ing cold

 

[UPSSOCKS]

So you think that 35 is cold?? Try 15 or 21 with a windchill of -2 in the wintertime, out on the ramp...WITH the wind blowing ...now that's some cold stuff there!! Yep, there's always someone somewhere else who has it way worse than you ...

What type of shirt do you wear in that weather???

 

[soberups]

It is the middle of winter and I am still wearing shorts. I was wearing shorts in mid-December when it was 12 degrees outside and I wore shorts last week when we had 4" of snow and I had to chain up.

Real men wear shorts and ignore the cold.

 

[DustinM]

they tell us if we are cold in the building we aren't working hard enough

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I say all inside workers start coming in with black skimasks, hats, dressed in all black including black shoes. Become the transparent, unforgiven and unrecognized package sweat shop monkeys UPS wants us to be. And slow down by 30% (Sorry socks). See how quickly that heat kicks back on when the Teamsters are chilling in the 20 degree loads and unload doors and the PPH numbers start dropping just like the mercury on the thermometer.

 

[over9five]

I'm 3rd in Shop Stewart & on safety.....

Welcome to Brown Cafe, MommaHenNJ! Always good to have another stewart on board.

I wonder if you could file a workers comp claim for getting sick? Contact a lawyer, worth a try.

I was wondering the same thing as I read that. Someone ask a lawyer and report back.

 

[rod]

It is the middle of winter and I am still wearing shorts. I was wearing shorts in mid-December when it was 12 degrees outside and I wore shorts last week when we had 4" of snow and I had to chain up.

Real men wear shorts and ignore the cold.

Hint: those people you meet at work- they aren't laughing with you.

 

[Integrity]

What is UPS policy concerning building temperature ?

Dear PT Stewie,

Currently I believe that the practice is to have all building operations thermostats set at 45 degrees friend. Practice is not necessarily policy. It is my understanding that this is a cost cutting measure to reduce utility expense.

Please refer to my response to the blog by MommaHenNJ. Get back to me if this doesn't answer your question.

Sincerely,
I

 

[cachsux]

It is the middle of winter and I am still wearing shorts. I was wearing shorts in mid-December when it was 12 degrees outside and I wore shorts last week when we had 4" of snow and I had to chain up.

Real men wear shorts and ignore the cold.

Real men have something to freeze off.

 

[cachsux]

the PT Sup and PTimers I know in one of the outbounds have been battling with P.E. about the heat in one of the outbounds which has not been running at all this winter. They were told that as long as bldg temp was 45 or above the heat would remain off. P.E. had the idea to bring out thermometers to prove their point,until the thermometers showed temps from 30s to 20s and suddenly they disappeared and P.E. started telling more "stories". The P.T. Sup is going to file a complaint with corporate and I provided him with the article number in our (705) contract (18.6) which relates to heat for him to provide to his PTs so they can file grievances.

 

[HeatMiser]

"A working horse needs no blanket."

Not that I'm calling anybody a horse...

The standard is to set thermostats so inside operations temperatures are 45-degrees with doors closed and buttoned up. It is difficult, if not impossible, to heat some areas next to load doors and overhead doors or in exterior cars and trailers. Have supervisors go to PE for proper door seals and pads to shut down openings.

There are multiple reasons to lower the heat. One of them is to save money. A nicer way to put it is to be a green company and reduce UPS's carbon footprint. Many customers want a carrier that is environmentally responsible. Some require UPS to report to them the impact of shipping their products. (Yeah, Al Gore!!!)

 

[drewed]

correct me if im wrong but isnt UPS required to heat the building?

i know theyre not required to have air conditioning inside, but they have to have heat right? (same as pkg cars)

it hasnt gotten above 35 degrees here in our area in a couple weeks

the building is SO COLD you can SEE YOUR BREATH

ive brought this up to numerous supervisors who give me excuses of them having no control over it, that its corporate controlled, or that the heat is on we just cant feel it(thats BS cuz i worked midnight b4 and could feel the warmth) the union shop steward didnt even seem like he cared and just shrugged his shoulders

i swear the other night my nose was almost frostbitten.. gonna have to start wearing a damn ski mask

it would very extended exposure for your nose to be frostbitten at 35 degrees

 

[PT Stewie]

That could be Ups's new slogan a green company with brown trucks and blue employees

 

[PT Stewie]

It is the middle of winter and I am still wearing shorts. I was wearing shorts in mid-December when it was 12 degrees outside and I wore shorts last week when we had 4" of snow and I had to chain up.

Real men wear shorts and ignore the cold.

Real men wear kilts!

 

[solo827]

This is what I was told also. But in out ctr we have no lock and everyone thinks they know how to turn on the heat so they hit the reset and the on/off buttons and it screws the heaters we do have up. Might I add that the heaters are so freaken old and the heaters are way above the belt almost to the ceiling. Am I correct when I say "HEAT RISES"????? I have another question for my fellow union friends---------------
how many union meeting have you had since the new contract? Wanna know how many my center has had for the PT? READY? ONE meeting and that was right before we signed the new contract!! We pay alot of money to the union and we are treated by the union that its a problem to have a meeting for the pt employees that have simple questions like....Can we have the union Book? Is there a book? Im serious. The new hires have no idea. They just know that the union is taking out money on their checks!!!!! Can anyone enlighten me on the standards of our teamsters union and keeping us informed on what is going on, PLEASE.....

 

[UnconTROLLed]

This is what I was told also. But in out ctr we have no lock and everyone thinks they know how to turn on the heat so they hit the reset and the on/off buttons and it screws the heaters we do have up. Might I add that the heaters are so freaken old and the heaters are way above the belt almost to the ceiling. Am I correct when I say "HEAT RISES"????? I have another question for my fellow union friends---------------
how many union meeting have you had since the new contract? Wanna know how many my center has had for the PT? READY? ONE meeting and that was right before we signed the new contract!! We pay alot of money to the union and we are treated by the union that its a problem to have a meeting for the pt employees that have simple questions like....Can we have the union Book? Is there a book? Im serious. The new hires have no idea. They just know that the union is taking out money on their checks!!!!! Can anyone enlighten me on the standards of our teamsters union and keeping us informed on what is going on, PLEASE.....

There's a union? Seriously?