Local 25 Teamsters borderline criminal act?

[Yolo]

Working a union job and they shouldn't have to pay dues? That's freeloading. It isn't right that their whole check is gone but UPS dropped the ball on that one.

They did pay union dues!

 

[Frankie's Friend]

Working a union job and they shouldn't have to pay dues? That's freeloading. It isn't right that their whole check is gone but UPS dropped the ball on that one.

Who is freeloading ???
The temporary seasonal workers pay union dues and initiation fees but ... wait for it...

Get no union representation.

Who is screwing whom?

 

[wide load]

Hello,

My name is Austin and I just recently started working as a seasonal part-time package handler for a UPS facility in Massachusetts back in late October. When I was hired the company had made it clear to me on my first day that the job was seasonal, however, I would still need to begin paying an initiation fee to the Local 25 Teamsters Union. The initiation fee is $500.

On my first day I was provided with union paperwork which I read thoroughly and signed off on. In the paper work it stated that the initiation fee was $500, however the Teamsters recognized that a part-time employee is financially unable to pay $500 upfront, so the fee was broken down into 15 and a half weeks of 32$ payments.

To mine surprise, when I received my pay check today it stated $0. At first I thought it was a mistake, but then other employees started expressing similar concerns saying either the majority or the entirety of their paycheck had been drained, even their attendance bonuses. In my paystub it clearly stated that the entire amount of my paycheck was deducted for Union dues.

Now this is where it gets interesting. Upon everyone receiving their paychecks, a mob began to form in the middle of the building, all employees upset that their entire pay checks had been drained due two union dues. It also appeared that no one seemed to know why this had happened.

Upon speaking with management, they had assured us that they had no idea that this was going to happen and that for the last 20 years an event like this had never taken place before. They then went on to say that union dues had always been taken out in incremental amounts until completed, never has employees checks been completely drained.

Management then referred employees affected by this issue to their union stewards. Now the mob switched their attention from management to the stewards standing by. The stewards seemed to have no idea that this was going to happen and could offer no explanation. Some of them even tried to shift the blame from the Union to UPS and Human Resources. After the crowd calmed down, we were given the Union Halls number which I immediately picked up my phone and called.

A women picked up and assured me that she had been receiving calls all day regarding the issue and could do nothing for me but take my name and number and refer it to the business rep. She said that the contract states that after 31 days the union has the right to take any remaining dues in full. I then proceeded to tell her that in the paper work I signed states the fee would be broken down into payments. To that, she had no comment. I then asked her who in the Union made this decision and she said that she did not know, but she felt terrible for those employees.


Now, the reason why I am on Browncafe today is to see if anyone else from another Union did or has experienced a similar issue before? It seems to me almost criminal to take someone's entire weeks pay check at the beginning of the month when bills are due, just a few weeks before Christmas, especially when they are seasonal employees and will most likely never be able to take advantage of the benefits. For me, it wasn't as much of a big deal because I have a full-time job during the day and only picked up this job to help make some additional income for the holiday season and get in shape. I saw one employee crying because she had children at home to feed and was living paycheck to paycheck.

I also did a little research on Google and found an article from November 2018 stating that the Local 25 teamsters union was $5B in debt for their pension plan. Maybe there is a link between this event?

Please no trolls!

It happens to a lot of people. It happens in local 251 too. Did you go to the local and inquire?

 

[Frankie's Friend]

You support freeloaders? It sucks that these employees lost most if not all of their checks but you don't think that a employee working in a union job should have to pay union dues? Regardless of what time of the year it is. Most people don't realize it but Chelmsford is a dumpster fire to say the least. Most of these employees if not of these employees will still be there after peak.

All except the ones that quit because they got blindsided.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Working a union job and they shouldn't have to pay dues? That's freeloading. It isn't right that their whole check is gone but UPS dropped the ball on that one.

How many weeks or months would you work for free? Especially for a minimum wage job with no benefits. Sounds like slavery to me. I know you have said you have to represent seasonal employees, but what was the long term outcome? They were allowed to stay employed another week so they could donate another paycheck to the Teamsters?

 

[Yolo]

If this isn't fixed Monday morning you need to contact your local news and put these scumbags on blast.

 

[Boston25]

They did pay union dues!

They didn't before hand! A lot of employees even ones who aren't new hires for peak weren't paying dues because UPS wasn't turning in the applications to the union. So no they weren't paying dues up until they got their whole check deducted for it.

 

[Skooney]

****** It's a obvious mistake and will be corrected.

Bulllllll.

In 20+ years, 9 as a steward before I transferred I never saw one single person with a dues mistake get a dime back. I can't tell you how many times local 959 has made a mistake and took double from people, and no one ever got a dime back.

 

[Boston25]

How many weeks or months would you work for free? Especially for a minimum wage job with no benefits. Sounds like slavery to me. I know you have said you have to represent seasonal employees, but what was the long term outcome? They were allowed to stay employed another week so they could donate another paycheck to the Teamsters?

The long term outcome was that they still work here they never left. Even after their checks were all gone. It's a mistake and it happens.

 

[Boston25]

Bulllllll.

In 20+ years, 9 as a steward before I transferred I never saw one single person with a dues mistake get a dime back. I can't tell you how many times local 959 has made a mistake and took double from people, and no one ever got a dime back. Quit blowing smoke up this dudes ass.

I have seen it corrected before.

 

[Yolo]

Local 25 is a criminal organization

 

[Boston25]

Local 25 is a criminal organization

Why because they got dues that were going to them contractually like they were suppose to? It's just that typical UPS screwed it up and took out too much? And UPS didn't turn in the dues applications like they were suppose to? Or how about how UPS has been letting union employees work at a union job and not pay their dues for months? Don't feed me the bull they were paying dues cause you're not even in my local.

 

[Boston25]

You sound like a typical manager from UPS

 

[Boston25]

Who is freeloading ???
The temporary seasonal workers pay union dues and initiation fees but ... wait for it...

Get no union representation.

Who is screwing whom?

You're wrong they DO get union representation and most stewards including myself have had to represent them.

 

[ManInBrown]

Hello,

My name is Austin and I just recently started working as a seasonal part-time package handler for a UPS facility in Massachusetts back in late October. When I was hired the company had made it clear to me on my first day that the job was seasonal, however, I would still need to begin paying an initiation fee to the Local 25 Teamsters Union. The initiation fee is $500.

On my first day I was provided with union paperwork which I read thoroughly and signed off on. In the paper work it stated that the initiation fee was $500, however the Teamsters recognized that a part-time employee is financially unable to pay $500 upfront, so the fee was broken down into 15 and a half weeks of 32$ payments.

To mine surprise, when I received my pay check today it stated $0. At first I thought it was a mistake, but then other employees started expressing similar concerns saying either the majority or the entirety of their paycheck had been drained, even their attendance bonuses. In my paystub it clearly stated that the entire amount of my paycheck was deducted for Union dues.

Now this is where it gets interesting. Upon everyone receiving their paychecks, a mob began to form in the middle of the building, all employees upset that their entire pay checks had been drained due two union dues. It also appeared that no one seemed to know why this had happened.

Upon speaking with management, they had assured us that they had no idea that this was going to happen and that for the last 20 years an event like this had never taken place before. They then went on to say that union dues had always been taken out in incremental amounts until completed, never has employees checks been completely drained.

Management then referred employees affected by this issue to their union stewards. Now the mob switched their attention from management to the stewards standing by. The stewards seemed to have no idea that this was going to happen and could offer no explanation. Some of them even tried to shift the blame from the Union to UPS and Human Resources. After the crowd calmed down, we were given the Union Halls number which I immediately picked up my phone and called.

A women picked up and assured me that she had been receiving calls all day regarding the issue and could do nothing for me but take my name and number and refer it to the business rep. She said that the contract states that after 31 days the union has the right to take any remaining dues in full. I then proceeded to tell her that in the paper work I signed states the fee would be broken down into payments. To that, she had no comment. I then asked her who in the Union made this decision and she said that she did not know, but she felt terrible for those employees.


Now, the reason why I am on Browncafe today is to see if anyone else from another Union did or has experienced a similar issue before? It seems to me almost criminal to take someone's entire weeks pay check at the beginning of the month when bills are due, just a few weeks before Christmas, especially when they are seasonal employees and will most likely never be able to take advantage of the benefits. For me, it wasn't as much of a big deal because I have a full-time job during the day and only picked up this job to help make some additional income for the holiday season and get in shape. I saw one employee crying because she had children at home to feed and was living paycheck to paycheck.

I also did a little research on Google and found an article from November 2018 stating that the Local 25 teamsters union was $5B in debt for their pension plan. Maybe there is a link between this event?

Please no trolls!

k

 

[Peak Cardboard]

I’ve done the inquiry already and spoke with finance. The union locals communicate what deductions need to be made and the company makes said deductions. Local 25 fouled up. Plain and simple.

THE COMPANY MAKES DEDUCTIONS.... So in other words, the deductions should’ve been made all along and the company did not remit them (as they’ve done time and time again) That money is contractually and legally owed and the COMPANY is the one that decided to take all that money out of one check-not the union. Don’t throw this on the union, the COMPANY friend’d up plain and simple.

 

[Frankie's Friend]

You're wrong they DO get union representation and most stewards including myself have had to represent them.

Not here. Not that it matters anyway.

 

[BigBrown87]

If I'm getting paid 0 dollars at any job, em I'm out.

 

[Mart Man]

This post isn't arguing against paying a union initiation fee or dues. I believe this job should be unionized. My only issue was that they decided to take peoples entire pay checks the first week of the month a few weeks before Christmas.

Other than that, the benefits which come with being represented by the union sound good. Health care and pensions are great, but to take some ones entire paycheck without notifying them before sounds a bit messed up... I think this is something we can all agree on

 

[Mart Man]

Either way, it seems that none of us truly know what happened and at the end of the day it seems that both the union and ups are at fault for letting this happen.

Could a moderator delete this thread?