Management weaponizing hour lunch

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Their choice....if they choose not to play the game....will simply result in them getting home to their families half an hour later every day.

I have been around long enough to not be intimidated. And my kids are out of the house so if I need to bring 20 stops back at 10:00 at night in order to shove managements failed dispatch back down their throat I have no problem doing so. But it is asking a lot of a new hire, who is easily intimidated and has a family at home, to sit in the truck for an entire hour in the middle of the day knowing full well that (a) he/she will face managements wrath for the service failures and (b) his/her kids will be in bed by the time they get home. The reality is that most of them are going to work thru most if not all of their lunch in order to avoid working in the dark, missing stops and getting home late. Management knows this, and cynically exploits it to their own advantage when they demand that we enter a full hour lunch.

That is why seasoned drivers like ourselves that learned to grow a pair a long time ago need to assure them that they don't have to play that game. And that suffering the late night deliveries, missed pieces, and missed after work social events pay dividends in the long run. Management eventually backs off from those that refuse to play their games and tend to pounce on the week like lions on an stray baby giraffe. At the very least they need to learn that the more work they do for free the more stops they will receive. And that can only lead to getting home that much later. I don't dare give any advice to the bonus babies though. They have dug their own graves out of selfishness so I just sit back and laugh as they complain about "losing time." I try and help the intimidated though. Hell, some of them have up to 15 years of seniority on me. It's sad.

 

[soberups]

So before, a driver could take less than an hour lunch?
If so, I was not aware of that. I thought one had to take at least an hour lunch.
Maybe they are just concerned about your safety and want you to be fresh and alert.

Different areas have different language.

When I first started, it was required that you take an hour lunch and you could only take a half hour lunch with management's permission, which was virtually never granted. One hour was automatically deducted from our timecards whether we took a lunch or not.

Now, it is the drivers choice how long to take lunch, unless this decision creates service issues. And the company can only deduct the amount entered by the driver.

"Concerned about our safety?" "Fresh and alert?" Now that's some funny stuff right there!

 

[Catatonic]

"Concerned about our safety?" "Fresh and alert?" Now that's some funny stuff right there!

I thought you might get a chuckle out of that.

 

[sportsjock]

So if UPS wants to pimp me out. I can assure you it want be for free. I give them nothing for free. If we are required to take a hour lunch, then that's what I'm doing. You pile it on you pay. You have two choices A) send help for your over dispatching or B) The stops get sheeted as missed. Those are your choices. All the rest of the BS is on UPS. I just follow the rules. My family understands and my kids are grown. So their is no rush to get home.

 

[Back first]

All I hear is excuses as to why we shouldn't take the full hour. I get an hour lunch and I take every minute of it. I really don't care if I have service issues or missed deliveries because of a bad dispatch. I can't stress enough we all should be taking lunch between the 4th and 5th hour. Don't be one of these drivers who take their lunch at the end of the day because they had to service bus. Stops, they are only helping UPS and hurting themselves.

 

[soberups]

All I hear is excuses as to why we shouldn't take the full hour. I get an hour lunch and I take every minute of it. I really don't care if I have service issues or missed deliveries because of a bad dispatch. I can't stress enough we all should be taking lunch between the 4th and 5th hour. Don't be one of these drivers who take their lunch at the end of the day because they had to service bus. Stops, they are only helping UPS and hurting themselves.

Some people don't want to take a full hour because they want to get home to their families that much earlier.

There is nothing wrong with taking a half hour lunch. The bigger issue is that we should be paid for all hours worked and we should be accurate and honest about whatever lunch we do take.

I agree with you that taking lunch at the end of the day in order to cover the businesses and pickups on an over-dispatched route only perpetuates the problem. Pull over at noon, take your lunch, and then call in to inform management of the impending service failures. Their plan, their problem.

 

[Brownsfan]

Some people don't want to take a full hour because they want to get home to their families that much earlier.

There is nothing wrong with taking a half hour lunch. The bigger issue is that we should be paid for all hours worked and we should be accurate and honest about whatever lunch we do take.

I agree with you that taking lunch at the end of the day in order to cover the businesses and pickups on an over-dispatched route only perpetuates the problem. Pull over at noon, take your lunch, and then call in to inform management of the impending service failures. Their plan, their problem.

Yes they are forcing us to take it between 4 and 5 hour. It changes the whole dynamic of the day. Before I could get home around 730, and that's when my 4 year old goes to bed. I would usually get to put him to sleep and finish the day with some son time. Now I get home around 8 and he's asleep. Wah Wah. But at least we get paid well to do it right?

 

[Back first]

I want to get home to my family too, but I refuse to give them any of my lunch. This is why we have the 95 language in the contract. The more we do the more UPS expects from us.

 

[Brownsfan]

I want to get home to my family too, but I refuse to give them any of my lunch. This is why we have the 95 language in the contract. The more we do the more UPS expects from us.

The more unrealistic expectations they expect from us. Monday is tge first day of my 5 month ride on the 9.5 list for the year.

 

[sherman22]

UPS is scared of the new 9.5 language. As a Steward I've already had to threaten retaliation grievances because they are forcing former 9.5 people to report at 2pm if they are going to be over 9.5 and trying for move former's start time back to check Orion solutions and forcing total Orion following on former 9.5ers. I've told my people to report everyday "I don't know." Luckily in our center, our past practice dictates a 10 minute paid break and a 20 minute lunch. We still have people not taking them between the 3rd and 6th hour which I'm constantly telling them to stand strong and take it then. I'm fighting that under new DOT regs it's a requirement.

 

[FrigidAdCorrector]

I've told my people to report everyday "I don't know."

You know why management starts to gain an attitude towards drivers? It's because of things like this.

 

[sherman22]

You know why management starts to gain an attitude towards drivers? It's because of things like this.

It's an honest answer. How the hell, as a driver, am I going to know at 2pm if I'm going to be in by 6:45pm (our 9.5 time with 10 minute paid and 20 unpaid break)?

 

[By The Book]

Drivers coming in early to sort and load their trucks off the clock used to be a problem in my building. After numerous grievances Labor Manager has said he will put a stop to it including progressive discipline.

Who files the grievances and how did your building stop this?

 

[soberups]

You know why management starts to gain an attitude towards drivers? It's because of things like this.

You know why drivers start to gain an attitude towards management?
Its because of things like this.

 

[BakerMayfield2018]

UPS is scared of the new 9.5 language. As a Steward I've already had to threaten retaliation grievances because they are forcing former 9.5 people to report at 2pm if they are going to be over 9.5 and trying for move former's start time back to check Orion solutions and forcing total Orion following on former 9.5ers. I've told my people to report everyday "I don't know." Luckily in our center, our past practice dictates a 10 minute paid break and a 20 minute lunch. We still have people not taking them between the 3rd and 6th hour which I'm constantly telling them to stand strong and take it then. I'm fighting that under new DOT regs it's a requirement.

No, it is not. Not for package. This has been discussed at length in other threads Also, "I don't know" isn't going to fly. You will keep getting update eta needed messages. "Around 7 or so" would work much better.

 

[oldngray]

You quickly learn to send the latest you anticipate a possible eta to be. Its OK to finish earlier but if you say you will be done too soon it is very possible you will have to go help someone else because you had the earliest eta. I didn't mind helping someone who really needed it but there were always whiners crying for help when they have less work than most other routes. If you are overly optimistic on your eta and end up finished later then you are usually still stuck helping because most other drivers have already finished and you are the only person left available to help.

 

[By The Book]

Their choice....if they choose not to play the game....will simply result in them getting home to their families half an hour later every day.

I have been around long enough to not be intimidated. And my kids are out of the house so if I need to bring 20 stops back at 10:00 at night in order to shove managements failed dispatch back down their throat I have no problem doing so. But it is asking a lot of a new hire, who is easily intimidated and has a family at home, to sit in the truck for an entire hour in the middle of the day knowing full well that (a) he/she will face managements wrath for the service failures and (b) his/her kids will be in bed by the time they get home. The reality is that most of them are going to work thru most if not all of their lunch in order to avoid working in the dark, missing stops and getting home late. Management knows this, and cynically exploits it to their own advantage when they demand that we enter a full hour lunch.

Funny how they demand we enter it, and don't demand we take it! This way when they want to screw with you they pull you in and say you were working thru your meal period.

Yes. How can they "make" you run? Anytime I needed off early and wanted to get done I chose to run hard. This has never been a 9-5 job

Next time put in an 8 hour request.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Who files the grievances and how did your building stop this?

The preload Union steward has been leading the charge on drivers working off the clock. She says it is costing the preloaders time because they just send the preloaders home and the drivers finish. Union has backed her on this and the Labor manager has committed to stopping it up to terminating drivers.

 

[By The Book]

The preload Union steward has been leading the charge on drivers working off the clock. She says it is costing the preloaders time because they just send the preloaders home and the drivers finish. Union has backed her on this and the Labor manager has committed to stopping it up to terminating drivers.

Ours is more of a case of drivers showing up anywhere from an hour to half hour from start time. I think these drivers have got in the bad habit of doing this. I don't think they are sending loaders home here and having the drivers finish. I think these drivers are competent and know the job well, they just want to get home earlier and quite possibly get more bonus. I personally only want them in the trucks if their on the clock, let the preload do their job! They are very good at what they do as well. I will have my am steward keep his eyes peeled though.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Ours is more of a case of drivers showing up anywhere from an hour to half hour from start time. I think these drivers have got in the bad habit of doing this. I don't think they are sending loaders home here and having the drivers finish. I think these drivers are competent and know the job well, they just want to get home earlier and quite possibly get more bonus. I personally only want them in the trucks if their on the clock, let the preload do their job! They are very good at what they do as well. I will have my am steward keep his eyes peeled though.

Usually there are only a few drivers who show up early and sort their own trucks. They all have a good excuse such as "I can bonus and be home early to be with my family." They also catch missloads in their trucks. Preload and Center management loves it but the word has come down, no more working off the clock. Still happens just as soon as your back is turned.