On Topic: UPS attempting to terminate newer driver after filing grievances

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

This is why I'm glad my center manager is not only a 25 year package car vet, but also ran my route way back in the day. He allows me to take a 30 minute lunch instead of the mandatory hour because he knows how heavy the business and the pickups are. I could take an hour if I chose to but I prefer 30 minutes.

Does he give every driver the same option?

 

[BrownTexas]

Maybe it's different in other locations but that is exactly how my building operates, you want a full break you better pack a lunch or stop in an area next to a restaurant on your route. Thats how we are trained and the union agrees with it.

Why push it for a few extra minutes...for me an hour lunch felt like an eternity anyway. To me DUMB is risking your job for something this trivial.

It's not trivial. I take lunch and workout. 2 breaks totaling an hour. My lunch starts when I stop the truck. You are not required to take lunch until you are 100% relieved of duty.

 

[Northbaypkg]

Does he give every driver the same option?

In a way, yes. It used to be that we all had a choice of 30 or 60. But then they started this push for mandatory hour lunch. They told us that if we still wanted to take half an hour it would have to be approved by the center manager. I don't know who all asked for 30 minutes but I know my request was approved.

 

[scooby0048]

Just the same as, don't sort your pkg car backed up to lunch or a break.

Interesting. I routinely sort my truck immediately after lunch and send any misloads I see right then and there. I don't have a target on my back or anything but you're saying this could be an issue if there were?

I do exactly that and guess what, I will continue to do that not because I'm stealing time, but because I like to eat and take a break and try to digest a little before getting back in the seat. After I eat, I am refreshed and ready for the second part of my day and sorting for 5-10 minutes helps me to clear my head, plan the rest of my day, and double check for misloads and lingering businesses that will need to be taken care of before 5.

Just because I go inside Taco Bell or wherever to eat and clock out for such, I am not going to go run a stop or two just to look good for some report. Once I retake possession of that brown shtbox, I'm going on the clock and if sorting takes 5-10 minutes, so be it. If they think I'm stealing time by doing that, get a camera or put someone in the car with me to prove otherwise.

 

[Brownslave688]

In a way, yes. It used to be that we all had a choice of 30 or 60. But then they started this push for mandatory hour lunch. They told us that if we still wanted to take half an hour it would have to be approved by the center manager. I don't know who all asked for 30 minutes but I know my request was approved.

Well they can't approve it on a person by person basis.


Either everyone get a choice or they don't. That's kind of what unions are for. Make sure all are treated equally.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I do exactly that and guess what, I will continue to do that not because I'm stealing time, but because I like to eat and take a break and try to digest a little before getting back in the seat. After I eat, I am refreshed and ready for the second part of my day and sorting for 5-10 minutes helps me to clear my head, plan the rest of my day, and double check for misloads and lingering businesses that will need to be taken care of before 5.

Just because I go inside Taco Bell or wherever to eat and clock out for such, I am not going to go run a stop or two just to look good for some report. Once I retake possession of that brown shtbox, I'm going on the clock and if sorting takes 5-10 minutes, so be it. If they think I'm stealing time by doing that, get a camera or put someone in the car with me to prove otherwise.

They asked us not to sort before or after our lunch here.
My supervisor knows whats going on but I believe someone above him is looking at the time gaps.

 

[Brownslave688]

They asked us not to sort before or after our lunch here.
My supervisor knows whats going on but I believe someone above him is looking at the time gaps.

Don't know why you need to sort with that perfect load you get every day.

 

[Northbaypkg]

Well they can't approve it on a person by person basis.


Either everyone get a choice or they don't. That's kind of what unions are for. Make sure all are treated equally.

Yeah that's what I would think. I didn't make the decision, they did. There hasn't been any big issue with it so I'm guessing everyone that wanted the 30 minute lunch got approved. Otherwise like you said, any driver that got denied could easily call the union and claim discrimination or something. Then they'd have to either force everyone to take an hour, or give everyone the choice to take 30 or 60, no approval needed.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Yeah that's what I would think. I didn't make the decision, they did. There hasn't been any big issue with it so I'm guessing everyone that wanted the 30 minute lunch got approved. Otherwise like you said, any driver that got denied could easily call the union and claim discrimination or something. Then they'd have to either force everyone to take an hour, or give everyone the choice to take 30 or 60, no approval needed.

Do the cover drivers have to abide by the bid drivers choice?

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Don't know why you need to sort with that perfect load you get every day.

I wish!!!

 

[BigD Bri]

I've been reading this thread, not all of it, but enough if it to see i'm gonna need to really pay attention to when I'm gonna need to take a piss... Also, it raises a question I was going to ask anyway, which was: Are you required to take a lunch? Looks like you are, from what I'm reading here..

 

[Northbaypkg]

Do the cover drivers have to abide by the bid drivers choice?

TBH I'm not sure. The cover drivers who do my route can choose whether they want 30 or 60 so I'd imagine it should be the same for everyone.

 

[Brownslave688]

I've been reading this thread, not all of it, but enough if it to see i'm gonna need to really pay attention to when I'm gonna need to take a piss... Also, it raises a question I was going to ask anyway, which was: Are you required to take a lunch? Looks like you are, from what I'm reading here..

You don't have to pay attention. Piss when you need to.

 

[Billy Ray]

I can't even imagine sitting down for an hour; usually have 3 entries for break, sometimes 4.

 

[wayfair]

OP should have filed on the ORS for working while riding with him too.

We are instructed to go through load by 2pm for misloads. I sort mine then.

We have been instructed that if we go over lunch, document it. Meaning to punch back in when you get back to work.

if you go over 10 minutes, add it to finish time

 

[Fnix]

Ive been out with sups riding with me and if I need to use the restroom for more less 5 mins I just tell them and no issues. You have a target on your back and thats why this has gotten so ridiculous. If I know i'll be longer than 5 mins I deduct it as part of my breaks.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Ive been out with sups riding with me and if I need to use the restroom for more less 5 mins I just tell them and no issues. You have a target on your back and thats why this has gotten so ridiculous. If I know i'll be longer than 5 mins I deduct it as part of my breaks.

If I have a sup on the car and we are making a commercial delivery with a public restroom I will ask him to deliver the package while I take a leak.

 

[By The Book]

OP should have filed on the ORS for working while riding with him too.

We are instructed to go through load by 2pm for misloads. I sort mine then.

We have been instructed that if we go over lunch, document it. Meaning to punch back in when you get back to work.

if you go over 10 minutes, add it to finish time

Your saying to record in diad an hour and 5 minutes if that was how long you took? Could you code out an hour and then code out a 5 minute break?

 

[By The Book]

Ive been out with sups riding with me and if I need to use the restroom for more less 5 mins I just tell them and no issues. You have a target on your back and thats why this has gotten so ridiculous. If I know i'll be longer than 5 mins I deduct it as part of my breaks.

So you've established that 5 minutes is the norm for your bathroom break, and said there's no issues if you tell them it'll be longer when they rode with you. My question....why code out any time from this point on if it goes over 5 minutes? At the very least only code out the time over 5 minutes, you picking up what I'm putting down?

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

If I have a sup on the car and we are making a commercial delivery with a public restroom I will ask him to deliver the package while I take a leak.

Wrong answer.