Preload shop steward

[HardknocksUPSer]

I have recently been elected as a shop steward for preload in my small center. My previous shop steward was a complete sell out. The steward used the position as an advantage for himself and completely disregarded his obligations to uphold ethical standards with employees and often played buddy-buddy with management to get a reduced work load and extra hours. The steward never backed an employee who was being disciplined and stood quiet as the employee was handed a progressive discipline form. As a new steward I strive to be the complete opposite and uphold the contract and make my shift a better place for all of my co-workers. I am grateful for the opportunity to kick the previous steward to the curb and become a respectable, knowledgeable, and ethical steward. I currently load the heaviest area in the building and have no personal relationships with management, so I have no fear of being further neglected by management, I do not intend to sell out to management and make trade off's to benefit myself. I intend to treat every employee respectfully and equally by continuing to study my contract regularly and using my contract language to teach others and bring new members to my local. What are some of the the typically situations other preload shop stewards encounter on a regular bases and how do you combat (non violent) management in the situations? Thanks.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Good ing Lord...."I weep for the future."

 

[FrigidFTSup]

What are some of the the typically situations other preload shop stewards encounter on a regular bases and how do you combat management in the situations? Thanks.

To start out, I wouldn't call it combat.

 

[HardknocksUPSer]

Good ing Lord...."I weep for the future."

I weep for you. Goodbye.

 

[HardknocksUPSer]

To start out, I wouldn't call it combat.

I didn't mean in a aggressive manner. I meant in a reflective/disagreeable manner.

 

[Number24]

Congrats

 

[cosmo1]

Uummmmm............

 

[Orion inc.]

Being a shop steward takes an understanding of balance and how that works on both sides. The company isn't always right but neither is the employee.

You have to learn when to pick and chose your battles wisely. It could be the difference in costing someone their job.

A good steward knows when to be aggressive but also when to be calm under fire. That can settle many labor disputes positively in your favor.

You might want to start reading up on the mental aspects of negotiations. Research various techniques. Also learn how to read body language. There's a whole science behind it. It'll help you in dealing with both management and hourlies.

 

[HardknocksUPSer]

Being a shop steward takes an understanding of balance and how that works on both sides. The company isn't always right but neither is the employee.

You have to learn when to pick and chose your battles wisely. It could be the difference in costing someone their job.

A good steward knows when to be aggressive but also when to be calm under fire. That can settle many labor disputes positively in your favor.

You might want to start reading up on the mental aspects of negotiations. Research various techniques. Also learn how to read body language. There's a whole science behind it. It'll help you in dealing with both management and hourlies.

Thanks for a useful reply! Appreciate your input on that and I will look into some of the techniques used by seasoned stewards. Great idea. I would think that learning how to deal with various situations smoothly and quickly would be very useful. Thanks agian.

 

[barnyard]

Read the contract and your supplement. Always have one handy and be ready to refer to it.

 

[Shonuff]

and how do you combat (non violent) management in the situations? Thanks.

First and foremost, congrats on your new position. It's refreshing to meet a shop steward who is willing to be proactive in favor of his/her UPS teamster brothers/sisters. By the sounds of it, it seems like you will do everything you can to back your fellow mates, but this role requires a lot of political maneuvering on your part. The word "combat", although you mention in a "non-violent" way still is a very aggressive word in describing negotiations with management.

As much as I show love for the people I work with day in and day out, there are unfortunately, some workers who take advantage of the system, and thus give the teamsters a bad name. Its great that you have the passion to fight for workers that have been treated unjustly, however, it will be quite a task dealing with situations that involve teamsters taking advantage of Union protection.

I'm not talking about the 15-20 year guy that put in his time, worked hard and as a result may be a little slower due to age, etc. Seniority should always be respected in those cases. I'm talking about the smart mouth 20 something year old that has been there 2 years, physically fit, yet his lazy a55 is on his cell phone every 5 minutes while boxes are falling on the floor and his other teammates are working at a nice steady pace.

Be a big brother to that young man and inspire him, and if he is still dead weight, sometimes you have to side with management cause we don't need workers like that. We want true teamsters. Sometimes the Union offers too much protection to those who don't deserve it. Protecting workers like that in the long run will just make us more weaker at the bargaining table come contract time.

 

[Future]

I weep for you. Goodbye.

 

[Catatonic]

How about those damn Surepost packages costing jobs?

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

How about those damn Surepost packages costing jobs?

It creates more preload jobs but costs driver jobs.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

To start out, I wouldn't call it combat.

Sometimes it is. Doesn't have to be that way.

 

[HardknocksUPSer]

Read the contract and your supplement. Always have one handy and be ready to refer to it.

Have a locker full of new contracts ready to pass out, thanks!

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Have a locker full of new contracts ready to pass out, thanks!

You also need a stack of grievance forms.

 

[HardknocksUPSer]

How about those damn Surepost packages costing jobs?

Have already asked management about sure post packages before and cannot seem to get a clear definition of what a "oversized" sure post package is? I agree that sure post is ridiculous.

 

[HardknocksUPSer]

First and foremost, congrats on your new position. It's refreshing to meet a shop steward who is willing to be proactive in favor of his/her UPS teamster brothers/sisters. By the sounds of it, it seems like you will do everything you can to back your fellow mates, but this role requires a lot of political maneuvering on your part. The word "combat", although you mention in a "non-violent" way still is a very aggressive word in describing negotiations with management.

As much as I show love for the people I work with day in and day out, there are unfortunately, some workers who take advantage of the system, and thus give the teamsters a bad name. Its great that you have the passion to fight for workers that have been treated unjustly, however, it will be quite a task dealing with situations that involve teamsters taking advantage of Union protection.

I'm not talking about the 15-20 year guy that put in his time, worked hard and as a result may be a little slower due to age, etc. Seniority should always be respected in those cases. I'm talking about the smart mouth 20 something year old that has been there 2 years, physically fit, yet his lazy a55 is on his cell phone every 5 minutes while boxes are falling on the floor and his other teammates are working at a nice steady pace.

Be a big brother to that young man and inspire him, and if he is still dead weight, sometimes you have to side with management cause we don't need workers like that. We want true teamsters. Sometimes the Union offers too much protection to those who don't deserve it. Protecting workers like that in the long run will just make us more weaker at the bargaining table come contract time.

Hi, thanks for a honest reply. I would agree that there are those of which do and will take advantage of the union protection. There's a young guy just this week that pissed off management due to being on his phone while sorting so he was moved to PC cars loading, I AM in my twenties but I do my job and encouraged him to stay off of his phone while working. I believe loading cars will keep him off of his phone and there will be no more problems. He was in a higher seniority position slacking off so the move allowed for a more senior member to recieve a better job and the cell phone guy got to go load PC's like he should have been doing to begin with. Everyone should pull their own weight, we are getting paid. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[HardknocksUPSer]

You also need a stack of grievance forms.

Whole folder of them in there[emoji106] do need to get with my local to get more some more union applications. There's quite a few upcoming new hires who want to join.