Problems with sups working

[menotyou]

when my sups work it is because someone is sitting home, usually the combo (22.3) employees not wanting to work one or the other half of the jobs. the combos have the highest percentages of absenteeism in our group, but most of them are so useless that the sups would just as well let them not show, and once the on call list is exhausted, usually within the first week of each month, mgmt has done every thing to bring in back up workers. our two combo stewards have filed, but not been able to win anything with the poor attendance of both the combos and the folks who sign the call in list.

Managements job is to supervise employees. If you are having issues with absenteeism, then I suggest you do what they do where I am at; paper their butts. Your sups would rather work than have them show up. is that how they make numbers? I have been in meetings where employees have been fired for being 2 minutes late, 5 minutes late, 2 hours late. I do not, in any form, condone sups working because it's easier than actually supervising the employees that they have. That is the weakest excuse I have heard on here, yet.

 

[anonymous4]

Union employees will not accept being "the man" to stand up in this environment. Don't you people get it? For $10 an hour you expect 1 out of 100 hourlies to step up and have the entire might of UPS management in that center go after them for filing? IT WON'T HAPPEN. Management has created the optimal environment to allow their sups working without consequence. The answer WAS "man up". The answer is no longer what it was. Change must happen at the top. Supervisors touching our work, taking our jobs must be penalized HARSHLY and the union employees "maning up" must know they are free from being a target. There is no more strength in numbers and that's the point. No one is filing, if you are the lone wolf who does file, your ass is grass.

What type of twisted situation is it that if we break rules, we are on the chopping block but the punishment for breaking the contract on their end is a not even enough to stop them from touching work? What follows is that employee being moved to the worst area in the building, and being run into the ground "work as directed" until they quit. If UPS wants you gone, your life will be a living hell. You want people to risk their minimum wage jobs to go through that every day? Stronger language to protect us with stronger language to punish them for taking jobs. It won't happen. The union is far too weak. But the caveat is, it is weak because of us and people like me who won't file. I've filed before, and I paid the price. I will avoid it until my union "brothers" can ensure my head isn't on the chopping block. If everyone was filing things would be different but FACT: They aren't. And when they do the process is drawn out and an enormous joke.

 

[curiousbrain]

Managements job is to supervise employees. If you are having issues with absenteeism, then I suggest you do what they do where I am at; paper their butts. Your sups would rather work than have them show up. is that how they make numbers? I have been in meetings where employees have been fired for being 2 minutes late, 5 minutes late, 2 hours late. I do not, in any form, condone sups working because it's easier than actually supervising the employees that they have. That is the weakest excuse I have heard on here, yet.

The grievances, in some areas, go nowhere. They are literally thrown into the golf bag, and never seen again. No one cares.

 

[midwest brown]

A little update. I have filed again on 2 hrs of work and my union steward literally told me I really am never going to change anything. Is there anyone higher in the union to contact? And the target is definitely on back. 4 trucks 1200+ boxes in 4 hrs

 

[menotyou]

A little update. I have filed again on 2 hrs of work and my union steward literally told me I really am never going to change anything. Is there anyone higher in the union to contact? And the target is definitely on back. 4 trucks 1200+ boxes in 4 hrs

Yes. Write a letter with a cc to your state's teamster council informing them of the harassment and that you demand something be done. File an Art. 37 grievance. Call 1-800-220-4126 to file a complaint with UPS. Keep a log every day. If things go further, you may need those notes. they make your case.

 

[splozi]

I'm sorry, but when I see the words "write a letter", I picture someone putting a note in a bottle and throwing it out into the ocean.

 

[menotyou]

It feels that way, believe me. But, it is a paper trail. Paper, Paper, Paper.

 

[splozi]

I'm a bit torn about how I feel when my sup works. I don't think my center is understaffed at all. I see new hires standing around waiting for assignment every other week. They hire people... lots of people... they just quit. I'm sure management is partially to blame with how they treat people. But they don't fire them, so in the end it's the workers choice to quit.

What I'm seeing right now is a lot of part time drivers working (loading package cars). We have three on my belt, and I know of three others. What's going to happen when volume goes up? These guys are gonna be sent out to drive, and they're going to send sups to load. But... these pt time drivers want to work, hiring new loaders and telling the drivers they can't load is a bad idea too. The only solution would be to add routes and make them all full time. This is never going to happen without cutting pay and benefits. I feel like the bs drivers have to put up with is made up by how much they earn.

I can't figure out what the best solution is in the above scenario.

But even with all of these people working, sups are still working right now. I don't think ALL of the sups work. Because we've had a sup cover our belt a few times and she stayed away from packages like they were the plague. There are some other sups that I know for sure also don't work, or work very little.

If they didn't work, and we came in 30min earlier every morning, that would be pretty great. I could afford to drink more and completely forget what work is all about!!

Unless management really starts to piss me off, I don't think I will be filing grievances. Right now, I am sitting in the lightest area on my belt. Other loaders benefit from that because I can help them throughout the morning. If I started to file... I Imagine they'd boot me out of there to hell in a heartbeat.

 

[menotyou]

The best solution would be to stand by the mutually agreed upon contract, in which they agreed that the job of a supervisor is to supervise.

 

[midwest brown]

Yes menotyou I have explained this so many times to them! I'm not trying to cause problems! I have rules I mist follow and so do they! Should I tell my steward about going higher up since he says I'm wasting my time?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Yes menotyou I have explained this so many times to them! I'm not trying to cause problems! I have rules I mist follow and so do they! Should I tell my steward about going higher up since he says I'm wasting my time?

Yes--you should tell your steward as a courtesy that you intend to go over his head directly to the BA or higher if needed.

 

[menotyou]

Yes menotyou I have explained this so many times to them! I'm not trying to cause problems! I have rules I mist follow and so do they! Should I tell my steward about going higher up since he says I'm wasting my time?

Please do. I do wish you much luck. I spent years with a target. It goes away if you make sure they realize it will not affect how assertive you will be in standing up for yourself. It sounds as if you might be in a 'bully' situation. Bullies are punks. Wussies. Just remember that. If I can at all help, please just ask.

 

[menotyou]

Let me add this, just give him an fyi. No need for him to get his feathers all ruffled.

 

[midwest brown]

I quote my steward when I say this ' this has went on for 20 years' meaning sups working and management getting away with thing. I will just tell him I am going to be contacting a BA about what is going on here.

 

[menotyou]

I quote my steward when I say this ' this has went on for 20 years' meaning sups working and management getting away with thing. I will just tell him I am going to be contacting a BA about what is going on here.

Should it get ugly, he can lose his stewardship for not doing his job.

 

[midwest brown]

In my center there is another female and myself filing. That's it. I have 1 person that tells me when the unload sup is working, he has 30+ yrs in but he just comes up to me and says hey go get some water. I go to unload for water and sure enough sup is doing something...why don't these guys file? No one will do it but me and another older woman

 

[midwest brown]

And not to mention that older female was taken off of her normal trucks that she loaded and was told her age and sex had to do with the decision. The center manager said this new employee would be a better fit. The steward heard the center manager say this and still did nothing. She filed on it but still has heard nothing.

 

[midwest brown]

I have even told this steward that I am interesting in becoming a steward because we have 2 in my center and both are FT drivers we need someone during my preload shift. Sometimes I think the grievances are just discarded if management knows they have lost it before it's even turned in

 

[menotyou]

She needs to call someone ASAP, such as the DOL, EEOC NLRB. UPS use intimidation to scare people into compliance. Some had the cajones, some are don't. But, it says a lot that people are alerting you. They respect you. You should run for steward.

 

[midwest brown]

Alot of the people who come to me started at UPS a few years before I was born lol. How do I run for steward?