Repercussions for crossing a picket line?

B

Box Ox

Well-Known Member
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret) said:
I applaud your resolve and decision to ignore the Joe Unions on this forum
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ud.gif
 
brett636

brett636

Well-Known Member
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret) said:
@brett636 I applaud your resolve and decision to ignore the Joe Unions on this forum and, I assume, at your center/hub, by choosing to use your time more productively. The "success"---there are no "winners" in a strike---of a possible (not gonna happen) work stoppage is not going to be based on how many people are standing by the side of the road by their respective work locations but rather by the willingness of the Company and Union to work together to reach an agreement which takes care of both sides. Your co-workers may give you some grief over not having stood alongside them, especially if you make the ill-fated decision to accept your "strike pay", but that grief will fade after a week or so of having returned to work; however, if you were to make the shortsighted decision to cross an active picket line, that grief will turn in to full blown anger and resentment that will linger until you retire. Based on your previous posts, I have no doubt that you possess the financial resources to not even consider crossing. You did mention taking your CDL to make a quick buck elsewhere----do yourself a favor----don't do that. Take your vacation week the first week of August and enjoy a few extra days (unpaid) off if the contract has still not been completed by then. I am quite confident that there will not be a strike as I see an agreement in principle in place by the end of June with voting to take place in mid-July. Sadly, as has always been the case, fewer than 1/3 of eligible hourlies will be bothered to return their ballots.

Back in '97 we were still at our old facility which was at the end of a long driveway off of a busy 4 lane road (Rt. 3) in Plattsburgh NY. The boys set up shop out by the road. I pulled a shift on the first day and, based on what I observed, knew that my time would be wasted there, so I got a short term construction job. No, I did not accept either of the two $55 checks from the union as I had not "worked the line". The first day was like being on vacation----we grilled, drank and enjoyed the support of the vast majority of those who drove by; however, as the strike dragged on, the party atmosphere faded and, after a local newspaper printed an article in which they revealed our hourly wages down to the penny, public support also faded. No one crossed but even if they had tried to their efforts would have been thwarted as the Company locked us out. We did have a couple of more vocal hourlies who used the strike as their opportunity to tell the Company what they really thought----both were gone within a couple of months of our return to work. We had one hourly who had a little too much to drink who would verbally accost any non-supporters who expressed their displeasure by telling us to "get out 'butts' back to work"---he even ran out in to traffic and tried to confront one physically. (Jim B.) He no longer works there. The on-cars and center manager would stop by the line to make sure folks were behaving themselves and to give us updates, which were few. I think there may have been a time when they bought the boys pizza. Ours was a more friendly union/company center and when it did come time to go back to work it was (almost) business as usual. The new facility is on a much quieter two lane road and, as such, a picket line there would have very little impact. They may have to go down to the corner to set up shop.

@brett636 You are an adult who is more than capable of making your own decision based on your own personal financial situation. Don't worry about "honoring those who came before us" or "reaping the benefits without having put in your time on the line". As I stated above, the picket lines, other than garnering a few minutes of TV time on the local news, will do nothing to impact negotiations. Good luck to you in whatever you decide. David.
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Thanks for that well thought out response.

Like you I find a strike to be a very remote possibility. Personally I was thinking an agreement will be reached by mid to late July, but having something to vote on by the end of June would be even better. It’s just disappointing to see those who revel in the ideal of a strike and act as if it’s a right of passage. I would be perfectly content making it to retirement(18 years to go!) without having ever experienced a strike.

In your story about what occurred during the ‘97 strike you brought up a very valid point. In that remote possibility of a strike there will be some emotionally charged people on the picket line, and add in some alcohol and summer heat and the situation will be ripe for bad things to happen. Anyone a little too close to the action could find themselves with legal issues to contend with that they didn’t ask for. I hope it doesn’t come to this, but after the summer of 2020 it’s a given someone will go too far.

Honestly I don’t foresee me needing to pickup a temporary job if a strike were to occur. I suppose it depends on how long the wife can stand having me at home. Lol. We are setup to weather a long storm if needed, but as is the case with all contingency plans you hope you won’t need them.

Thanks for being the voice of reason in this discussion with unreasonable people. I hope you are enjoying your retirement!
 
Thebrownblob

Thebrownblob

Well-Known Member
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret) said:
Your only "duty" is to give the Company a "fair day's work" in exchange for a "fair day's pay".

This is a seniority job----your predecessors put in their 30 which then allows you to put in your 30 so that your successors can put in their 30. It is not your duty to ensure that those who follow make the most of their opportunity.
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As usual your clueless
 
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
brett636 said:
Thanks for that well thought out response.

Like you I find a strike to be a very remote possibility. Personally I was thinking an agreement will be reached by mid to late July, but having something to vote on by the end of June would be even better. It’s just disappointing to see those who revel in the ideal of a strike and act as if it’s a right of passage. I would be perfectly content making it to retirement(18 years to go!) without having ever experienced a strike.

In your story about what occurred during the ‘97 strike you brought up a very valid point. In that remote possibility of a strike there will be some emotionally charged people on the picket line, and add in some alcohol and summer heat and the situation will be ripe for bad things to happen. Anyone a little too close to the action could find themselves with legal issues to contend with that they didn’t ask for. I hope it doesn’t come to this, but after the summer of 2020 it’s a given someone will go too far.

Honestly I don’t foresee me needing to pickup a temporary job if a strike were to occur. I suppose it depends on how long the wife can stand having me at home. Lol. We are setup to weather a long storm if needed, but as is the case with all contingency plans you hope you won’t need them.

Thanks for being the voice of reason in this discussion with unreasonable people. I hope you are enjoying your retirement!
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that 1997 and 2023 are world's apart.

In 1997 we had support from the general public. Times were good and people wanted us to get all that we could.

In 2023 there will be ZERO support from the general public. People are struggling----granted, many are struggling due to their own stupid decisions---and once they learn that a FT seniority RPCD who works 1-2 hours per week of OT per week earns 6 figures for a job that requires only a HS diploma and valid drivers license, they will be asking where to sign up.

In addition, there are far too many UPSers living paycheck to paycheck, a fact that the Company is well aware of.

Sean wants to make a splash with his first big Teamster contract but in the end the 2023-2028 agreement will be business as usual with the bulk of the contract dealing with substance abuse.

There were unfortunate incidents in the larger hubs in '97. I believe a manager died while driving a tractor trailer.

The 18 years will fly by. I can't believe that I will be starting my 6th year of retirement in July. I keep busy with volunteering at the VA and playing pickleball and Papa.
 
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
over9five said:
Lucky for us past generations didn't think like some of these guys. We wouldn't have what we have...
Click to expand...
*, you have been to ALBNY (Latham). As you know, the hub, which is on Avis Dr, is about a mile or so off of Rte 7. How much of an impact are a handful of guys going to have holding signs out by the road? Even if they chose to go out to the corner of Wade Rd and Rte 7, the impact would still be minimal and could become confrontational.

I have never been to CHEMA----I try to stay out of the hood whenever possible---but I imagine that it is a similar setup which would lead to a similar result.

The strike, if there is one, will be focused on CACH and Worldport.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
rod

rod

Retired 23 years
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret) said:
@brett636 I applaud your resolve and decision to ignore the Joe Unions on this forum and, I assume, at your center/hub, by choosing to use your time more productively. The "success"---there are no "winners" in a strike---of a possible (not gonna happen) work stoppage is not going to be based on how many people are standing by the side of the road by their respective work locations but rather by the willingness of the Company and Union to work together to reach an agreement which takes care of both sides. Your co-workers may give you some grief over not having stood alongside them, especially if you make the ill-fated decision to accept your "strike pay", but that grief will fade after a week or so of having returned to work; however, if you were to make the shortsighted decision to cross an active picket line, that grief will turn in to full blown anger and resentment that will linger until you retire. Based on your previous posts, I have no doubt that you possess the financial resources to not even consider crossing. You did mention taking your CDL to make a quick buck elsewhere----do yourself a favor----don't do that. Take your vacation week the first week of August and enjoy a few extra days (unpaid) off if the contract has still not been completed by then. I am quite confident that there will not be a strike as I see an agreement in principle in place by the end of June with voting to take place in mid-July. Sadly, as has always been the case, fewer than 1/3 of eligible hourlies will be bothered to return their ballots.

Back in '97 we were still at our old facility which was at the end of a long driveway off of a busy 4 lane road (Rt. 3) in Plattsburgh NY. The boys set up shop out by the road. I pulled a shift on the first day and, based on what I observed, knew that my time would be wasted there, so I got a short term construction job. No, I did not accept either of the two $55 checks from the union as I had not "worked the line". The first day was like being on vacation----we grilled, drank and enjoyed the support of the vast majority of those who drove by; however, as the strike dragged on, the party atmosphere faded and, after a local newspaper printed an article in which they revealed our hourly wages down to the penny, public support also faded. No one crossed but even if they had tried to their efforts would have been thwarted as the Company locked us out. We did have a couple of more vocal hourlies who used the strike as their opportunity to tell the Company what they really thought----both were gone within a couple of months of our return to work. We had one hourly who had a little too much to drink who would verbally accost any non-supporters who expressed their displeasure by telling us to "get out 'butts' back to work"---he even ran out in to traffic and tried to confront one physically. (Jim B.) He no longer works there. The on-cars and center manager would stop by the line to make sure folks were behaving themselves and to give us updates, which were few. I think there may have been a time when they bought the boys pizza. Ours was a more friendly union/company center and when it did come time to go back to work it was (almost) business as usual. The new facility is on a much quieter two lane road and, as such, a picket line there would have very little impact. They may have to go down to the corner to set up shop.

@brett636 You are an adult who is more than capable of making your own decision based on your own personal financial situation. Don't worry about "honoring those who came before us" or "reaping the benefits without having put in your time on the line". As I stated above, the picket lines, other than garnering a few minutes of TV time on the local news, will do nothing to impact negotiations. Good luck to you in whatever you decide. David.
Click to expand...
BARF
 
burrheadd

burrheadd

KING Of GIFS
brett636 said:
Given the number of people we have that are one or two paychecks away from bankruptcy they will have no choice but to sit on the picket line if they want to keep all their bills current. Then you have those who want to do as little work as possible who will gladly eat hamburgers and hotdogs while sitting in a chair at the gate and get paid to do so. My time is worth more than that so you won’t find me out there, and to be frank nobody will miss me there either.

Honestly I just don’t care what they think. They don’t pay my mortgage or my light bill. If they think it’s so important to be walking the line then they can do it themselves.

Those who struggle do so largely because of their own choices. You shouldn’t hate on those whose choices put them beyond the struggle.
Click to expand...

What I get out of that is your 2 weeks away from bankruptcy and don’t want to admit it
 
burrheadd

burrheadd

KING Of GIFS
brett636 said:
Thanks for that well thought out response.

Like you I find a strike to be a very remote possibility. Personally I was thinking an agreement will be reached by mid to late July, but having something to vote on by the end of June would be even better. It’s just disappointing to see those who revel in the ideal of a strike and act as if it’s a right of passage. I would be perfectly content making it to retirement(18 years to go!) without having ever experienced a strike.

In your story about what occurred during the ‘97 strike you brought up a very valid point. In that remote possibility of a strike there will be some emotionally charged people on the picket line, and add in some alcohol and summer heat and the situation will be ripe for bad things to happen. Anyone a little too close to the action could find themselves with legal issues to contend with that they didn’t ask for. I hope it doesn’t come to this, but after the summer of 2020 it’s a given someone will go too far.

Honestly I don’t foresee me needing to pickup a temporary job if a strike were to occur. I suppose it depends on how long the wife can stand having me at home. Lol. We are setup to weather a long storm if needed, but as is the case with all contingency plans you hope you won’t need them.

Thanks for being the voice of reason in this discussion with unreasonable people. I hope you are enjoying your retirement!
Click to expand...

Kindred spirits
Makes me wanna puke
 

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