Staffing Grievance? *On Topic*

[Overpaid Union Thug]

For about three years now our center has really made little effort to keep preload staffed. Other than half assed attempts for peak. The result is always having at least a handful of drivers working preload and often having to have work cut off their routes and moved to others. And by Friday some barely have enough hours to be able to drive. Sometimes none. Drivers on affected routes were already getting frustrated with the extra work before the pandemic. But once it started it was like Peak started nine months early.

Most of the drivers (including stewards) that would normally be piling on grievances for every other issue are some of the ones working preload. They don’t want to touch this one because they are making bank and getting light dispatches on their routes. But, ironically, they still file on sups running routes. I’m telling everyone that complains to enforce the 9.5 list and use their 8 hour requests. If their is anyone on this forum with experience with grievances that forced their HR to hire people please chime in. I’ve heard of people filing “failure to adequately staff” grievances but I can’t find any contract language to back it up.

When I started at UPS they were hiring nonstop because the turnover was so high. Now they’ll go weeks or months without hiring.

 

[BadIdeaGuy]

For about three years now our center has really made little effort to keep preload staffed. Other than half assed attempts for peak. The result is always having at least a handful of drivers working preload and often having to have work cut off their routes and moved to others. And by Friday some barely have enough hours to be able to drive. Sometimes none. Drivers on affected routes were already getting frustrated with the extra work before the pandemic. But once it started it was like Peak started nine months early.

Most of the drivers (including stewards) that would normally be piling on grievances for every other issue are some of the ones working preload. They don’t want to touch this one because they are making bank and getting light dispatches on their routes. But, ironically, they still file on sups running routes. I’m telling everyone that complains to enforce the 9.5 list and use their 8 hour requests. If their is anyone on this forum with experience with grievances that forced their HR to hire people please chime in. I’ve heard of people filing “failure to adequately staff” grievances but I can’t find any contract language to back it up.

When I started at UPS they were hiring nonstop because the turnover was so high. Now they’ll go weeks or months without hiring.

First off, is your center utilizing a sign up sheet for both the local sort, and the preload to ask those interested if they want to sign up for extra work?
Under my local, extra part time work has to be given to part timers first. That could alleviate some driver pressure right there, if they are not following that.

But why on earth would you want to file on this?

If the company wants to pay drivers 50+ bucks an hour to load package cars, then let them. If you are on the 9.5 list, it shouldn't be hurting you, right?
The solution, is as always, to work at a safe pace. If you're getting loaded up, don't try to bust your hump getting "caught up".

They don’t want to touch this one because they are making bank and getting light dispatches on their routes. But, ironically, they still file on sups running routes.

How is that ironic?
The contract has rules about paying drivers OT for being called in before start time.
The contract also has rules about supervisors doing work only if required to make service.

They're literally just choosing the easiest contractual way to make money.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

First off, is your center utilizing a sign up sheet for both the local sort, and the preload to ask those interested if they want to sign up for extra work?
Under my local, extra part time work has to be given to part timers first. That could alleviate some driver pressure right there, if they are not following that.

Yes.

But why on earth would you want to file on this?

If the company wants to pay drivers 50+ bucks an hour to load package cars, then let them. If you are on the 9.5 list, it shouldn't be hurting you, right?
The solution, is as always, to work at a safe pace. If you're getting loaded up, don't try to bust your hump getting "caught up".

I already answered that in the original post. I personally haven’t been affected yet. But others are every day. The 9.5 list helps but the work still gets shifted to someone. And the pay for someone else is irrelevant for the drivers getting screwed. They’d rather get home to their families, hobbies, porn, whatever.

How is that ironic?
The contract has rules about paying drivers OT for being called in before start time.
The contract also has rules about supervisors doing work only if required to make service.

They're literally just choosing the easiest contractual way to make money.

The irony, which should have been obvious, is that the drivers (including stewards) that normally file on everything don’t want to lift a finger to help solve a problem that affects others regardless of whether or not the others enforce the 9.5 list. Their inaction compounds the issue and the end result (in addition to other drivers getting screwed) is supervisors working. So, there’s plenty of irony there.


So the question still remains. Is there a way to get more people hired?

 

[Boywondr]

Yes.


I already answered that in the original post. I personally haven’t been affected yet. But others are every day. The 9.5 list helps but the work still gets shifted to someone. And the pay for someone else is irrelevant for the drivers getting screwed. They’d rather get home to their families, hobbies, porn, whatever.



The irony, which should have been obvious, is that the drivers (including stewards) that normally file on everything don’t want to lift a finger to help solve a problem that affects others regardless of whether or not the others enforce the 9.5 list. Their inaction compounds the issue and the end result (in addition to other drivers getting screwed) is supervisors working. So, there’s plenty of irony there.


So the question still remains. Is there a way to get more people hired?

One question.

Are the part timers being sent home at the end of the shift and ft drivers being kept to wrap up the preload prior to their start times?

National Language, Article 3.

It's going on many places. We see it here. "Hiring freeze".
Seems to always happen just prior to May 1st. Go figure.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

One question.

Are the part timers being sent home at the end of the shift and ft drivers being kept to wrap up the preload prior to their start times?View attachment 292972
National Language, Article 3.

It's going on many places. We see it here. "Hiring freeze".
Seems to always happen just prior to May 1st. Go figure.

I’d have to ask. I see some working right up until their normal start time. And some seem to be just hanging out waiting to start. The latter could be to ration time so they don’t run out that day or later in the week. We were seeing that on Fridays allot because some were going home after preload and they were trying to hide it by pretending they were on break. None of this would be an issue (to most of us) if management created another route or routes to compensate but that isn’t being done here. We Usually don’t have enough drivers for that anyway.

 

[Boywondr]

Evidently the 9.5 drivers arent filing for being violated (including being loaded up the remaining 2 days), the abused drivers arent getting on the list, all of the above, or no one has the spine to stand up for themselves?

Normally it's the last option that bites.

Are you in a bonus building?

Max out the 8 hr requests and get a list of the drivers to rotate the requests so that they can't be contractually denied.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Evidently the 9.5 drivers arent filing for being violated (including being loaded up the remaining 2 days), the abused drivers arent getting on the list, all of the above, or no one has the spine to stand up for themselves?

Normally it's the last option that bites.

Are you in a bonus building?

Max out the 8 hr requests and get a list of the drivers to rotate the requests so that they can't be contractually denied.

Yes we are a bonus center. Most of us on the 9.5 list are filing. Not all though. The 8 hour requests are being used quite a bit but I have no idea if they are working. Sometimes UPS doesn’t care and will would rather pay the penalties. That’s why we’re trying to go a different route.

 

[Boywondr]

Yes we are a bonus center. Most of us on the 9.5 list are filing. Not all though. The 8 hour requests are being used quite a bit but I have no idea if they are working. Sometimes UPS doesn’t care and will would rather pay the penalties. That’s why we’re trying to go a different route.

Wildcat, I mean wellness Wednesday?

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Wildcat, I mean wellness Wednesday?

More like bitch and do nothing EVERYDAY. There’s only a handful of us with the guts to ACTUALLY file a grievance. The rest come running up to us for help hoping we'll act for them.

 

[Boywondr]

More like bitch and do nothing EVERYDAY. There’s only a handful of us with the guts to ACTUALLY file a grievance. The rest come running up to us for help hoping we'll act for them.

Sounds like several small centers I know. Even the 25+ year drivers are a bunch of cowards.
Let them hang.

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

Don't worry- your "elected leaders" are all over it. Be glad you aren't putting in the hours that they do.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Sounds like several small centers I know. Even the 25+ year drivers are a bunch of cowards.
Let them hang.

In mine it’s mostly the younger drivers that are pushovers.

 

[Rack em]

Sounds like several small centers I know. Even the 25+ year drivers are a bunch of cowards.
Let them hang.

In mine it’s mostly the younger drivers that are pushovers.

It's both in my center. All but maybe 2 senior drivers are a bunch of management kiss ass pusillanimous who have never filed a grievance in their entire career. One is on the 9.5 and works 10.5+ 4 days a week but never files!

Then every single one of the 5 year or less drivers are just stupid runners who will go out and do 260+ stops a day and come in under 8 hours. I hate most of the drivers in my center, it makes it harder for me to stand up for myself and enforce the contract when the entire "union" workforce criticizes me for it. I used to be friends with a lot of drivers and hang out with many outside of work, but now I keep to myself and really only hang out with 3 drivers.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

It's both in my center. All but maybe 2 senior drivers are a bunch of management kiss ass pusillanimous who have never filed a grievance in their entire career. One is on the 9.5 and works 10.5+ 4 days a week but never files!

Then every single one of the 5 year or less drivers are just stupid runners who will go out and do 260+ stops a day and come in under 8 hours. I hate most of the drivers in my center, it makes it harder for me to stand up for myself and enforce the contract when the entire "union" workforce criticizes me for it. I used to be friends with a lot of drivers and hang out with many outside of work, but now I keep to myself and really only hang out with 3 drivers.

Our so-called union guys are only so when it benefits them and has nothing to do with enforcing the contract.

 

[Boywondr]

It's both in my center. All but maybe 2 senior drivers are a bunch of management kiss ass pusillanimous who have never filed a grievance in their entire career. One is on the 9.5 and works 10.5+ 4 days a week but never files!

Then every single one of the 5 year or less drivers are just stupid runners who will go out and do 260+ stops a day and come in under 8 hours. I hate most of the drivers in my center, it makes it harder for me to stand up for myself and enforce the contract when the entire "union" workforce criticizes me for it. I used to be friends with a lot of drivers and hang out with many outside of work, but now I keep to myself and really only hang out with 3 drivers.

Their parting speech on their last day makes you want to pull the fire alarm with their whole family standing there.
SMH

 

[Rack em]

Their parting speech on their last day makes you want to pull the fire alarm with their whole family standing there.
SMH

I love watching the center manager looking at his watch during the speech because they ramble on and it's cutting into the drivers am time.

 

[Boywondr]

I love watching the center manager looking at his watch during the speech because they ramble on and it's cutting into the drivers am time.

Lol no doubt.
One driver rambled on and on about how he never had to file one grievance in 30 years because he and the management always found a way to "work it out together".

Yeah, he was so right.

We remember the times he literally cried tears in the office because they were on him for overallowed and the times he got his butt reamed for being too slow when he came back from a total knee replacement until the steward told the management to "knock it off or they'd get dragged into a harassment hearing".

Sickening bunch of spineless sissies. Heck, the women had more spine than them.

Hacks me off.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Lol no doubt.
One driver rambled on and on about how he never had to file one grievance in 30 years because he and the management always found a way to "work it out together".

Yeah, he was so right.

We remember the times he literally cried tears in the office because they were on him for overallowed and the times he got his butt reamed for being too slow when he came back from a total knee replacement until the steward told the management to "knock it off or they'd get dragged into a harassment hearing".

Sickening bunch of spineless sissies. Heck, the women had more spine than them.

Hacks me off.

Let me guess. He was also one of them dudes that was always up the dispatcher’s ass well before start time? Safety committee member? Tattletale?

 

[Boywondr]

Let me guess. He was also one of them dudes that was always up the dispatcher’s ass well before start time? Safety committee member? Tattletale?

Unusual as it is he wasnt in either category but was just noncommittal in standing up for contractual issues and kept his head down.