What is considered harassment by supervisors?

[But Benefits Are Great!]

Here you go Dannyboy, i'm showing you in the contract book where it spells it out. I'm very surprised and almost shocked you do not know of this language. There is not gray area here.


Section 1.

(a) ... The Employer shall not in any way intimidate, harass, coerce or overly supervise any employee in the performance of his or her duties. The Employer will treat employees with dignity and respect at all times, which shall include, but not be limited to, giving due consideration to the age and physical condition of the employee.
Employees will also treat each other as well as the Employer with dignity and respect.

Using the limited amount of information presented here;

You are in one of the few UPS positions that has a set requirement (40wpm), and you admittedly cannot reach that goal.

Your supervisor would be negligent if he were NOT riding you. It's called supervision. Your supervior has two choices; One, he "supervises" you, advising that you have to step it up or, two, he relocates or terminates you. Which would you prefer?

If you are unable to complete the minimum required work for the position, you expect him to just smile & leave you alone? It is not harassment, it is his job.

The above quoted contract language would come in to play if you and everyone in that position were doing their job satisfactorily, and the sup rode just you. That is not the case. There is no grievable offense here.

If I were your sup and knew you felt this way, when you know your performance was sub-par, I would re-assign you elsewhere, or terminate you. He is doing yopu a favor by giving you a chance to meet standards.

 

[hyena]

I have a supervisor who's really riding me right now. He says that I'm too slow so he watches every single move I make and gives very annoying pointers and corrections to what I'm doing. I'm a PAS clerk who can't really type all that fast and he's not really that understanding of that fact. My union rep says that I can't grieve this but everyone else says that I can and tells me to go to another union rep and complain about harassment. Is this wise?

How long have you been with UPS? Did you sign a paper saying you would have to type 40wpm? Or did they just put you on the job and expect you to know it? What I do less work then most is citing for you is article 37 of the National Master Agreement.

 

[LiL"Comet"]

Using the limited amount of information presented here;

You are in one of the few UPS positions that has a set requirement (40wpm), and you admittedly cannot reach that goal.

Your supervisor would be negligent if he were NOT riding you. It's called supervision. Your supervior has two choices; One, he "supervises" you, advising that you have to step it up or, two, he relocates or terminates you. Which would you prefer?

If you are unable to complete the minimum required work for the position, you expect him to just smile & leave you alone? It is not harassment, it is his job.

The above quoted contract language would come in to play if you and everyone in that position were doing their job satisfactorily, and the sup rode just you. That is not the case. There is no grievable offense here.

If I were your sup and knew you felt this way, when you know your performance was sub-par, I would re-assign you elsewhere, or terminate you. He is doing yopu a favor by giving you a chance to meet standards.

ButBen Are Great!!! You took the words out-ta my mouth, when you say the supervisor is standing over you what is he/she saying to you?? (harassment wise?) Maybe you need to be put in a different position there's plenty of things to do and some positions are not fitting for everyone. Have you tried talking to your friend/t sup.?

 

[Aerosion]

I'll give more details: I was originally hired as a preloader, but they moved me to the computer on my third day due to, yes, the fact that I was slower than everyone else. I do get backed up a lot in a day due to the fact that I can't type very fast, and I usually am sent home after 5 hours with a lot of work still left to be done. I work on a slide, correcting blank PAS labels and sending missorts back to the sort aisle, and there's only one computer there, so I'm the only one doing that for that belt. I don't get harassed all day every day, more like about 3 times every day for about 15 minutes at a time (he is a full time manager so I assume he has other things to do), but enough for me to notice. Some other guys are telling me not to let him yell at me like that, that he's just an , and he does yell at the people lifting the boxes a lot too, but it still bothers me.

 

[Aerosion]

What he's doing specifically is standing behind me while I work and commenting on how slow I'm going. Sometimes he'll correct some boxes himself saying "this is easy, this is easy, just do this" and sometimes at the end of the day he'll call somebody (presumably the supervisor of the next shift where all my backlogged work is going) and say something like "I'm gonna send you extra work because I have this slow-ass PAS clerk" or something. You know, the basic stuff.

 

[sx2700]

Here you go Dannyboy, i'm showing you in the contract book where it spells it out. I'm very surprised and almost shocked you do not know of this language. There is not gray area here.


Section 1.

(a) The parties agree that the principle of a fair day�s work for a fair day�s
pay shall be observed at all times and employees shall perform their duties in
a manner that best represents the Employer�s interest.

Are you sure this isn't a gray area? Who's standard are we following concerning a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. I'm pretty sure the supervisor has a different standard than the hourly, so who's right? If I go to work and stare at the pop machine all night, who decides if that is a fair days work? The only reason I make these arguments are because we have a couple co-workers that are just plain lazy and the supervisor can't do a fricken thing about it so I have to endure this fat sack of crap staring into the back of the truck watching me sweat while he is earning the same wage as me for slacking.

 

[dilligaf]

Well theres is a 70lb limit every UPSers is supposed to be able to lift repetively to hold their job, is that not a standard to base production off of, if i have to have 2 employees do the job of one, why have the one when the 2nd can do the job just fine?


The job description your handed when your hired determines a fair days work.
so if you cant do you job description you need to worked with, followed up with, warned and told you may need to find another job.

I don't repetitively lift 70#. I don't lift 70# period. Never have never will. It's working unsafely and methods tell us to use hand trucks, push, pull, use availble equipment and get help. I don't lift 50# unless I have to and as long as I can roll it on the floor I will never lift 50#.

 

[dilligaf]

What he's doing specifically is standing behind me while I work and commenting on how slow I'm going. Sometimes he'll correct some boxes himself saying "this is easy, this is easy, just do this" and sometimes at the end of the day he'll call somebody (presumably the supervisor of the next shift where all my backlogged work is going) and say something like "I'm gonna send you extra work because I have this slow-ass PAS clerk" or something. You know, the basic stuff.

I'll give more details: I was originally hired as a preloader, but they moved me to the computer on my third day due to, yes, the fact that I was slower than everyone else. I do get backed up a lot in a day due to the fact that I can't type very fast, and I usually am sent home after 5 hours with a lot of work still left to be done. I work on a slide, correcting blank PAS labels and sending missorts back to the sort aisle, and there's only one computer there, so I'm the only one doing that for that belt. I don't get harassed all day every day, more like about 3 times every day for about 15 minutes at a time (he is a full time manager so I assume he has other things to do), but enough for me to notice. Some other guys are telling me not to let him yell at me like that, that he's just an , and he does yell at the people lifting the boxes a lot too, but it still bothers me.

This is blatant harrassment. That sup can get into some serious trouble from saying some of the things that you are alleging. I would start with the steward and the next sup up, if that doesn't get anything resovled then go to the 800#.

 

[But Benefits Are Great!]

This is blatant harrassment. That sup can get into some serious trouble from saying some of the things that you are alleging. I would start with the steward and the next sup up, if that doesn't get anything resovled then go to the 800#.

dilligaf - I respect your opinion, but...

What Planet Are You From? Sure, in writing, and by the rules, you ARE 100% CORRECT.

However, the original poster probably works in the real world with the rest of us. Original poster cannot cut it, cannot get the job done, was transferred out of another position because they could not keep up. (Original Poster, truly no insult intended, ok?)

If the original poster intends to follow your advise, then you should have also advised that they should be looking for another job at the same time, because an under-performing new employee that is in thier second position, still not performing, and complains about being harassed (when in actuality they are being given a chance, albeit a rude one) will soon be unemployed. Not fair, maybe not right, but the way it is in the real world.

To the original poster - What are you hoping to achieve? Want the sup to leave you alone? A filed grievance will certainly do that - probably too much.

Easier way is to go to Staples, buy one of those cheap Typing Tutorial programs, & practice. Get better so you CAN do your job, and you'll be left alone. In the meantime, tell your sup you are studying outside of work, and that his hanging over your shoulder is making it worse. Smile. Improve, show improvement, and your problems are solved.

Consider yourself lucky - in my day, if we started a job and could not do it, we got fired. Expected to be fired if we couldn't do it, actually.

 

[sx2700]

Consider yourself lucky - in my day, if we started a job and could not do it, we got fired. Expected to be fired if we couldn't do it, actually.

Now a days there will be a dozen politically correct reasons that you won't be able to fire a bad employee. Race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.........

 

[But Benefits Are Great!]

Now a days there will be a dozen politically correct reasons that you won't be able to fire a bad employee. Race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.........

So unfortunately true. Still trying to wrap my head around the thought of wanting to know how to file a grievance against a sup because he is on my case because I am unable to perform my job.

 

[hyena]

dilligaf - I respect your opinion, but...


Easier way is to go to Staples, buy one of those cheap Typing Tutorial programs, & practice. Get better so you CAN do your job, and you'll be left alone. In the meantime, tell your sup you are studying outside of work, and that his hanging over your shoulder is making it worse. Smile. Improve, show improvement, and your problems are solved.

This is it man hit the nail on the head this is what you need to do to keep your job

 

[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

Using the limited amount of information presented here;

You are in one of the few UPS positions that has a set requirement (40wpm), and you admittedly cannot reach that goal.

Your supervisor would be negligent if he were NOT riding you. It's called supervision. Your supervior has two choices; One, he "supervises" you, advising that you have to step it up or, two, he relocates or terminates you. Which would you prefer?

If you are unable to complete the minimum required work for the position, you expect him to just smile & leave you alone? It is not harassment, it is his job.

The above quoted contract language would come in to play if you and everyone in that position were doing their job satisfactorily, and the sup rode just you. That is not the case. There is no grievable offense here.

If I were your sup and knew you felt this way, when you know your performance was sub-par, I would re-assign you elsewhere, or terminate you. He is doing yopu a favor by giving you a chance to meet standards.

He's doing him a favor by belittling him and putting him/her in a job they can't perform? Do you really believe this?

Maybe YOU shuold go into supervision. You have done how many jobs at UPS and for how long and you're already coming up with these concepts?

 

[drewed]

Consider yourself lucky - in my day, if we started a job and could not do it, we got fired. Expected to be fired if we couldn't do it, actually.

what last month??? lol

 

[westsideworma]

I used to have a sign hanging in my locker that said---" I only have 2 speeds---If you don't like the one I'm working at now you sure the hell ain't gonna like my other one"

thats a good one, I've used that one before, my grandfather used to say that one a lot and I kinda pawned it off as one of my own now that he's passed on.

 

[dannyboy]

idlwtm

are you really that stupid, or you just pullin ole dannyboy's leg?

d

 

[westsideworma]

Are you sure this isn't a gray area? Who's standard are we following concerning a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. I'm pretty sure the supervisor has a different standard than the hourly, so who's right?

on the preload end, this is something that I have a hard time with. In the contract it says flat out "best of your ability, fair days work for a fair days pay." It says no where in there that we get to determine what your best is. yet that is exactly what we do. It also says minimum guarantee of 3.5. Thats another hot issue lately and thankfully I'm able to get everyone on my line their 3.5, but thats another day another time. Not everyone can load 220+ PPH with no misloads, pulling every PAL (a method at our building) etc, yet thats what we're looking for (at least at my building). When I started (about 4 yrs ago) if you loaded 170+ you were good. Now we're being told to hold people accountable for 220 range and theres no leg to stand on really. Some of us just don't understand what they want us to do.

My people rarely misload but I know some of them are just flat out not capable of 220pph following every single method (specifically, perfect sequential order, pulling PALs faced for driver selection, no misloads) to a T. My fastest loader can load @ 260 on a good day but does not pull PALs and doesn't have time since he does about 1100 pieces and we're starting him at 445 (another gripe of mine, THAT is unacceptable). When I was ridden like that, I laid down, I had more work than other people yet was starting at the same time, screw that and I'm surprised this kid hasn't done the same. The people who don't understand what we are saying are those who have never done the job and are in upper management telling us how it works...or doesn't in most cases.

PAS does not automagically make loaders faster. Plan and simple. Anyone who has done the job more than 2 weeks could tell you that (if they loaded the old way as well). Is it easier to learn? Of course.

If we agreed to fair days work for a fair days pay (in addition to all the other things in the NMA) then we (both sides) should honor it. We agreed to it it, so did the teamsters. Does that mean I think someone who is CLEARLY dragging on purpose should go on being that way? NO, but if someone is working their butt off and we're not happy with what their putting out? Too Bad, we agreed regarless of ability and with consideration of age and physical condition. Whipping your employees does not work yet in a way that is what we're instructed to do. I've talked to the union steward (used to load on the same line as him) and he said he's had more crap since PAS started than ever on production issues. Well he calls them issues but he said their more of a nuissance as the company can't win them yet continues to try in hopes that the employee will get scared and go faster or just quit.

 

[drewed]

on the preload end, this is something that I have a hard time with. In the contract it says flat out "best of your ability, fair days work for a fair days pay." It says no where in there that we get to determine what your best is. yet that is exactly what we do. It also says minimum guarantee of 3.5. Thats another hot issue lately and thankfully I'm able to get everyone on my line their 3.5, but thats another day another time. Not everyone can load 220+ PPH with no misloads, pulling every PAL (a method at our building) etc, yet thats what we're looking for (at least at my building). When I started (about 4 yrs ago) if you loaded 170+ you were good. Now we're being told to hold people accountable for 220 range and theres no leg to stand on really. Some of us just don't understand what they want us to do.

My people rarely misload but I know some of them are just flat out not capable of 220pph following every single method (specifically, perfect sequential order, pulling PALs faced for driver selection, no misloads) to a T. My fastest loader can load @ 260 on a good day but does not pull PALs and doesn't have time since he does about 1100 pieces and we're starting him at 445 (another gripe of mine, THAT is unacceptable). When I was ridden like that, I laid down, I had more work than other people yet was starting at the same time, screw that and I'm surprised this kid hasn't done the same. The people who don't understand what we are saying are those who have never done the job and are in upper management telling us how it works...or doesn't in most cases.

PAS does not automagically make loaders faster. Plan and simple. Anyone who has done the job more than 2 weeks could tell you that (if they loaded the old way as well). Is it easier to learn? Of course.

If we agreed to fair days work for a fair days pay (in addition to all the other things in the NMA) then we (both sides) should honor it. We agreed to it it, so did the teamsters. Does that mean I think someone who is CLEARLY dragging on purpose should go on being that way? NO, but if someone is working their butt off and we're not happy with what their putting out? Too Bad, we agreed regarless of ability and with consideration of age and physical condition. Whipping your employees does not work yet in a way that is what we're instructed to do. I've talked to the union steward (used to load on the same line as him) and he said he's had more crap since PAS started than ever on production issues. Well he calls them issues but he said their more of a nuissance as the company can't win them yet continues to try in hopes that the employee will get scared and go faster or just quit.

Why would you pull the PAL off?

 

[tieguy]

It would be harassment if he did it to you and only you, while others had similar preformance compared to you.

So If I told you good job and no one else then I harassed you?

 

[tieguy]

Drew were is this in the contract? You do know that the union does not recognize production standards. There is no quota someone needs to hit to keep his job.

A fair days work for a fair days pay.


It sounds like this rookie is in a newer job and will need some time to get used to typing.

where does it say the driver has to deliver all his airs on time in the contract?

Where does it say the loader has to check every package in the contract.

The contract does not set performance and service standards the company does.

Contact says fair days work for fair days pay , company decides what a fair days work equals.