Brothers, Although our Local 710 agreement does not exactly come out and say to bring the stops back; it has been our position in our building and a few other buildings that I know of to return to the building and punch out in 8hrs.
I am not suggesting for anyone on this board to do this based upon my statements here at Brown Cafe; check your language, past practice, and with your BA. This issue does not have to be as big of a problem as it is. As another poster stated all areas may have different agreements or positions.
Here is how we address it here. 1)File for your 8 hr. request with a 48 hours notice before start time. 2)Company grants or Denies request based on seniority and contract language. 3)Once granted come to work and do your job by their methods, in a honest fashion, and to the best of your ability. 4) If by around 1pm you know that you are not going to get done in 8 then send a message letting them know. I normally tell our drivers if they dont get a positive response then call in around 2 and maybe again around 3 or 3:30.(communicate, communicate, communicate) 5) Then head back to the building allowing yourself time to travel back and whatever time you need back at the building and punch out and go home in 8 hrs. as they agreed to when they granted your 8hr. It has been done by myself and many others. Keep in mind we are not trying to be radical by bringing it back. We are simply excercising our right to have 2 hr. requests granted per month.
The point being you requested to be releived from duty in 8hrs. because you had something you needed to do or wanted some time off; not to work 9rs. and then have to file a grievance that will get heard possibly a month down the road and in the meantime you missed whatever it was that you want to do on that paticular day.
We have also had drivers that are not comfortable bringing it back; this is also fine with me as long as that driver that chooses to stay out there and deliver doesn't expect to get an additional 8hr request above and beyond the 2 that the contract allows.