Benefits or whatever from union being a "non year" unloader in UPS (4 months only)

[Miguel1200000]

Hi everyone, hope you can tell me something logical about "being part of the union" working at UPS 4 months since november. I just have some questions:

1. Kentucky is a non Right-to-Work state, and being part of the union is a requirement for get a job in UPS....I'm wrong or right? thanks.

2. When I passed three months working in UPS as a unloader, they made me sign a sheet with my goals achieved (lots of charts filled) and then the trainer told me "Congratulations! you are part of The Union", So I asked: "Oh good!, so...which are my "benefits" (not monetary) or what helps me being a part of The Union?"..I was expecting an answer, but silence..then an "I'm not sure, I'm gonna see..ok bye".

3. I would like to know in what helps me being part of The Union in UPS. I'm not a year employee, just have 4 months, and UPS is charching me $21.00 dollars in my paycheck since the beginning of february.

Which are my "benefits" (not monetary) being part of The Union in UPS being a 4 month employee as a unloader? I know that dental and health insurance comes after a year, but that's a right that comes with seniority.

Thank you so much for your answers. Sorry if my english is not the best, I'm not english speaker.

 

[upschuck]

You get the protection the union provides, if you think they are treating you unfairly, you have an advocate on your side, and are not alone.

The fees they are charging you are probably the init fees, and dues, but those should have been taken out earlier in your time, usually after the first 30 calendar days. If you are making 10.15, your dues should be $20/month.

Don't be afraid to talk with your steward, he should have good information.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Hi everyone, hope you can tell me something logical about "being part of the union" working at UPS 4 months since november. I just have some questions:

1. Kentucky is a non Right-to-Work state, and being part of the union is a requirement for get a job in UPS....I'm wrong or right? thanks.

2. When I passed three months working in UPS as a unloader, they made me sign a sheet with my goals achieved (lots of charts filled) and then the trainer told me "Congratulations! you are part of The Union", So I asked: "Oh good!, so...which are my "benefits" (not monetary) or what helps me being a part of The Union?"..I was expecting an answer, but silence..then an "I'm not sure, I'm gonna see..ok bye".

3. I would like to know in what helps me being part of The Union in UPS. I'm not a year employee, just have 4 months, and UPS is charching me $21.00 dollars in my paycheck since the beginning of february.

Which are my "benefits" (not monetary) being part of The Union in UPS being a 4 month employee as a unloader? I know that dental and health insurance comes after a year, but that's a right that comes with seniority.

Thank you so much for your answers. Sorry if my english is not the best, I'm not english speaker.

1. You don't have to be "part" of the union in a non-RTW state per the Taft Hartley Act, but you can be charged "Agency Fees" for the cost of representing you. They're typically around 97% of the cost of dues but you lose the right to vote.

2. Management is not going to say anything positive about the union if they're not being held at gun point; especially not a PT supervisor as they usually don't know their s from a hole in the ground.

3. As upschuck said, you're being dinged for initiation fees. That should drop down to around $5/week once you've paid them off. My local waives initiation fees for new hire part timers and I think all locals should since they're only bringing home ~$160/week.

The benefits include the right to vote in local and international union elections (which are coming up this year) and the right to vote on your collective bargaining agreement via secret ballot. You also have the right to attend union meetings as a dues paying member.

Starting off PT sucks and PT pay is in the ter because so few part timers actually engage with the union. If you plan on staying at UPS, then you should consider getting involved in your local.

 

[Miguel1200000]

The fees they are charging you are probably the init fees, and dues, but those should have been taken out earlier in your time, usually after the first 30 calendar days. If you are making 10.15, your dues should be $20/month.

.

Thank you for your answer upschuck. By the way, when I was hired in november 2015, UPS told me that they will charge me $25.00 x 4 = $100.00 as a "Initial Fee" for being part of the union (those fees came divided in 4 paychecks and you could see them acummulating: paycheck 1=$25, paycheck 2=$50, paycheck 3=$75), but they only charged me $ 75.00..but on december 31st 2015 they didn't charged me that $25.00 fee to complete the $100.00 total for Initial Fee. Just was $75.00 total.

Starting this new year, the first paycheck of January 8th 2016 they charged me another $25.00 but not accumulating that $100.00, instead of that, they are considering that "initial fee" (says "Init Fee" in the paystub ) as a first acummulation (paycheck 4=$25 instead of paycheck 4=$100.00).

Now , they are charging me a "Union Due" of $21.00 since January 15th 2016 (acummulating: paychek 1=$21, paycheck 2= $42, paycheck 3=$63, paycheck 4=$84) paycheck 4 is about this last week.

I don't complete understand what are they doing with all this fees and dues charged. It's confusing and I just would like to know when and why they should charge "Initial Fee" and "Union Due".

Thank you so much for your answers.

 

[SmithBarney]

Initiation fee, is like a Fee to join the club (I think it was 275 or something like that when I started)
Union Dues, is a fee you pay to stay in the club.(This was 2.5xhourly rate per month when I was around)

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Thank you for your answer upschuck. By the way, when I was hired in november 2015, UPS told me that they will charge me $25.00 x 4 = $100.00 as a "Initial Fee" for being part of the union (those fees came divided in 4 paychecks and you could see them acummulating: paycheck 1=$25, paycheck 2=$50, paycheck 3=$75), but they only charged me $ 75.00..but on december 31st 2015 they didn't charged me that $25.00 fee to complete the $100.00 total for Initial Fee. Just was $75.00 total.

Starting this new year, the first paycheck of January 8th 2016 they charged me another $25.00 but not accumulating that $100.00, instead of that, they are considering that "initial fee" (says "Init Fee" in the paystub ) as a first acummulation (paycheck 4=$25 instead of paycheck 4=$100.00).

Now , they are charging me a "Union Due" of $21.00 since January 15th 2016 (acummulating: paychek 1=$21, paycheck 2= $42, paycheck 3=$63, paycheck 4=$84) paycheck 4 is about this last week.

I don't complete understand what are they doing with all this fees and dues charged. It's confusing and I just would like to know when and why they should charge "Initial Fee" and "Union Due".

Thank you so much for your answers.

It sounds like you're being over charged. You need to call your union; it sounds like you already paid your initiation fees as a seasonal and someone at the hall screwed it up.

And for the record, a $100 initiation fee for part timers is pretty ing slimy.

 

[Miguel1200000]

Oh yes, I was hired as seasonal and part timer on november 2015..and I'm still there. I think Union Dues or Fees should be fair or equitative for non year employees. Thanks for your answers! They are very useful for me.

Greetings

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Oh yes, I was hired as seasonal and part timer on november 2015..and I'm still there. I think Union Dues or Fees should be fair or equitative for non year employees. Thanks for your answers! They are very useful for me.

Greetings

I agree and for the record, the dues I pay are very fair.

I pay just under $40/month and make almost $20/hour as a senior PT'er. I have a PT pension that gives me $60/year in pension credit for each year of service. The only issue I have with my job is the lack of hours (roughly 25-28/week) but I made just under $37k last year between UPS (~$27k) and my freelance gig working right around 50 hours/week except for November/December. That's not bad -- especially in comparison with the general job market right now.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I agree and for the record, the dues I pay are very fair.

I pay just under $40/month and make almost $20/hour as a senior PT'er. I have a PT pension that gives me $60/year in pension credit for each year of service. The only issue I have with my job is the lack of hours (roughly 25-28/week) but I made just under $37k last year between UPS (~$27k) and my freelance gig. That's not bad.

You think it is fair for a PT to pay more in dues then a FT employee?

 

[PiedmontSteward]

You think it is fair for a PT to pay more in dues then a FT employee?

Are you referring to the overall percentage? Then no, it's not fair. PT'ers pay a bigger chunk of their checks than FT'ers and that sucks.

I was posting in more general economic terms. $40/month for what I get ain't a bad deal.

 

[upschuck]

Thank you for your answer upschuck. By the way, when I was hired in november 2015, UPS told me that they will charge me $25.00 x 4 = $100.00 as a "Initial Fee" for being part of the union (those fees came divided in 4 paychecks and you could see them acummulating: paycheck 1=$25, paycheck 2=$50, paycheck 3=$75), but they only charged me $ 75.00..but on december 31st 2015 they didn't charged me that $25.00 fee to complete the $100.00 total for Initial Fee. Just was $75.00 total.

Starting this new year, the first paycheck of January 8th 2016 they charged me another $25.00 but not accumulating that $100.00, instead of that, they are considering that "initial fee" (says "Init Fee" in the paystub ) as a first acummulation (paycheck 4=$25 instead of paycheck 4=$100.00).

Now , they are charging me a "Union Due" of $21.00 since January 15th 2016 (acummulating: paychek 1=$21, paycheck 2= $42, paycheck 3=$63, paycheck 4=$84) paycheck 4 is about this last week.

I don't complete understand what are they doing with all this fees and dues charged. It's confusing and I just would like to know when and why they should charge "Initial Fee" and "Union Due".

Thank you so much for your answers.

Those were Year To Date totals, and not your total paid. They probably skipped that last one because of the holidays. Check your checks, and add up init fees, if they total more than the $100, call your union hall. They may also be taking your dues retroactively back to your start date, if you have questions on those too, your local hall can give you all the absolute answers, and give you a refund, if so needed.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Are you referring to the overall percentage? Then no, it's not fair. PT'ers pay a bigger chunk of their checks than FT'ers and that sucks.

I was posting in more general economic terms. $40/month for what I get ain't a bad deal.

No I don't mean as a percentage but glad you brought that up. I mean dollar to dollar.

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

thought i would speak on your advantage of being at a union job and a few key dates you may or may not be aware of.

1 year - you get nation leading blue collar insurance for you entire family, regardless if your wife's (if you have one) job provides insurance. Not all jobs will allow your spouse to be on their insurance anymore if your spouse's job provides insurance. You will not find a better insurance at a part time job, and as a blue collar worker it is doubtful you will find a better full time insurance anywhere

5 years - you get fully vested in the pension. This means regardless if you quit, get fired, etc, at retirement age you will get something. May not be much for just 5 years employment but it is something and the amount increases for every year you work

Why is it worth paying the dues? You can take a direct comparison. Look online and you can find information about FedEx Express. FedEx Express is non-union and has been fighting for years to keep the union out. UPS healthcare, pension, and wages blow Express out of the water. Its not even close. That is the benefit of working at a union job.

Now to the last point. Being that it is the union the negotiates those benefits, and it is the union that will back you against unjust discipline (non-union jobs can fire you on a whim and you have no recourse), why would you not want to pay your dues? The dues, once past initiation fees, are less than what you would lose by working at a non-union carrier.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

No I don't mean as a percentage but glad you brought that up. I mean dollar to dollar.

I'm glad you raised the question because it gave me an excuse to actually do the math:

A rookie PT'er starts off at $10, but let's just assume they're a pre-loader and make $11. And let's also assume they're making 25 hours/week (not happening on pre-load but for sake of argument). That's $275/week gross ($1,100/month) and $22/month in dues (I believe Teamsters making $11/hr or less only pay 2.0x rate in dues.) That's 2% of gross in dues (discounted rate.)

I gross about $450/week (varies but I'm a 10+ year UPS PT'er with skill pay) in the building and pay $37/month in dues. I pay an estimated 2.05% on my gross in dues during a "regular" (non-peak) month.

A driver (without taking into account OT, just their 8 hour/day guarantee) is grossing $1,391.60/week and pays roughly $87/month in my local. A FT driver pays 1.56% of their gross (no OT) in dues for a 4 pay period month - $5,566.40.

Most feeder/package car drivers I know come in at about 50 hours/week. That's a gross of $1,913.45/week and $7,653.80/month; for a percentage of ~1.13% in dues off gross.

Let's take a FT'er clocking in at 59.5/hours week. That's a gross of $2,409.21/week and $9,636.84/month. They would pay 0.90% of their gross in dues.

Note: This all assumes a four pay period month and that top rate for dues is $87/month for drivers. It might be a bit more in some areas (and even my local, I might be off by a couple of bucks as I don't have the dues schedule in front of me) but should be in the ball park.

 

[BigUnionGuy]

You think it is fair for a PT to pay more in dues then a FT employee?

Percentage wise.... all members pay the same.

Unless, you are a new hire making less than $11.00 an hour.



-Bug-

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

Percentage wise.... all members pay the same.

Unless, you are a new hire making less than $11.00 an hour.



-Bug-

Percentage wise they don't as pters rarely get half the hours that fters get. If you base it off of actual hours worked, Drivers pay less percentage wise even if the formula is the same.

 

[BigUnionGuy]

Percentage wise they don't as pters rarely get half the hours that fters get. If you base it off of actual hours worked, Drivers pay less percentage wise even if the formula is the same.

You can't compare the two.

The dues structure is foundational.


Think of it this way;


"I should be required to pay more in dues.... because the company forces overtime

on me."


Can you see the fallacy, in that argument ?



-Bug-

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

You can't compare the two.

The dues structure is foundational.


Think of it this way;


"I should be required to pay more in dues.... because the company forces overtime

on me."


Can you see the fallacy, in that argument ?



-Bug-

no fallacy, you said equal percentage, its not equal. I'm not saying I don't agree with the method, but it does result in higher percentage. Maybe, the fters could help us get more ft inside, ft air, ft pc, etc jobs where we all have the same percentage