Does a center have to fill ft spots after someone retires or gets fired?

Mrs UPS

Member
I searched the forum but could not find any information on this. My husband has been a cover driver for the past 7 years. He started pt on the local sort and after about a year got sent to driver school and is now a pt cover driver. We were told he would become a ft driver in less than 2 yrs. That obviously was a lie as we are going on 7 yrs of this. One of the things I don't understand is his center has not hired up a ft driver in 3 yrs. In that time, one ft driver got fired and 2 retired. They have not replaced them. Every single morning the hubs has to call in and ask if they need him. From my research on this forum I found out if he cover drives 200 times in a year then the center is required to hire the next person from the seniority list up to ft (we are currently #2 on that list). Unfortunately we are only at 120 as of last week for 2013. On the days they don't need him to cover drive he goes in to the local sort at night. He also runs Saturday air every week. On average he cover drives 2x a week.

Thank you in advance for any information. This is so frustrating for us. I don't know how much longer financially we can just sit around and wait for him to be a ft driver.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
We have had 15 people in the last 5 years retire,quit,get fired,die and have yet to replace a one of them.
 

Mrs UPS

Member
Well that's disappointing. I read on here something about a 30 in 90 rule. If a cover driver drives any 30 days within a 90 day period, they also have to hire up a ft. It was on an old thread from 2009 though. Is that true?
 

BigUnionGuy

Got the T-Shirt
From my research on this forum I found out if he cover drives 200 times in a year then the center is required to hire the next person from the seniority list up to ft (we are currently #2 on that list)..

Did you read this on the forum ?

Or.... is that part of some regional supplemental contract language ?

Where you are, matters.



​-Bug-
 

sortaisle

Livin the cardboard dream
What BUG said. There's regional differences on the contract. It's not all one big happy contract for everyone. Either way, I've been working 6 Mondays a week at UPS for the last 8 years. I actually enjoy being able to tell the company to pound sand if I have something to do with my kids or have a vacation scheduled. That goes right out the door when you go ft driving...for that matter, if your hubby's building is that tight not hiring drivers, then odds are, he'll be laid off more often that you'll want him to be. It's a sticky spot. At least as a PT cover driver, you can count on the PT hours.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
No offense but if he's only driving 2 days a week it doesn't sound like they need any ft drivers.

To answer your question. NO they do not HAVE to fill a space after death or firing or retirement.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
What BUG said. There's regional differences on the contract. It's not all one big happy contract for everyone. Either way, I've been working 6 Mondays a week at UPS for the last 8 years. I actually enjoy being able to tell the company to pound sand if I have something to do with my kids or have a vacation scheduled. That goes right out the door when you go ft driving...for that matter, if your hubby's building is that tight not hiring drivers, then odds are, he'll be laid off more often that you'll want him to be. It's a sticky spot. At least as a PT cover driver, you can count on the PT hours.

​if laid off you still get 8 hours. Just have to double shift.
 

sortaisle

Livin the cardboard dream
It doesn't happen like that everywhere...I know guys over here that were laid off for months at a time. They had to do unemployment. We don't have the option to bump in our supplement.
 

Mrs UPS

Member
We are in AL. I may have read that in the supplement. The steward backed it up so I know that is correct. Since he is a pt employee we are only guaranteed 3.5 hrs per day, not the 8 hrs a ft would get. It is frustrating for him when he wants to be driving and isn't and goes in to the local sort and the ft guys getting in late with ot are complaining that they don't want to work that late.

And yes, if he's only driving 2 days I guess they don't need drivers. It sucks, but that's the truth. Does anyone know anything about the 30 in 90 thing? Is that only for a certain location?
 

BigUnionGuy

Got the T-Shirt
We are in AL. I may have read that in the supplement. The steward backed it up so I know that is correct. Since he is a pt employee we are only guaranteed 3.5 hrs per day, not the 8 hrs a ft would get. It is frustrating for him when he wants to be driving and isn't and goes in to the local sort and the ft guys getting in late with ot are complaining that they don't want to work that late.

And yes, if he's only driving 2 days I guess they don't need drivers. It sucks, but that's the truth. Does anyone know anything about the 30 in 90 thing? Is that only for a certain location?

Being that you are in a "right to work" state....

Member of the Union ??



​-Bug-
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
Not familiar with the Southern supplement, but that 30/90 rule typically applies only outside the free period. UPS is typically permitted to use cover drivers (RTDs) June 1st - Dec 31st and now that includes the first two weeks of January in many areas. If that RTD is working as a driver from ~Jan. 14 - July 31st for 30 days, then UPS can be forced to bid out another FT driver spot contractually, depending upon supplement.

Now, if the company is using on-car supervisors to run those routes then your husband's business agent needs to be involved. This is something that was happening in my area.. until the BA started posting up outside the gate every morning at 8:00 AM with a video camera.
 

Mrs UPS

Member
Is RTD the same thing as cover driver? Yes, he is in the union. What do you mean, outside the free period? He cover drives January through December. To date this year we have approx. 120 days in.

As far as we know the supervisors are not running routes, but then again, he's not there unless they need him so I suppose it could be happening.

Is it normal protocol for a cover driver to call in every morning and ask if he is needed? Sometimes he will be on the schedule and then that morning they will call and say nevermind, they cut a route. This happens quite often. That is what prompted my husband to begin calling everyday to check. 25 minute drive to get there for them to say nevermind, go home.
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
Is RTD the same thing as cover driver? Yes, he is in the union. What do you mean, outside the free period? He cover drives January through December. To date this year we have approx. 120 days in.

As far as we know the supervisors are not running routes, but then again, he's not there unless they need him so I suppose it could be happening.

Is it normal protocol for a cover driver to call in every morning and ask if he is needed? Sometimes he will be on the schedule and then that morning they will call and say nevermind, they cut a route. This happens quite often. That is what prompted my husband to begin calling everyday to check. 25 minute drive to get there for them to say nevermind, go home.

Sorry, that language doesn't apply to the Southern Region. I looked over the language for your husband's area and if there are 200 reports/year for a TCD (we call them RTDs in my area), the company is supposed to bid out another permanent FT job. He needs to call the union hall and talk to his business agent.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
Mrs. UPS,
Your husband needs 200(in your area I assume?) reports as a friend/TCD to be automatically granted into friend/T driving. This will NOT happen as long as his center manager is on the ball. I have seen this happen every year in my building center manager's counting days and cutting off TCD's one day before their reports needed to make friend/T. It is what it is.
 

Mrs UPS

Member
Mrs. UPS,
Your husband needs 200(in your area I assume?) reports as a friend/TCD to be automatically granted into friend/T driving. This will NOT happen as long as his center manager is on the ball. I have seen this happen every year in my building center manager's counting days and cutting off TCD's one day before their reports needed to make friend/T. It is what it is.

That is what I was afraid of. It has been 7 years. I am afraid to think how much longer we will have to wait. My husband is telling me that with the 9.5 rules changing? they will need more drivers. Hopefully this is true. When does the new contract take effect?
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
That is what I was afraid of. It has been 7 years. I am afraid to think how much longer we will have to wait. My husband is telling me that with the 9.5 rules changing? they will need more drivers. Hopefully this is true. When does the new contract take effect?
The 9.5 issue will not produce more driver jobs. If he has been holding on for 7 years the end will be coming don't give up now.
 

sortaisle

Livin the cardboard dream
The 9.5 rule will basically give free money to all drivers on the 9.5 list because it's cheaper for UPS to pay the triple time than to pay a drivers wage, benes, and pension contributions. But he should be pretty close.
 

728ups

All Trash No Trailer
We are in AL. I may have read that in the supplement. The steward backed it up so I know that is correct. Since he is a pt employee we are only guaranteed 3.5 hrs per day, not the 8 hrs a ft would get. It is frustrating for him when he wants to be driving and isn't and goes in to the local sort and the ft guys getting in late with ot are complaining that they don't want to work that late.

And yes, if he's only driving 2 days I guess they don't need drivers. It sucks, but that's the truth. Does anyone know anything about the 30 in 90 thing? Is that only for a certain location?
When the contract is finally ratified your husband will only have to get 150 reports in the coming year to go fulltime. This is one of the new additions of the Southern Supplement
 
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