Anonymous 10
Guest
When is this guy going to lay down the law and get ups off our backs about production? It's time too do something and quit being their friend.
When is this guy going to lay down the law and get ups off our backs about production? It's time too do something and quit being their friend.
When is this guy going to lay down the law and get ups off our backs about production? It's time too do something and quit being their friend.
Why don't you "man up" and document the problem, then show you have a set and file a grievance ?
Or do you need someone to hold your hand ?
-Bug-
Bug I've filed my share and I win most of the time. That not what I mean by manning up. How about backing up the locals. All of them not just the ones who supported Hoffa in the last election. It's a boys club. If you are any king of big union mother trucker you know what I'm talking about. The international docent care about the little teamster anymore and it sucks. Record profits and we are still being treated like it's the great depression by ups. Those stickers were a joke and you know it. How about going and picketing outside some big time ups shippers and tell the what's going on. I bet ups wouldn't like that. Think outside the box like the real Jimmy Hoffa not corporate JR.Why don't you "man up" and document the problem, then show you have a set and file a grievance ?
Or do you need someone to hold your hand ?
-Bug-
Why don't you "man up" and document the problem, then show you have a set and file a grievance ?
Why don't you "man up" and document the problem, then show you have a set and file a grievance ?
Or do you need someone to hold your hand ?
-Bug-
I have bigger brass balls
Right about now, if you had Acted Collectively, you would have had the local news crew at your gate filming motivated, organized, loud package drivers waving their white salt-stained shirts and holding signs exposing the excessive overtime, heat casualties, and more.
Same story every year, waiting for those at the top to solve your problems at the local level. The National Union moves slow and necessarily so. The power is in the Members. Use it.
ACT!
Like we lost the support of the customers in 1997? Did the company fold?
I'm sorry but, in my opinion, your fears don't hold water.
If the drivers framed it in the right way, arguing that the excessive overtime is not only keeping them from their families but also keeping others from opportunity at UPS it could have an impact. Stockholders and Management alike hate negative press. Our 1997 strike didn't end so early because UPS couldn't outlast us, it was the shining light that made the cockroaches scatter. I've read several stories where they have touched on how companies aren't hiring and are continuing to overburden their workforce. This Country was better and stronger when Companies made sure there were jobs instead of cutting everyone they could.
Take Vegas for example. It used be that if you came into town they treated you like a high-roller even if you weren't: someone opened your door for you and greeted you, then called the Valet over to take your car. Someone else opened the door to the casino. The receptionist welcomed you by name and remembered your favorite room. Your bags were brought promptly to your room. Cocktails came quickly at the tables and the pit boss didn't need you to show your card to get comped. There were keno runners and cocktail waitresses constantly coming in and out of the cafe. Someone was always tidying up the floor and there was an attendant in the restroom. That was just the way the service was. Now you wait for valet. Wait for the bellhop. Wait again in a line at the reception desk. Wait for your bags again in the room. Wait for the towels housekeeping neglected to give you. Wait wait wait because all those jobs have been cut. Well I'm tired of waiting when I'm spending money (and Vegas costs more than it ever did).
I'm tired of waiting for my packages til 7:30 at night on a Friday because my driver has more than 200 stops every day. I'm tired of paying more to UPS for substandard service. My stuff for my side business that comes Fedex Ground is there before noon and gets here one day earlier. When I was back in package my old customers said the same thing: that when I was there the could set the clock by when I would deliver but now it's a different driver and a different time every day. One good friend of mine even takes all his pkgs to the post office because it's so much cheaper and faster. THAT is what will kill the company by losing customers, not negative press or bloated paychecks.
You may enjoy the triple time pay and I'm happy for you. It's what hall worked so hard to accomplish. Everyone should be filing and getting that pay. Most are not. Many others would rather have some semblance of their lives back. I'm in Feeders, but I was amazed at the peak levels of work these guys are doing during the Summer when I was kicked back for a little while after the recession. No one I talked to was satisfied with the triple time pay (and really, if they are willing to pay you triple time doesn't that say that your regular pay is 2x less than it should be?)
For those who want a solution to the problem: try something different....ACT!
It's our company, not theirs. Our blood, sweat, and tears makes this company what it is every day. Stop thinking you work for them and make them work for you.
A better tactic, if one wants to use it, is injuries. How many injuries did we have on average before the ramp up in overtime compared to now? Definitely worth a look, at least.
What I am telling you is that TELEVISION is not the arena to fight our fight. Look at Wisconsin. Lots of hard working people there and the media (and especially fox news and right wing radio) exploited and made fun of those protesting at the capitol in Wisconsin.
If you had bothered to read the link, you would see that TV coverage is simply one of the steps. I'm suggesting taking a page from the Pilot's strategy book and having an "informational picket" which is perfectly legal. I could care less what right wing radio thinks of our issues and Union's in general. It's just misinformation by hypocrites (most of whom belong to SAG).
All the talk on FOXED SPEWS is about unions and how they cry for handouts. The simple fact that we already have a remedy for excessive overtime in the form of triple time pay will fall on deaf ears no matter how its presented.
Don't knock it till you've tried it. What are you afraid of?
IF there wasnt a remedy for the action of excessive overtime, then you may have a point, but that's the agreement that was made between the Union and the Company and the members RATIFIED it.
The intent of that language was to reduce the overtime, not just fatten our paychecks. Overtime has not been reduced, therefore the language has failed and it's time for the members to give hall the power to fix the problem.
Indeed, we are working more hours now than ever before, this is something that has been growing expodentially over the last 5 years. In the last contract agreement, the union and the company agreed on a solution to settle excessive overtime and that leaves us without an excuse to complain publicly.
And how long has it been? Has the problem been fixed? I say it's time to go back to basics and organize.
Our fight is with out own locals and the international. That fight must be understood by the eboard in charge at the time of negotiations, and negotiated in 2013.
Wasn't it you that suggested that an acting steward should report a member who wanted to become a steward to HR for "electioneering"? Seriously? An internal Union issue should be taken to the Company for discipline? I can tell you if any member or steward did that in my local they would be brought up on charges for harming a member and thrown out of the Union. Our Executive Board will have more power at the negotiating table with a galvanized, motivated membership not afraid to voice their opinions loud and clear in any forum without fear.
We have to be careful however. If we complain about overtime too harshly, the company could simply put more trucks on the road and reduce us all to 8 hours a day (max) and there are alot of drivers who like or need the overtime.
Possibly, but that is such a 180 degree turn around from the past 10+ years of how they've been managing this Company that I just don't see it happening. But personally, I would welcome the change even as a Feeder driver.
The company, like all companies in todays political climate are cutting jobs to keep the unemployment rate high as to effect the next presidential election. Its that simple. They would rather pay the high remedy to us than place another truck on the road. They have bigger plans while working with other corporations
I think people are going to be wise enough to see that while Obama certainly hasn't been our 'savior' putting the current crop of Republican candidates would be worse for the middle class than anything we've seen yet.
UPS, with all its talk about safety, has been running its drivers into the ground and it could care less. They take the grievances, calculate how much to pay, and cut a check.
And it's our job as a motivated, organized membership to Act Collectively and make them care.
Going to the media wont cure this problem. UPS only has to say "WE" agreed to a remedy of triple time for excessive overtime and its game over for those on camera with their sweat stained white T shirts.
Maybe it will, maybe it won't but it would certainly be nice to see that triple time broadcast for all the shareholders to see before contract time. The Union should be having running total billboards like the NY debt clock showing all the jobs that UPS could be providing. Grievance money is hidden money.
Peace.
I prefer War.