Heat in Warehouse

oldngray

nowhere special
IF the heat is off. If its broken that is a different situation. UPS will try to bring in propane heaters or something to try to warm things up as much as possible but with this weather they may not be able to get any.
 

oldngray

nowhere special
They do it for three reasons. You work faster when you're cold and the save money on gas. Plus they have no regard for how you feel.

UPS doesn't care if workers are cold but they wouldn't intentionally let it get cold enough for pipes to freeze.
 
Maybe I wasn't as clear as I could have been. That's to be expected. Most of them were probably on the road all day. No one is claiming we should be warming up trailers.



I've never done that... and have no desire to. That said, our lot is lit as bright as the sun, well plowed, salted, with all lines visible. Granted, there was some wind, but no falling or drifting snow. The fact of the matter is they just didn't care. I can't do better, but it isn't my job either. If I did my job with such wanton disregard, I'd be shown the door in short order.

As for my supervisor... believe me, I made him aware of it. He refused to have it moved, and sent the FT sup to move me to a different job (not a different trailer), over my objections, leaving the issue for someone else. I'm filing on that one... but that is neither here nor there.

If a trailer is so far out of alignment you feel it is a safety issue then stand your ground and refuse to step in and out of it as you work. That is at least a trip/fall hazard. At our bldg ptimers and their sups both hold out until trailers are respotted.

And I don't know what building your out of in Chicago but NONE of the yards are "lit as bright as the sun, well plowed, salted, and all lines visible".
 

oldngray

nowhere special
If a trailer is so far out of alignment you feel it is a safety issue then stand your ground and refuse to step in and out of it as you work. That is at least a trip/fall hazard. At our bldg ptimers and their sups both hold out until trailers are respotted.

And I don't know what building your out of in Chicago but NONE of the yards are "lit as bright as the sun, well plowed, salted, and all lines visible".

Is part of Chicago in the BOG?
 

irregguy89

New Member
The heat works it comes on everyday at 8:30am usually right when preload ends. It also comes on when the big wigs come in for a visit other than that the heat is off.
 

TheFigurehead

Well-Known Member
Did they just move to Illinois?

Does it matter? Everyone has winter clothes. It has not been this cold in Illinois for 20 years, and probably wont be for another 20. Why is a barely above minimum wage worker expected to plan for unexpected weather by owning cost prohibitive cold weather gear rated for temperatures they wont see for 20 years, but UPS isn't expected to take any responsibility for not preparing for adverse weather conditions in TX this peak?

Oh, and oh my gosh, 3-5 hours in a building for the most part out of the weather. Come outside with the drivers for up to 14 hours and get back to us.

How many drivers would do it for $8.50 an hour? How many drivers could afford the appropriate attire for such conditions on $8.50 an hour? How many drivers wouldn't file a grievance immediately if the heater in their PC was disabled?

Take a survey and get back to me.

Yes they are supposed to have the heat on.

and that's the entire point of this thread. There is nothing more to say. They are supposed to and don't.

But even with it this is the cold time of the year. Take some personal responsibility and dress appropriately.

Who said they didn't? This is a strawman argument. This is about the fact that UPS does not have the heat on.

Or, get the job at McD's making fries. It's warm year round there.

Very original, and very helpful.

Basically what you are telling the OP is that UPS is in violation of it's contract, but instead of addressing it through the proper channels, he should go work at McDonald's if he doesn't like it?

...and we wonder why our union becomes less and less effective every day.
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
Maybe I wasn't as clear as I could have been. That's to be expected. Most of them were probably on the road all day. No one is claiming we should be warming up trailers.



I've never done that... and have no desire to. That said, our lot is lit as bright as the sun, well plowed, salted, with all lines visible. Granted, there was some wind, but no falling or drifting snow. The fact of the matter is they just didn't care. I can't do better, but it isn't my job either. If I did my job with such wanton disregard, I'd be shown the door in short order.

As for my supervisor... believe me, I made him aware of it. He refused to have it moved, and sent the FT sup to move me to a different job (not a different trailer), over my objections, leaving the issue for someone else. I'm filing on that one... but that is neither here nor there.
I seriously doubt that any UPS feeder driver left a trailer 20" off the door because he/she "just didn't care". We're still using gypsies here so that might be your culprit, I've seen them do some shady stuff. It's no problem for a shifter to push a trailer back or move one over a few inches if need be, I don't know what your boss's deal is with that unless the trailer really wasn't as far off the door as you're telling us it was.
 
Is part of Chicago in the BOG?

Apparently the hub he's out of is.

Yards lit as bright as the sun (in the day maybe), well plowed (in June), salted (when you can get the contractors to show up and do it),and all lines visible (at CACH the hub lines are so worn they can't be seen on a nice day).

If he is a hub worker then unless he's one of the few that are yard certified to be out in it he has never really seen what's out in the yard.
 
I seriously doubt that any UPS feeder driver left a trailer 20" off the door because he/she "just didn't care". We're still using gypsies here so that might be your culprit, I've seen them do some shady stuff. It's no problem for a shifter to push a trailer back or move one over a few inches if need be, I don't know what your boss's deal is with that unless the trailer really wasn't as far off the door as you're telling us it was.

Gypsies don't touch our walls. At best they drop in the yard and don't do that well either.
 

TheFigurehead

Well-Known Member
If a trailer is so far out of alignment you feel it is a safety issue then stand your ground and refuse to step in and out of it as you work. That is at least a trip/fall hazard. At our bldg ptimers and their sups both hold out until trailers are respotted.

I'm quite aware... but our sups only care about their numbers... hence the grievance.

And I don't know what building your out of in Chicago but NONE of the yards are "lit as bright as the sun, well plowed, salted, and all lines visible".

All I can tell you is before I started last night I actually took a moment to look out a bay door and marvel at the job they did plowing and salting. As for the light, I suppose it's a matter of opinion, but our yard is quite bright. Regardless, it was no less bright last night than it is on any other day when they manage to back in correctly.
 

TheFigurehead

Well-Known Member
Apparently the hub he's out of is.

Yards lit as bright as the sun (in the day maybe), well plowed (in June), salted (when you can get the contractors to show up and do it),and all lines visible (at CACH the hub lines are so worn they can't be seen on a nice day).

If he is a hub worker then unless he's one of the few that are yard certified to be out in it he has never really seen what's out in the yard.

I'm a hub worker, and cant speak for CACH, but our lines appear to have been recently repainted. Beyond that, not only do we have to walk through the yard to get into the building, due to it's configuration, I also work on a bay. I can see the other half of the yard from there... clear across to the bays on the other side. I realize you are all super experts on everything, but I can assure you it's well lit.
 
Does it matter? Everyone has winter clothes. It has not been this cold in Illinois for 20 years, and probably wont be for another 20. Why is a barely above minimum wage worker expected to plan for unexpected weather by owning cost prohibitive cold weather gear rated for temperatures they wont see for 20 years, but UPS isn't expected to take any responsibility for not preparing for adverse weather conditions in TX this peak?

It was this cold two years ago. On average it is cold in Jan and Feb. My point is unless they just moved here and they just started in the hub they've seen cold weather before. Gear up.

How many drivers would do it for $8.50 an hour? How many drivers could afford the appropriate attire for such conditions on $8.50 an hour? How many drivers wouldn't file a grievance immediately if the heater in their PC was disabled?

The same guys that come out of PT and work their way through scale. If you want the job you do what it takes. And you'd be surprised at how many PC have shietty heaters at best.

Take a survey and get back to me.

I did. Survey says :Buy some thermals because you work in a job that won't be comfy in the winter.


and that's the entire point of this thread. There is nothing more to say. They are supposed to and don't.

The OP never said they wouldn't. Just that it was cold.


Who said they didn't? This is a strawman argument. This is about the fact that UPS does not have the heat on.

Which you're assuming.



Very original, and very helpful.

Basically what you are telling the OP is that UPS is in violation of it's contract, but instead of addressing it through the proper channels, he should go work at McDonald's if he doesn't like it?

No, I'm saying that even on it's best winter day the OP, you, and I, work in a job that comfort is not guaranteed and we need to dress accordingly or pack up.

...and we wonder why our union becomes less and less effective every day.

I am being a fellow union member and letting them know that UPS isn't worried about making it warm for you so dress up.
 
I'm quite aware... but our sups only care about their numbers... hence the grievance.



All I can tell you is before I started last night I actually took a moment to look out a bay door and marvel at the job they did plowing and salting. As for the light, I suppose it's a matter of opinion, but our yard is quite bright. Regardless, it was no less bright last night than it is on any other day when they manage to back in correctly.
I'm a hub worker, and cant speak for CACH, but our lines appear to have been recently repainted. Beyond that, not only do we have to walk through the yard to get into the building, due to it's configuration, I also work on a bay. I can see the other half of the yard from there... clear across to the bays on the other side. I realize you are all super experts on everything, but I can assure you it's well lit.

Ok, what barn? You can say as it won't give up your identity. But I have worked out of three of them and been to every other at one point and time so unless UPS is on a spending kick (they're not) there's not a one of them that meets your description.

Oh, I'm outside all night and we thing you hub folks have it pretty nice this time of the year.
 

TheFigurehead

Well-Known Member

I refuse to go off on tangents unrelated to the OP's post, or engage in strawman arguments with you any longer. No one is complaining about being uncomfortable due to the cold, except you.

UPS has a contractual obligation to attempt to heat the building. They are not fulfilling that obligation, thus the OP should grieve it. Yes, it is possible the heat is broken. UPS then has an obligation to fix it as soon as is reasonable. Regardless of whether the heat is off or broken in the OP's hub, other posters have inferred that UPS purposely keeps the heat off in their hubs. This is improper and should be grieved. How effective the heat is, if at all, whether drivers are colder, no matter what wardrobe the OP has access to, how new the lines in his yard are, how well it's plowed, or how bright it is, is of no consequence.

As a Teamster, if you see a blatant contract violation being committed by UPS, it is your job to grieve it, for the good of everyone.
 

TheFigurehead

Well-Known Member
Oh, I'm outside all night and we thing you hub folks have it pretty nice this time of the year.

Well, I work in a trailer all night, so I think the clerical staff has it pretty good this time of year. If the contract calls for fatigue reducing mats in their work area, I'm not going to whine about how my feet are more uncomfortable, so they should just go work at McDonalds if they can't handle it... after all UPS is a place where your feet are expected to hurt. Did they just start walking or something?
 

bleedinbrown58

That’s Craptacular
Move faster! Yea, there is nothing like getting paid 14 dollars a hour and break your back in 21 degrees unloading a ireg trailer because the company doesn't want to pay a heating bill. Go home and turn the heat off in your house see how your family likes it.
You sir, are a kitty....
 

rod

Retired 22 years
You can bet money the computer room is kept at a constant 75 degrees year around. Have you complained to the center manager yet? He will be hiding in his office until after the trucks have left for the day and the building has had a chance to warm up again.
 

kingOFchester

Well-Known Member
Trucks have heat, but when on area you are pretty much working 90% of the time in the weather. In back of truck, walking to and from, and door open. My water bottle froze today IN THE CAB. Not solid, but a good 50% frozen. Virtually no heat, for 8-12 hours.

That said, there is not a whole lot that can be done about the trucks, in a building there is something that can be done and UPS should provide some heat where they can.
 
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