Injury Issues

[digital]

This is a bit of a long story. So I apologize ahead of time.

I've been a UPS part timer now for 6 months. While working as an unloader I experienced an issue with one of the supervisors that repeated itself on numerous occasions so I finally contacted my union rep and with the help of the center manager it got resolved. No grievance needed to be filed because I was 'assured' by the manager that if anything ever happend again they would deal with it swiftly.

Fast track a month later and I'm out of the unload and loading package cars. I was bounced to every pull in the building in the course of a week before they finally put me on a dreaded pull that no one in the building wanted. It's 4 trucks and a very heavy pull. I did this pull for 2 weeks and the only way it could be done without shutting the belt off for 10 minutes at a time was to literally run from truck to truck. I spoke with the employee who did that pull prior to me and he said he experience multiple miss loads everyday and was always the last one out of the building. So I thought if I was keeping up and not shutting the belt off I was ahead of the game. A week ago I found out the manager that had helped with me with the supervisor issue was being transferred and the manager we were getting was coming from the center that my manager had been sent to. (word is that manager had made a serious mess of things at that center...but this is only a rumor we've heard).

Suddenly my pull was even HEAVIER. The last 4 days have been absolute hell and I've had to shut the belt off, yell for my belt supervisor for help ect. Yesterday almost entire trailer was for my trucks alone. I complained to my belt supervisor about the safety aspect of this. My tucks are too heavy, over crowded and the fact I have to move so fast throws the "safety tips" we all get to learn right out the window. Of course with more volume there are more miss loads. I couldnt believe I was getting this much volume so I told my supervisor that I couldnt in good concious accept responsibility for miss loads that would ultimately get me yelled at everyday when I'm being force fed 3 times the volume as any other pull in the building. I know how this may sound, but as I've come to learn UPS doesn't exactly excel in "reasonable" behavior.

So jump to today, I'm loading my trucks and getting slammed. A driver for the truck that gets slammed the hardest said he thought Id find it interesting to know that he had gotten in trouble from regional management for having too many 70+lbs packages on his truck yesterday. Im not sure if there is any truth to this or not but it didnt suprise me because that truck always leans one way or another when it leaves. Meanwhile my supervisor is of course busy helping the other people on the belt. I never get a chance to do ANYTHING but pull packages and put them in the trucks. So I grabbed a box that was of decent weight. I tested it for shifting contents, grabbed opposite corners and picked it up using my powerzone. I walked into the truck, went to set the box down and felt a tear in my groin region. I immediately let go of the box and knew something was wrong. I yelled for my belt supervisor and it took them 10 minutes to come down to the belt. It wasnt until I grabbed a driver passing by and told him to go get the supervisor, I was hurt and could not keep up with the belt that they came down from helping another loader. I told them what happend and said that it "really friend%^*ing hurt". He said "I bet" and handed me some boxes. Let me say that this supervisor I've never had problems with. They seem to be just as over worked as I am and they run around all day helping everyone on the belt. Theres just not enough time for them to be down with me helping as much as I would like.

So I limp through (more like dragging a leg) through the remainder of the day. On the way out the supervisor tells me to see the other manager and explain what happend. Speaking with the manager they tell me they dont know what the new center managers policy is regarding this and that I have to go speak to them. So I go to the center managers office and explain what happend. They jumped out of their chair and started screaming about how I wasnt doing my job properly and that I would find out "real quick" that they dont tolerate injuries. I explained to him that there is only so much time in the day and that with our belt being as slammed as it is hard for anyone to help anyone. Period. They then find my belt supervisor and proceed to run them down about how "I said Im not getting the help I deserve" which is in no way what I said. They go on to explain that this is a serious issue and that I wasn't following proper polciy ect. I was in awe of this reaction that my belt supervisor smirked at me due to the look of disbelief on my face. I couldnt believe that I had just gotten hurt doing my job and was being pointed at and spoken to like a child.

Apparently this manager doesnt know what "his" or "UPS" policy is in regards to this issue so he sent me upstairs to another managers office where me, my belt supervisor and this manager spoke about the incident. Now I've had groin injuries (on the other side) in the past. Nothing severe. A day or two of tightness and it goes away. They said if I was to go to "their doctor" I would need to file an injury report ect. I told them I very well may do that, but I wanted to go home and ice it down. The pain sucked but I was starving and also wanted to look up if this was even worth pursuing. I bring home less than 600 dollars a month and from what I've read on these forums about injuries (especially where management is resistant) its a very hard fight to get anywhere. I have no desire to injure myself for this little amount of money. But at the same time, I have to work. They explained to me that if I decide to go to the hospital to call them first. I asked why the center manager didnt just say that instead of accusing me of not doing my job. I got only shurgs of the shoulders.

My questions to this forum is, if you were in my shoes what would you do? How would you react. Quite frankly I'm exhausted from the past 4 days and today just put me past the point of being able to think clearly. I appreciate anyone taking the time to read this and a response is greatly welcomed.

 

[Bubblehead]

I would file an injury report, a harrassment grievance and go to my own doctor right now.

 

[menotyou]

Agree whole heartedly. These people do not care about you. Take care of yourself, as no one else will. Believe me, I know all to well.

 

[Bubblehead]

...and as soon as you might think workers comp is going to come into the picture, get a lawyer on a contigency basis.

 

[menotyou]

...and as soon as you might think workers comp is going to come into the picture, get a lawyer on a contigency basis.

In NY, Comp pays for the majority of their services. I don't think I have paid over $500 for the myriad of issues mine has handled and won. The money comes out of your award. I have been awarded tens of thousands of dollars, too.

 

[Brownslave688]

I would file an injury report, a harrassment grievance and go to my own doctor right now.

Don't forget slow down do your job safe do not run from car to car. Shut off the belt when need be. This is their problem not yours. Oh also sounds like you all need to blast them with supervisor working grievances.

 

[Dracula]

The second you injured yourself, you need to stop what you are doing, find a supervisor, explain your injury, explain that you are unable to continue and that you need to see a doctor or go to a hospital. PERIOD. This is UPS, where injuries are always your fault, no matter what the circumstances are. You need to understand that. No matter what happens, UPS will ALWAYS consider your injury YOUR fault. Just accept that, and protect yourself.

NEVER continue to work after you've been injured, because the fact you kept on working will be used against you. This company is completely ruthless in the way they treat their employees. Any injury that is reported will cost each center/department a certain amount of money, regardless of how much it costs to treat you. The same goes for a vehicle accident.

The reason you stop working and go to a company doctor immediately, is because if you don't file an injury report, and later go to a doctor/hospital on your time, chances are, you are on your own. You've seen what scumbags management will be when their problems fall into your lap. This is a common UPS tactic on just about any topic where it goes against them. They will blame you, they will lie to you, and they will say and do anything in their power to get their way. It is up to YOU, not a supervisor, not a steward, not a friend...YOU. You need to stand up for yourself. When you do, you will find that management tends to crumble, especially when their words get put onto a grievance form with witnesses.

Here is what I would do if I were you: go into work tomorrow, clock in, and as soon as your start time hits, grab a supervisor and tell him you need to file an injury report first, and then see a doctor immediately. Put your injury back into UPS's hands, That is where it belongs.

In the future, if you are overloaded, just do the best that you can. If you can't get done, then, oh well, you can't get done. Just as your injury, let management's problems be management's problem. If they are understaffed, then that is a management problem, not an individual preloader's problem. Don't make it your problem. Do your job the best that you can, and leave work everyday with your head held high knowing that fact. Again, management's shortcomings rest on them, no one else.

Finally, ALWAYS, always report injuries immediately. It's your body. And understand and know that UPS will always make an injury seem like it's all on you. Work safe, don't rush just because UPS doesn't have enough labor to do the job properly. Follow their methods, because working safe is on you. Yes, they will talk about safety, then ignore all of that to get the job done. That is where you MUST stand up and work hard and safe, and NO MORE. Cover your health and ass, because UPS will NOT do it for you.

Good luck.

 

[Macbrother]

As a fellow preloader who used to work the "worst spot" in the building I understand what you're going through completely. I wasn't really targeted or harassed it was simply a matter of seniority, I was the new guy so I got the worst spot.

You said you pretty much had to run from truck to truck. My best advice to you is never jeopardize your personal safety to meet their unrealistic demands / production "guidelines." I don't care how much volume you are getting. Work at a brisk pace, follow your methods, give them a fair day's work but no more. Once the boxes start piling up day after day causing belt stoppages, egress issues, damaged packages, they will get the picture. The worst thing you can do is kill your mind and body to keep up with the pace; that will give them the idea everything is fine, and they may in fact add more; and you'll either burn out or injure yourself in the process.

A lot of this is mental. When you are seeing far more coming down the belt than you are physically capable of loading, it's very easy to get angry, upset, aggravated, even depressed. Try and find your zen. When you're at peace mentally it's much easier to focus (reducing misloads) and adopt a reasonable pace.

I would also do as the others suggested and file for harassment / over utilization; particularly if you are certain you are getting significantly far above average volume.

 

[digital]

Thank you to everyone for the advice. Honestly, after the last few days I didn't know if my state of mind on this issue was really in the right or not. I just wanted to lay the story out in the most un-biased way I could to see if people came to the same conclusion I did. Thats very relieving, if that makes any sense. Everybody wants a job, but when they find work they tend to vanish. I'm not one to bounce from job to job but I've had to ask myself in the last few days if this is worth it. I'm a very goal oriented person and I'm working this job so that I can run my own business one day. That motivates me more than anything. I keep telling myself that if I work hard I'll earn better pay or a better position. A fellow employee told me that during peak the paycheck tends to go up by helping drivers ect. So I'm just trying to hold on. I was offered a safety position by one of the drivers 2 weeks ago but since the new manager arrived I'm not sure if that will happen. The drivers like me so I hope that continues. I think they know when things get crazy and their trucks aren't as neat as they should be due to me getting slammed I take it personally. But thank you to everyone for the responses. If anyone has anything they'd like to add by all means.

 

[Macbrother]

If you can stand it mentally and physically, definitely hang on for peak. Once November starts and you start helping drivers regularly, your paycheck can literally triple, I was going from taking home ~$160/week average to over ~$550/week particularly in the last few weeks of December last year. If your drivers like you that's a good sign that you're a hard worker and know what you're doing, so take pride in that. It's amazing what a handshake and a "good job yesterday man" from a driver can do for your psyche.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Would you run at McDonalds to hand someone their fries?

 

[packageguy]

Agree whole heartedly. These people do not care about you. Take care of yourself, as no one else will. Believe me, I know all to well.

Spoken like a true new yorker...........lol

 

[packageguy]

Listen to these posts. Get yourself to a doctor. It might be nothing now but get it checked out. They might give you light duty for a few days. Have the doctor give you restrictions if need be.

If you feel that management didn't do right grieve it, like in the previous posts. Don't be afraid. it your life. Trust us they don't care. In there eyes there are people knocking down the door to work here. Good Luck

 

[menotyou]

Spoken like a true new yorker...........lol

If you think these bastards are vile when you are working, try being out on comp for 4 surgeries that were a direct result of UPS. Jerks.

 

[digital]

Having layed around a bit yesterday the injury started to feel SO much better. But it was still pretty sore so I decided to call off. That went pretty smoothly but then this mourning I got a phone call to see if I could come in to take a test? Anyone know what this is about?

 

[menotyou]

Having layed around a bit yesterday the injury started to feel SO much better. But it was still pretty sore so I decided to call off. That went pretty smoothly but then this mourning I got a phone call to see if I could come in to take a test? Anyone know what this is about?

No. I'd ask what kind of test. If they say it pertains to your injury, ask if an injury report has been filed. It sounds like they are going to pull a fit-for-duty test. I've never seen this test, but have heard it discussed on here by certain managers. My opinion on this is your doctor is the only one who can decide if you are fit for duty. Your managers aren't doctors or therapists.

 

[Johney]

My guess...safety quiz. Touch up on your safety dribble.

 

[digital]

It was a safety evaluation. Passed with no issues. We had a safety audit in the last 6 months and the individual who came in to do it was apprently fond of my answers so everything went extremely well. Injury report was filed and had a meeting with the center manager. That also went well. Light duty was also assigned. We'll see how the next week or so goes. Funny thing happend while I was waiting for the center manager. I was speaking with a feeder driver from out of town who is close to retirement. He asked what I was there for ect. I told him the story and when he found out what I actually get paid he laughed and said he couldnt understand why I would do some of this work for that amount of money. I told him it was simple, hurry up and retire because I need your job! haha

 

[menotyou]

Light duty was assigned to avoid the penalty. Like I said, watch your back as no one else will.

 

[Johney]

Light duty was assigned to avoid the penalty. Like I said, watch your back as no one else will.

Light duty is always assigned by the Doc in a box. Your arm could be hanging by a thread and they would assign you light duty(you have two arms right?). I have only been taken out of service when I reach the level of surgeon for an injury.