lunch breaks

[stevetheupsguy]

I'm a big boy. I'm not going to ask my supervisor for "permission" to attend a school function or have a personal life after work. As long as it doesnt affect service to the customers its none of his damn business. If he is truly that unhappy with my decision to skip my lunch and has nothing more important to do with his time he can go ahead and just write me a warning letter. The only thing that matters to me is that I get paid for the hour.

I totally understand you, sober, just saying that giving your supe a heads up would go a long way in the scheme of things. Communication can be very helpful at times. I'm a big boy, as well, and I wouldn't hesitate to ask/inform the supe of anything, from skipped lunches to future days off. I guess you don't have such a hot relationship with your supe.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

... I'm a big boy...

Are you sure?

[/URL]

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Are you sure?

[/URL]

LOL, well maybe not compared to these guy. They both weigh in the mid 200lb range and are quite tall. Me, I'm every bit of 5'9 1/2" tall and about 175lbs, but that's not what I was talking about.

I totally understand the differences we have with supes. This being said, I believe being upfront and honest with them about our plans, works better than keeping them in the dark and just doing what you want. JMHO again.

 

[1989]

He/she also may just say its NOT okay. I would rather ask for forgiveness than permission.

I'm a big boy. I'm not going to ask my supervisor to "allow" me to attend a school function or have a personal life after work. As long as it doesnt affect service to the customers its none of his damn business. If he is truly that unhappy with my decision to skip my lunch and has nothing more important to do with his time he can go ahead and just write me a warning letter. The only thing that matters to me is that I get paid for the hour.

You are breaking the contract and possibly state law. If you violate state law it is your supes business.

 

[1989]

Once in 2005 I got a talking to for taking lunch from 15:00-15:30. (A lunch violation) and had to sign a form to waive a second 30 minute lunch after 11 hours.

 

[browniehound]

Okay, it's a waste of time, but you still have to take the time. If you are required to take an hour long break, and it needs to be in the board, then you just have to. Like you said in your previous post, no sense in working an hour for free.

I think I'm going to put my hour to better use from here on out. There's a library on my route, plenty of shopping and I can always drive down to the river and fish, swim or take pictures. I may even take 1/2 an hour and improve my running ability.

Steve, I'm with you 100%. I never stated that I didn't take the hour. I was just pointing out that its a waste of my time and a victory for UPS when another poster replied that it was a hard fought item won by the teamsters.

My opinion is nothing was won by the teamsters. UPS management benefits the majority of the time because of the hour lunch. If it wasn't a benefit to UPS then it wouldn't be required to be taken.

If UPS didn't benefit, then why would a list be generated everyday of the employees that didn't enter 1 full hour in the DIAD? Its OK for us to work some minutes off the clock, but if we only take 50 minutes for lunch we are scolded because it HAS to be 60 minutes.

Why is it 60 minutes? Because it benefits UPS!

Can someone please write that they understand where I'm coming from?? If I'm wrong, please write that I'm wrong, but why would we be told to take the 1 hour lunch?

Before the CA lawsuit we were docked 1 hour everyday no matter what we put in the DIAD. After UPS lost the case they can't dock the 1 hour of lunch automatically.

We are now required to put 1 hour of lunch in the DIAD everyday. They want us to enter the lunch period for 2 reasons. One is to delay OT pay by 1 hour and the second reason is free labor from the drivers that skip lunch.

Why would UPS require us to take an hour lunch unless it benefited the company? Why would UPS care if I took 7 minutes or 2 hours?

They require the hour because it benefits UPS.

Can someone please post how the hour lunch benefits the teamster employee?

 

[soberups]

You are breaking the contract and possibly state law. If you violate state law it is your supes business.

I also broke state law yesterday when I looked down at my speedometer and noticed that I was driving 56 in a 55 mph zone.

No victim, no crime.

I am aware that I am in technical violation of the contract and state law on the rare occasions when personal or family issues compel me to skip my lunch in order to get off work an hour earlier.

On those occasions, I am well aware of the fact that my supervisor is within his rights to issue me a warning letter if he chooses to do so.

I am making a choice and accepting the potential consequences of that choice.

None of this changes the fact that, per the contract, the company cannot refuse to pay me for all hours worked, including an hour of skipped lunch.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I also broke state law yesterday when I looked down at my speedometer and noticed that I was driving 56 in a 55 mph zone.

No victim, no crime.

I am aware that I am in technical violation of the contract and state law on the rare occasions when personal or family issues compel me to skip my lunch in order to get off work an hour earlier.

On those occasions, I am well aware of the fact that my supervisor is within his rights to issue me a warning letter if he chooses to do so.

I am making a choice and accepting the potential consequences of that choice.

None of this changes the fact that, per the contract, the company cannot refuse to pay me for all hours worked, including an hour of skipped lunch.

Very true, and I guess I did the same.

 

[1989]

I also broke state law yesterday when I looked down at my speedometer and noticed that I was driving 56 in a 55 mph zone.

No victim, no crime.

I am aware that I am in technical violation of the contract and state law on the rare occasions when personal or family issues compel me to skip my lunch in order to get off work an hour earlier.

On those occasions, I am well aware of the fact that my supervisor is within his rights to issue me a warning letter if he chooses to do so.

I am making a choice and accepting the potential consequences of that choice.

None of this changes the fact that, per the contract, the company cannot refuse to pay me for all hours worked, including an hour of skipped lunch.

True, but your speed isn't documented like your timecard records are.

 

[1989]

I take that back, Steve's speed is now documented forever.

 

[twenty2go]

Wow, i didn't think our cars could go that fast!

 

[Cementups]

We have a P7 that can easily go 85-90mph. It scares me at that speed.

 

[rossco]

browniehound, as new as i am i definately agree with you. what building in mass are you out of. on a different note, if so many people complain about how not taking a break is wrong, do these same people complain about the guys who dont always use 3 points of contact, or keep their bulkhead door closed, or check their mirrors every 5-8 seconds.

 

[pudg00]

Must have been going down hill with a tail wind. Mine won't go 35 on slight incline

 

[UnconTROLLed]

If the 1 hour lunch was a hard fought victory by the teamsters then I don't want them doing me anymore favors. I get 2 10 minute breaks and the "hard fought hour".

I don't want the hour! Its an hour stuck in the employ of UPS in which I'm not being paid. I don't understand why people don't realize this. Our day is long enough and you want to fight for an hour included that you are not paid for? why?

I'm sorry but UPS won your "hard fought lunch hour" and they are laughing all the way to the bank. The hour lunch allows them the convience of paying you straight time for pickups from 1630-1730 instead of overtime. Why would you want to delay the time your OT starts by 1 hour? Are we really this stupid?

UPS also benefits from the 1 hour lunch because of the free labor the obtain from drivers who run their lunch. There are many that could care less about the 5K/year they are giving the company because they value their free time at more that what they are losing.

I don't consider the hour lunch a victory by the teamsters if they even fought for it in the first place? Slavery ended during the Lincoln administartion. We are now in the Obama administration, yet UPS is still obtaining labor for free from many employees!!!! I think its the only company in America that can still get away with it legally.

That is your opinion. I would quit if I was not given an hour lunch every day. I think positions should vary lunches. My hour is my time, I can go do what I want to. Your hour is differnt- you're in uniform - you're stuck with a UPS vehicle - etc.

Either it had to be - everyone gets a lunch, or everyone doesn't.

I agree, when I worked at the cu counter in watertown FT, I hated taking a lunch and it was a true waste of time. Only my 10 minute breaks were necessary. It was an hour I could be doing something outside of work. I completely understand your viewpoint.

 

[soberups]

True, but your speed isn't documented like your timecard records are.

Actually, with Telematics being installed in the trucks your speed IS documented now.

 

[Nockahate9]

Theres a resturaunt right across the street from our center and every evening around 5-6, theres about 10 or more pkg cars that just sit in the parking lot waiting for their lunch hour to end so they can go home.

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

I am curious if any of you folks have worked anywhere other than UPS. Any job I have ever had, you went to lunch when the boss, owner, or whomever you answered to told you to go. It is funny that it is so difficult for people to take a lunch. I understand all of the reasons to want to skip to get done and also understand that we do not merely punch out and go home at 5:00. There is no way that I will show a lunch to get home and rob myself of nearly four hours of pay each week. A lot of people that want to get home are probably rushing right over to the computer to check out Brown Cafe anyway.

 

[gandydancer]

California law (http://www.dir.ca.gov/iwc/IWCArticle9.pdf, section 11) requires only a 30 minute lunch, plus a second 30 minute meal break if you work 10 hours (12, with a waiver). Our contract (Western? NorCal? I forget.) allows you a 1 hour lunch, but management only has to give you 30 minutes if they pay you ot for the rest. The legal (not contractual -- you'd have to file with the CA-IWC, not merely grieve) penalty for not giving you a 30 min lunch is 1 hour straight time, so I suppose that they can deny you any lunch at the cost of paying triple time for that 30 min, plus time-and-a-half for the next 30 min, to hourlys that file.

Anyway, UPS' choice to require a full hour lunch is a money-saving management decision, not a legal or contractual requirement. At least here.

 

[ol'browneye]

Hey Stugs, I like your pictures and think most of them are very clever and funny. But why is the co-chair of the safety committee taking a picture of his speedometer while going 68 mph?