I once worked in a district where summer just happened to be "AFLAC" season in one center. Talk about staffing issues. .
I can tell you the last resort is to have UPS management do hourly work. They don't like it and would rather work with available employees, however sometimes there are none. And if there are hourly employees avaialbe to do the work, then greivances should be filed to put an end to the management not honoring the contract.
On the flip side, how should management handle unplanned absenteeism? You can only give hourly people so much work and someone needs to do the rest to service the customer.
Hi Chan. I love that middle paragraph. I almost in quoting you wanted to idit the rest out. LOL The big thing I want to point out is that the Upper Brass is dispatching its sups nationally as drivers. Ok, about handling unplanned absenteeism. I feel the sups have to accept some degree of blame on this. What Im about to say dosen't make it right, but I have seen it go on. center manager and Sups don"t treat everyone equally. That means one of their pets is let off(sick) for whatever reason on a consistent basis and that does not set well with other employee's. Thus creating them to call in sick(remember mental health). I have seen this occur.
This is just a side note. I believe UPS should have NEVER went public. I believe it has only hurt the Company. Jim Casey would have never allowed it. Too much is riding on the bottom line. Sacraficing service, the Employee, mgt and customers has become the statis quo. I remember the days before we went public. Yes, we had problems,but not to the extent we have now. From 85 to 2000 when I worked at UPS before we went public was totally different. I hardly or rarely, rarely saw a sup touch a package. I can only speak about our center. Now, its common practice. Why is that? UPS knows this is a very physical Job. Were Athletes. Professional Atheletes. Mgt tends to forget that. Check out some of the NFL, NBA or other sports and check out their Injury roster. Some can be prettttty lengthy to say the least. UPS needs to take that into account. Hire more drivers and put them in reserve(pt lay off). Yes, it will cost more, but you will allaveate some of these probems. UPS is and has started running their operations to the man and now it is starting to "bite" back at them.
Again, what should mgt do about absteenism? Curious, I wonder what would happen if Cms and Sups, would organize and just stop doing hourly work immediately. Kind of like a strike. Yes, pkgs would be missed. It would be a national UPS crisis. UPS and the Teamsters would, I believe have to call an emergency session to correct the problem immediately. Nip it in the butt. Believe me folks, the Teamsters dont want to lose pkgs to the competitor that are non-union.
This than brings me too the history of the Unions. Have you ever read the book by Upton Sinclair " The Jungle". Unions started in this country in the early 1900's. Their goal was to help out the hard and I do mean hard working workers. As we all know the meat packing, automaking, and any other factory or production line of work was brutal. The 16 hour days, no vacations, Ins, the long lines outside of people waiting for you to drop out so they can take your place on the line,etc,etc. The Unions came in and gave protection to the hard working workers. What has happened now is that the Unions are starting to protect the Poop birds. I understand there can be abuses on each side. I live in a right to work state(Va.), highly conservative area(I am a Teamster conservative, LOL) too say the least. What I find funny is that many of the people around here are anti-union, but when UPS has openings their the first is line to get the job. LMAO. Hypocrites
Anyhow, I believe Jim Casey had some commpassion for the workers in his day. Old School workers, folks. Jim invited the Teamsters in. Yes you can make the case that sooner or later the Teamsters would have invited themselves in. LOL. Jim saw that the union could be a good thing. A system of checks and balances. Treat others how you would want to be treated. Jim had a vision and he saw that in times past how companies would treat their employees like disposable goods. Respect and loyalty was a common virture. Also promptness. ( ;
In closing. center manager and sups. I agree. Excessive abesentism is a problem that should be worked out in the contract. The company should not agree to something they no very well they are not going to honor. My advice if you don't like the attendance policy don't sign on the contracts dotted line. Go ahead, hang us Teamsters out to dry. Its been a little over ten years since the last time you did. I need some party picket time on the line. Hey, Jonnie past me another cold one. area 43 out. ( :