New Orleans

[susiedriver]

One more link, and I'm outta here:
http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?pid=21843

 

[dannyboy]

"But Chertoff - not Brown - was in charge of managing the national response to a catastrophic disaster" "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job!"

It is so funny that you can quote everyone, link everywhere, never have an original thought, and yet be so off base. I guess an uncontroled hatred will do that.

And when asked the simple question on minimum wage, you cant do it can you.

That is what I thought.

d

 

[wkmac]

Here you go Susie for the flipside. Heard about this last week on FoxNews, (Does your buds at Democrat Underground call Fox the bastion of Republican brainwashing?) and thought what a super gesture on the Congressman's part. What attracted Cong. Edwards to this family was the mother when relocated to the Houston Astrodome set aside her own needs and was turning over backwards helping out others. That compasionate dedication caught the Congressman's eye and thus her and her family have a home to be in for now.

BTW and just so we're clear with one another, all politicians from both parties and no matter which one is in power will profit and benefit during times of trouble and take credit for the goodtimes when no credit is deserved at all. Their powerful friends paid good money to get them elected (both parties do it) in order for these powerful to have acesss and control so you mean to suggest that only one party would do this? Can I make a suggestion? While on the computer take the time to go for starters to http://thomas.loc.gov/
and research legislation. Also learn to use the Law Library, it's not hard at all, and not so much look at case law but more importantly research the Statues-At-Large and the Federal Register. Also pay very close attention to the numerous international treaties our country entangles itself in. These treaties over the years have been used as a mechanism to circumvent Constitutional restrictions as in all treaties there are clauses that specifically statement all needed laws to enforce said treaty will be imposed by the agreed nations. For us, this is compounded even further with the US Constitution stating that Treaties entered into by the US Senate will have supremacy over the Constitution where conflicts occur. These cloakroom Hilters in Washington know this and they position their agendas accordingly. Corp. America also knows this and thus another reason they stay camped out in Washington DC having their store bought lapdogs do their bidding in many cases to the total contradiction of the goodwill of the American people. You think you're mad and upset now then go look and let the real truth start to hit you in the face. I dare you!

BTW: Don't leave as I find your posts humorous but your pasted and linked articles are of interest too.

 

[wkmac]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/sep/14/20050914-120153-3878r/

These guys are conservative in name only. I think the term Neocon is right on except for one small change.

It should be: Neoconmen!

 

[tieguy]

"I thought the "card" thing was a stupid not well thought out PR stunt "

I think its a little more than a PR stunt. There seems to be an effort with insurers to get money in the hands of victims sooner. State Farm has gotten a lot of positive press for the same thing. Seems to be a little more compassionate than making someone wait months for an insurance settlement.

 

[ok2bclever]

Interesting thought, I wonder why this federal action was curtailed so quickly and used only for those in Houston, Texas then?

 

[dannyboy]

Because they are handing out vouchers now instead. That way Wachovia bank will cash them for the people and they can spend the cash any way they wish. That should keep them from being caught using disaster money for things other than the basics.

But for those really in need, it has been a life saver or at least a way to get a bit of comfort in a very uncomfortable situation.

Kudos to those companies that are quick to respond to the needs and claims of their customers.

d

 

[moreluck]

On my Yahoo webpage today the news headline was "New Orleans Bars Get Ready To Open". Yep, that's real important. Fine, if they are opening, but they don't have to advertise it when folks don't even have homes or anything. Yep, go get that gov't. money and go have a cool one. Absolutely ridiculous!!

 

[scratch_king]

Wednesday I delivereed a NDA letter from UPS in Louisianna to a house on my area. The man who came to the door is a package driver from New orleans. He said that UPS gave them two weeks pay plus he had two weeks of vacation that was left. He is a twenty year driver and said that he didn't want to go back. Thursday I delivered a NDA Pak from the Dallas area and I took him a Mapquest map so he could find his way to my hub.Our two Center Managers didn't know anything about him. Friday HR told them that we would have two New Orleans package drivers start, we will probably keep them through peak season at least. The man I found is one of them.

 

[mattwtrs]

My center manager was talking to 2 people Friday evening when I got in and he asked me what I thought about them after they left. I asked him why and he said they were from New Orleans and were looking for work. I guess he thinks I have a crystal ball that I look in to see the future and can tell who should be hired and who should not! I jokingly told him if I was that good at predicting the future I would have left UPS long ago and would be picking winners at the track.

 

[pd109]

wayto go scratch_king you showed initiative in getting this guy back in the workforce.The fact that you tried to inform them that you found an actual upser that needed help and they didn`t jump on it does not surprise me.In my opinion UPS has become what Jim Casey would never have allowed.Run by production analysts,(IE) at the expense of the one thing we need to expand,our customers.I`m glad this guy found work in the Dallas area,and you as a ups driver should be proud that you did your part to help.

 

[tieguy]

PD you read all that into his post?

 

[tieguy]

I hate to say it but now that another cat 4 is threatening the gulf area it may actually be better for the overall area if it goes back at new orleans. Most of the area has already been evacuated where other areas have not.

 

[upsdawg]

pd109----Question for you and any others that feel that UPS is not jumping on opportunities to put UPSers to work in other areas throughout the U.S.

If a UPSer from NO performs work( lets say from now til the 1st of the year----3 months) in California---who does UPS pay the health & welfare to----Western States Teamsters??

The reason that UPS discourages drivers to relocate is that there are different Teamster Locals different rates of pay---different Pension Plans----it is not as easy as we would like it to be----it's too bad, but there are so many "Other " people involved in the process---and to get everyone to agree to everything does not happen overnite.

So to make a blanket statement that UPS is not jumping on putting displaced UPSers to work is not fair unless you know all of the facts that may be/ or need to happen behind the scenes.

I would love to have experienced drivers assist us during our peak season--rather than driver helpers or new---green drivers.

 

[ok2bclever]

That is a silly stretch dawg, do some research instead of the ole "blame it on the union slam.

The various Teamster pension plans have recognized reciprocal agreements with each other for decades.

I know at my center we are shorthanded, overdispatched, using supes to cover routes by themselves in the name of service and have just put up some permanent driver position openings and could certainly use some veteran drivers immediately.

I suspect this situation is endemic nationwide and those out of work drivers could easily be assimilated into the workforce.

Most of them into centers with the same pension fund.

In fact, the IBT has already come to agreement with UPS on this with the other major transport corporations and UPS.

"The Teamsters union has worked with Yellow Roadway, ABF, and USF Holland so that employees at those companies who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina will be offered work ahead of casuals at their respective locations. The policy affects displaced Teamsters in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

IBT also has reached an agreement with UPS that allows displaced workers to transfer to other locations where work is available for which they are qualified, keeping their health and pension coverage as well as retaining seniority for vacation, holidays, and other benefits.

 

[upsdawg]

OK2B..............silly stretch?? I actually was doing research --you are the research..and if the information that you provided regarding the Union's flexibility in UPSers working in various parts of the country is correct---that's Great!!I must say that I am surprised , if this is the case, and hope to see the Teamsters and UPS working together like this in the future!!

With our peak season approaching I hope that we are able to get everyone back to work somewhere---there is nothing more valuable than veteran drivers, except drivers with area knowledge!

 

[scratch_king]

We had two New Orleans Drivers start Monday morning in my hub. The one I found on my area and hooked up with my Center had a house by the levee and had evacuated before the storm. He lost everything. His new on car supervisor told me he wished I would find him three more just like him!

 

[tieguy]

"That is a silly stretch dawg, do some research instead of the ole "blame it on the union slam."

Ok I don't think he was blaming the union at all but talking about some of the difficulties that will have to be worked through. We have a feeder driver starting from NO starting for us in about a week. There are bidding/seniority issues involved that we will have to work through. I would like to think everyone will accept the driver with open arms but I'm sure there will be issues that will come up where this driver will get something someone local wanted.

 

[dannyboy]

Tie

That is a real problem, worse I think than the benefits mentioned earlier.

We had a feeder run move to another larger hub and the driver exercised his rights to follow the run. The company paid to move his household to the new city. Rumor had it he was trying to get them to relocate his 600 head of cattle also. Anyway, he has 26 years seniority and under the contract he is allowed to dovetail into the list there. That really caused some problems with the other feeder drivers, as some are real prim-a-donnas.

There were even some death threats from some of the other drivers, even as unbelievable as that sounds.

Anyway the company moved the run back to this building after a year or so, so it is no longer an issue.

As a shop steward, it would be a real problem to fold in a new driver from anywhere and have the seniority dovetail into the existing driver list. But it would only be fair. Also the length of the stay in that center would have to be addressed. Would the move be permanent or just while New Orleans is reopened? So lots of questions and no simple answers.

Glad the company is making things available to the employees.

d

 

[ok2bclever]

Perhaps you are correct tie, but "The reason that UPS discourages drivers to relocate is that there are different Teamster. . ." seems a pretty straight forward assignment of blame to me.

Not to mention if that was the true reason then there wouldn't be any reason to not allow drivers to transfer within their own pension fund areas.

For instance, mine is Central States and covers about a third of the USA, but UPS does not allow full-time employees to transfer at all in my neck of the woods.

I cannot transfer to anywhere, not even to a center thirty miles away short of my center closing.

So to me that just sounds like a pass the blame on the union for a UPS decision.

In my regional contract transfers (only for center closing type situations) are cut and dried regarding seniority issues.

You are dovetailed at the bottom of the seniority list as far as bidding rights, choosing vacations and that seems fair to me.

Must be different in other Regional Supplementals to be talking about this causing difficulties in how it's to be handled.

And where there are wage and other contractual differences you abide by the area you move to just like everyone else.

After all it is your decision to transfer (if UPS allowed that right).

I understand why UPS doesn't want to get into the logistic dance of migrating workers, but don't blame the union when that isn't the reason.