I am under no contractual obligation to work in the most efficient way. In fact, I am contractually obligated to work as directed. I am directed to follow Orion. So that is what I do. Miles ups, area shrunk, paid day up. Thats all that matters. I do not get any monetary gain by working in a efficient manner. But rather I make more money by working in wasteful manner. I am not a glorified pizza delivery boy to have a sense of grandeur. I am a glorified pizza delivery boy for the check. If they want me to stop at every house and ask them if they want to sign up for my choice, well thats what I will do, as long as I get my check.
They are my employer. They call the shots no matter how stupid they are. As long as I am not doing something that goes against the contract, is immoral or illegal, then I will do what they ask.
Even if I was willing to not work as directed, why would I turn down less work for more money? I find it comical. I am a monkey dressed in brown, with a pension and a six figure income and pretty good benefits. Pay 100k a year and I will dress like bozo the clown and drive a clown car pulling a trailer of packages.
I don't need to come home at the end of the day and have the feeling of accomplishment because I slung cardboard in the most efficient way. I will feel a sense of accomplishment when my kids graduate college paid for with my earnings from slinging cardboard the way my employer directed me to.
I think your premise is wrong from the jump. One of the biggest problems with UPS drivers is not knowing what a "directive" is.
First, lets dispense with the "working as directive" theory. You said "In fact, I am contractually obligated to work as directed." This is untrue and NOT a fact.
There isnt one section of our NMA, Supplementals, Riders or Addendums that includes a section on working as directed.
Unless you can demonstrate a place where "we" are contracted to "WORK AS DIRECTED" I wouldnt say that again.
"WE" do have a contractual obligation to "perform" our duties in a certain manner, and this is a contractual obligation.
THIS IS YOUR DIRECTIVE. Article 37 opening preamble states it.
We are to be trained to drive, to record, to lift, to load and unload and then released onto the streets to "manage" the day in the best interests of the employer. This is "our" responsibility by contract. The duties of each function of the delivery business rests with us as drivers.
Only "we" can control the business day and we can either jack it up intentionally, or act responsibly and make good business decisions during the day. Before ORION, who made these decisions? When to go somewhere, when to stop, how long to give to a chatty customer etc etc... these are the parameters that "WE" as drivers are obligated to control under Article 37.
Managements role is to train us, to develope better business practices but NOT to on a whim tell us something to do contrary to a good business decision.
If we only worked under a premise of "working as directed", we would have to call in everytime a decision had to me made, but fortunately, Jim Casey trusted that "we" if compensated fairly would make those decisions without having to consult with some desk jockey all day long.
Yes, the company can create whatever system they want to create, and implement it and ask us to comply with it, but when face with a "contradicting directive", its OUR obligation to make the right decision for the business.
ORION has placed all drivers currently on it into "contradicting directives" all day long. Forcing Uturns to go in a direction behind you vs in front of you. Forcing you to cross blvds in a hop scotch pattern vs running a street one side then the other. ORION increasing backing incidents in a center is one of the largest "contradicting directives" we are facing.
We all know that backing only increases the chance of an accident, yet ORION is planning these manuevers all day on every route. For now, I personally am backing as many times as its telling me to do. In a dense residential neighborhood like the ones i deliver, there is no driving around. Its only three point turns in the middle of a block.
As a driver, I would NEVER attempt or even think about these moves, but to work around it only demonstrates a false positive to the company. I believe the company should see the program for what it is. I hit a record 71 backs on one day vs the normal 35 to 40 i do regularly.
My primary contractual directive is to perform my duties in the best interests of the company and that means "I" make those decisions when I am on the road.
Anything that compromises school closures, saver failures, missed pickups or business failures is a counter directive that we should not be forced to follow.
"WORKING AS DIRECTED" is a myth and will never hold up in arbitration compared to a written directive in our contract.
TOS.
