Preloaders have to skip break if stacked out.

rama'nfeeders

Well-Known Member
You are entitled to a break when everyone else gets a break unless your contracts says otherwise which I don't think it will be. You can go to bathroom whenever you want to as long as you tell your direct supervisor. If doesn't allow you tell him you need a shopsteward because you need to representation! Also, you should report this to HR that day and let them know you are also contacting OSHA because it's illegal in the work place to stop an employee from going to the bathroom. You should send a complaint to your local OSHA office that days as well. Also, tell the company that they are violating your civil rights and you will be contacting your lawyer. Don't take there crap, but follow the rules and grieve later. DO NOT BE INSUBORDINATE!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
Of course everyone should take their break. And go to the bathroom whenever necessary.

But sometimes things are more complicated than you think.

Show me in the New England Supplement where it says a part-timer is entitled to a break.

Show me in The Law where a part-timer working, say, four hours plus or minus, is entitled to a break.

Maybe there's a "Past Practice" of taking a break, but that's not as secure as actual legal or Union Contract language.

There's also the complication that typically part-timers don't control the conveyor belt system. If you leave your workstation for a break on your own authority, you may be seen as abandoning your job, or failing to work as instructed. Especially if the packages keep flowing in your absence. Either you will be burried when you return, or the workers downstream will be in your absence.

The Union should step in and insure the belts are stopped so a break can be taken without appearing to be insubordinate.
OSHA standards and workplace rules. I've never heard of not being "allowed" to use a bathroom. That's absurd - I own myself, not UPS, and will use the bathroom as needed. If it is a problem and job was somehow threatened, and it's an emergency, 911 emergency and an ambulance ride is another option. I'll even hit the overhead door button for them.
 

anonymous4

Well-Known Member
I use the bathroom 3-4 times a night and do not tell anyone where I am going or what I am doing. I am doing manual labor pounding water down from gallon jugs. I will use the bathroom as I please. This reminds me of the Shawshank Redemption scene with Morgan Freeman asking the grocery store supervisor to go to the bathroom as if he were still in prison.

My building is the same as every other building with management harassment but I have never heard of an issue being made over bathroom use. A lot of old timers make sure to spend 20 minutes before they clock out washing their hands and it is brought up at PCM every so often, but what can really be done without crossing a line?
 

barnyard

KTM rider
Talk to your shop steward and ask for a couple of official grievance forms. Put them on a clipboard and carry with your regular work stuff. When you are told to work through break, pull out the clipboard, write down the time, instructions and supervisor name that gave you the instructions. You might even show them and ask if you worded it properly. The supe will either send you on break or blow a gasket. Either way, you win.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
Of course everyone should take their break. And go to the bathroom whenever necessary.

But sometimes things are more complicated than you think.

Show me in the New England Supplement where it says a part-timer is entitled to a break.

Show me in The Law where a part-timer working, say, four hours plus or minus, is entitled to a break.

Maybe there's a "Past Practice" of taking a break, but that's not as secure as actual legal or Union Contract language.

There's also the complication that typically part-timers don't control the conveyor belt system. If you leave your workstation for a break on your own authority, you may be seen as abandoning your job, or failing to work as instructed. Especially if the packages keep flowing in your absence. Either you will be burried when you return, or the workers downstream will be in your absence.

The Union should step in and insure the belts are stopped so a break can be taken without appearing to be insubordinate.



Maybe you should read Article 64. Break periods. Page 199 of the in the New England Supplement...
 

JonFrum

Member
OSHA standards and workplace rules. I've never heard of not being "allowed" to use a bathroom. That's absurd - I own myself, not UPS, and will use the bathroom as needed. If it is a problem and job was somehow threatened, and it's an emergency, 911 emergency and an ambulance ride is another option. I'll even hit the overhead door button for them.
Why are you quoting me and then commenting on something else?
 

Dracula

Package Car is cake compared to this...
I read through that Atlantic rider...that's some piss-poor protection up there. I don't see anything in there about breaks for part-timers. They can't stop you from going the bathroom though.

A older feeder driver was telling me a story of an Iowa feeder driver who was told that he couldn't stop to use the crapper on his return trip. What did he do? He pooped his pants the next day, got back, told someone to tell his boss to meet him in HIS office. When the boss opened the door to his own office, this feeder driver was sitting in the boss's nice recliner. He turned his nose up and asked him what that smell was. He told him he couldn't stop, and neither could mother nature. Needless to say, he was never bothered again about where and when to take a restroom break.
 

Dracula

Package Car is cake compared to this...
lol chill out dude

in 2.5 years in preload, i never met a SINGLE person who wanted to take their break, nor did i ever want it as a preloader

10min of break vs. playing catch up the rest of the morning? no thanks

Well you hang out with some strange people then. I'm not really even sure how to argue with someone who doesn't understand the purpose of a break. Playing catch up the rest of the morning?? Preloaders get paid by the hour, last I checked. You sound like someone who would ask his employees to work off the clock. You are a strange guy.
 

JonFrum

Member
Your post was referring to breaks. My post was referring to breaks. You okay bro? ;p
There's a difference between a group break, and an individual trip to the bathroom.


You seemed to be scolding me when the first sentence of my post clearly said,


"Of course everyone should take their break, and go to the bathroom whenever necessary."
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
The first time your sup tells you that you can't a break when everyone else is. Ask to see a Steward and tell the sup your going to need a grievance form... Then go take your break...

The first time your supervisor tries to tell you that you cant go to the bathroom, whip it out right there and pee on his leg. He will get the message.
 
Today we were told if we were stacked out when break was called we would have to work through it. They said we can then take our break after the sort is complete. Kind of defeats the purpose of a break. Also if we go to the restroom throughout the day that would count against our break.
I would grieve that in a heartbeat.
 

Indecisi0n

Well-Known Member
I am so over the "you need to take a lunch" speech. If they are stupid enough not to take a lunch then so be it. Its only a matter of time before they get hurt. Have fun.
 

anonymous4

Well-Known Member
The most interesting thing in this thread was TearsInRain. I cannot tell if his reply was complete sarcasm or the dreadful truth. We have people working through breaks daily, also bullying people into taking staggered breaks to "keep the flow going". It is awful to say, but I think we know what is coming. This push in production will result in a death eventually, which might be the turning point if UPS can't sweep it under the rug. Safety is barely an afterthought when you have heavy industrial parts, hazmats and other dangerous items blowing up as it goes through a meat grinder, with insufficient staffing to keep things running. Daily, things reach a peak where package after package is blown up in the belt system, and as soon as the area supervisor says enough is enough, the center manager was there shaking her finger to NOT SHUT THE BELTS DOWN, KEEP IT RUNNING. Injury, death? WHO CARES. WE. MUST. MAKE. PRODUCTION ON THIS DAY!

How would our customers feel seeing a video of what happens in some areas of our hubs? Where 1 out of 10 packages quite literally explodes. Areas with 300+ wraps piled up, shredded to pieces just so we could hit that number. Packages stacking up in the rafters so high they fall 25 feet down to the floor, easily killing or seriously injuring someone. It will happen soon enough.
 
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