Questions from a new Casual past the 30 day mark.

[Haximus]

Hello everyone, I started as a casual driver this summer and today I was informed that some changes are going to be made to my routine.

Let me just say I have now worked 36 days as a casual driver, with around 6 or 7 scratch performances. This morning, I was told I was not working today, and this afternoon, my supervisor informed that I will now be working Tuesday through Friday in my current center, and that I will have to work pre loads so he can train other casuals on my route, until the peak season hits, when I will have about 300 stops per day.

Also, I will now be working Saturdays in a different center delivering Next Day Airs.
So my questions are:

1. Is this good? Does this mean I performed as required through my 30 day trial?
2. Do Saturday NDA's have the same 10:30 am commit times?
3. Will I still receive the same pay rate as before if I am working preloard/ Saturday NDA's?
4. How many stops does a Saturday NDA route TYPICALLY have?
5. Is there "Scratch performances" for Saturday NDA's that I need to worry about?

Thank you in advance for any questions you guys can answer.
I am a little nervous about the Saturday NDA (Especially if scratch is involved), as I will be learning a whole new are that I have zero area knowledge of, and I was finally getting comfortable/confident with my regular route. I am sure the management understand and realize that I am new and going to be in a whole new area, I just want to be prepared.

 

[Big Arrow Down...D]

You lost me at 300 stops per day

 

[barnyard]

You will get your most accurate answers from the supe that told you about your new schedule.

 

[upschuck]

My guesses are
1) yes
2) usually 90 mins later
3) 6th day 1.5x
4) varies geatly
5) easiest day of work ever

 

[calcio56]

From my experience:
1. All Saturday hours were paid at OT rate. I think that's good.
2. No 10:30 commits. Our earliest commit was noon. Not sure if anybody ran eams, or if they exist on sat.
3. Not sure. I was a full time bid driver when I was on that tues- sat schedule.
4. I usually have about 16-20 stops with noon commit. 2 hr lunch. 7ish pickups.
5. No scratch that I know about.

I use my Google map app and star all my stops in order to create my route. We don't have EDD on saturday.

Sat air driving is about the easiest money you can make.

 

[pickup]

So my questions are:

1. Is this good? Does this mean I performed as required through my 30 day trial?

I'm not even sure if you made it through your 30 day trial period. At least in terms of making book.

To others who are reading, isn't most of summer also a "freeze" period and thus a person does not accumulate any working days towards seniority?

 

[calcio56]

I started April 1 and I assume I made senority. Nobody tells us these things!

 

[oldngray]

I started April 1 and I assume I made senority. Nobody tells us these things!

April Fool!

 

[OLDMAN3]

-You started as a casual driver? Red flag
-He told you you were going to work preload? Red flag.

Are you in a right to work state?
Have Union Dues been deducted from your paycheck?

My guess is that you were hired as a temporary casual driver. Since there are limits on how long they can keep a temporary driver, and which months they can keep you driving, you will be sent to the preload until the next time period they can use temporary drivers (peak). I would ask the Union Steward if this is the case. If they are moving you to pre-load you are likely being hired as a part time employee and they will use and abuse you when you drive temporarily again. Your chances of becoming a full time permanent driver would then depend on how long the average wait currently is in your building to win a bid. Around here it was about a 9 year wait, until the last hiring spree. But I could be wrong.

 

[Haximus]

Thank you for the information everyone.
MORION - Nice name LOL.

Yes I was hired as a casual driver, only other work I did for UPS was I worked as a helper during last peak season.
By 30 days, I meant what they do now is you are on a 30 day trial to be eligible to work as a casual driver until January 1st I suppose.

Throughout this entire experience, my supervisor has been very kind to me, which from what I have read, I should consider myself lucky.
I also think he has been very honest with me.

He knows that I am pursuing a full time driving permission, which is why I think he required me to have atleast 3 scratch performances in my first 30 days.
He also already had me submit sales leads and my "Thank you" letter to the company.
He said he needed to hire 4 full time drivers this year in my center, and I honestly think hes been trying to help me achieve this position.

Either way. Yes I have been paying Union Dues, and again, all he told me was I have to work "some" preload in the mean time because he has to train more casual drivers on my route so that this peak season will not be such a nightmare for this center. And that I would start driving regularly again as we approach peak season and that I should be prepared for having about 300 stops per day and "It will be fun".

Everyone tells me I am crazy, but I seriously love this job, and I'm a young guy being presented with an opportunity for a real future. I'll do whatever it takes, I just hope what I am being told is true and I'm not just getting tossed to the pile.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

In my center, I couldn't work Saturday Air til I was qualified. So that could be good. But Saturday Air rate is lower, preload will be around $10-$12 unless you deliver air or ground later in the day. There isnt really any scratch involved in Saturdays though. There is, but it isnt monitored. Just get em off on time. Earlys are 1 hour later, NDA 1.5 and savers end of day (at least for me). Good job, good luck, now wait in line.