How is everybody making out with their relief of Overtime grievances?
I didn't sign the list because I want OT before my shift. I'm on the EAM/pre-load call-in list. When either operation needs help they call us in seniority order. I get the call 2-3 times per week and on these days I can't work past 715 because I would be over 12 hours. This is reason enough to put your name on the list. I say this because once I get called in I KNOW I will be off the clock by 715 and I can't get this affirmation any other way!.
Roughly 65-70% of my center signed to "Opt Out" of 9.5 hours. Our center manager didn't like this. One driver who happens to be a cover driver signed the list. Now he thinks the center manager is out to get him because which ever route he does, he is always in "the red"
The cover driver's argument doesn't fly because when the dispatch is planned he can't be factored into it because we never know what route he will do.
My conclusion is that he has terrible luck and is always stuck with a heavy dispatch. I also think he wines too much. During the summer, everyone was overdispatched because of 4-5 routes being cut. He thought he was the only one getting hammered and WE HEARD about it!
I think the truth exists somewhere in the middle.
The management person dispatching the work is well aware of the staffing for the day. Usually the staffing is not finished until 45 minutes before start times, but for the most part a pre-bookoff staffing list is done every night before management goes home. They are well aware of the incoming volume, so they make sure routes are added/cut depending on the volume.
If he knows you are a runner, he wont pull a last minute add/cut on your route. If you are heading the route on the blind, they are more apt to cut some residential off the car so you are not overwhelmed.
What kills me the most is that even when a whole town/city is in the red, they still won't put an extra route in to help the drivers. They will accept 5 over 10's anyday of the week before they accept 6 8.5 hr routes.
When you opt in to 9.5 you have the option of filing, it doesn't happen automatically, so you can opt in and tell them you wont be filing grievances so you can keep doing extra work, and have the option of relief later. Also, according to my BA extra work you volunteer for does not count towards triple time(1 hour preload and 9 hours on road does not get you any triple time or qualify for a grievance).
Feeder you had better stop making sense, they will hunt you down and eliminate you.I believe they should keep more people on as they will be up to speed as the busy season approaches and keep the OT to a minimum, but I also know that it is cheaper to have one work overtime so as not to have to pay another set of benefits. I would like to know how much it costs to train a person and have them leave and then start over. UPS must have the numbers on this.
The best way to stop going over 9.5, I believe is to work hard,do the methods, take your hour lunch, and keep you nose clean, and then let the chips fall where they may. As cost consequence as managment is if you keep going over 9.5 they will take work off of you. If not use your O.T. to pay off debt or save in case there is hard times ahead. Find your stops per hour and stick to it every hour every day. Maybe I am naive. This will take some time but be patient and consistent. No matter how many stops they give you stick to your stops per hour regardless.
To answer the OP's question, as of right now I have 7 pending O/9.5 grievances filed. They are going to National Committee early next month. UP$ is trying to weasel out of paying them. They are saying that extended runs with alot of miles don't qualify and in town routes with large count pick up pieces don't either.