We recently had a satellite route implemented into our center. Contract states If the current driver does not want the satellite route he/she may exercise his/her seniority per article 3, section 9(route changes) of the Central Region Supplement Agreement between the teamsters and ups if applicable or driver may bid off area. Does this mean he can bump anyone with less seniority or be allowed to exercise their seniority in their present center and displace the least senior employee in their respective classification. Page 125 of contract. Or route changes page 180 of contract. Thanks for any info.
Satellite Route. How should it be handled per contract?
- Thread starter xp8gadex
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Harley Rider
34 yrs & done!
We had the same thing happen in our center. I was one of the 7 drivers that transferred to the satellite center. If I am not mistaken, if I had stayed in the current center, I could have bumped any driver with less driving seniority than myself. It has been a few years since this happened but maybe someone can correct me if I am wrong.
Business agent answered that sense its a route change the guy could bump anyone in the center with less seniority. But the it didnt fall into the route change of 1 hr difference in start time or charge by 50% or more of total stops or change of 50% or more of the area or loop. Page 180. Sense that conversation the business agent has not returned any of my phone calls. That seems odd, I pay him to call me. Filed a grievence on it and nothing has been said in over 4 weeks. You would think it would atleast be heard.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
There was talk of making one of our areas a satellite route. They were going to wait until it was time to bid before starting this which I think would have been the fair way to do it. They were hoping that a driver who lived close to this area would take the run. No changes were made as they were unable to reach agreement on a place to drop the trailer during the day and leave the pkg car overnight, as well as to have it serviced.
Changing a route to a satellite route during a bid cycle requires coordination between mgt and the union to ensure that the contract is followed.
Changing a route to a satellite route during a bid cycle requires coordination between mgt and the union to ensure that the contract is followed.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
The route itself does not change. The change(s) is where you report for work and your start time. The proposed satellite route in my center was 45 minutes or so from the center and the start time was to be an hour later. The driver on that area already had a 20 minute commute from the other direction to work so he would have been driving an hour each way and starting an hour later. I would think this qualifies as changing a route enough to allow him to bid off the area.
Bubblehead
My Senior Picture
As always, this forum is a terrible place to obtain credible answers to contractual issues.
With us all subject to different regional and local supplements, it's virtually impossible to obtain definitive answers on these types of questions.
In this case I could see a local seniority practice coming into play.
Check with your BA at your local.
I urge anybody with questions like these to do just that.
Ask the question, and for the supporting language, so you can read it for yourself.
With us all subject to different regional and local supplements, it's virtually impossible to obtain definitive answers on these types of questions.
In this case I could see a local seniority practice coming into play.
Check with your BA at your local.
I urge anybody with questions like these to do just that.
Ask the question, and for the supporting language, so you can read it for yourself.
3 done 3 to go
In control of own destiny
This was going to happen at our center. The least seniority area means the guy who bids last. Usually means a city route. Also means the worse route in the building, But hell. Thats what the union does for us!
For what its worth the supporting language from the union clearly states this. Central Region Satellite Guidlines: If the current driver does not want the satellilte route he/she may exercise his/her seniority per Article 3, section 9(route changes) of the Central Region supplemental Agreement between teamsters and ups if applicable or drivere may bid off area. Then if you go to section 3 article 9 it states If, during the life of this agreement, a drivers bid area is permanently changed by 50%or moreof the total stops, start time change of more than 1 hour or a change of 50 or more of the area or loop, he/she shall have the right to follow whichever portion of his bid area he/she desires or he/she will have option to bump a junior driver in accordance with local seniority practice.
3 done 3 to go
In control of own destiny
he can follow area\or go to lowest senior bid. Think wisely the is no changing your mind after it is agreed too. Goodluck!
ol'browneye
Well-Known Member
If I read the language correctly, section 3, article 9 allows a driver to exercise his/her seniority and bump any junior driver for route change reasons: 50% change, start time, etc. The Satelite Guidelines allow him/her to do the same if he/she doesn't want to follow the route.
In other words, not following the route is another reason the driver is allowed to "exercise his/her senoirity" and bump a junior driver. The satelite route itself does not have to change by 50% or have it's start time change by more than an hour for the driver to get a bump. The mere fact that the route is becoming a satelite route is the reason the driver would get a bump!
It sounds like you are worried about being the driver that gets bumped!
That's pretty much the way I read it. Sounds like the BA read it that way too.
I am not worried about it, thats what happened and I think the contract was not followed but sense its a high seniority driver that came off the route the union is doing nothing to correct it. Thinks it will just go away. Thats why no call back. Funny. So if the mere fact that the route has become a satellite route he should get to bump we should look at page 124-125 of the contract where it states and explains more of satellite routes and changes of operations: Whenever a center or a hub is partially closed and the work of package driver and all other regular employees, part-time and full-time, exclude feeder drivers, is transferred to or aborbed by another center, the affected employees may either follow their work and have their seniority in their present center and displace the least senior employee in their respective classification. It goes on to say the language in this section shall be applicable to employers implementation of satellite facilities. And I am not really worried about me being bumped but now I have to bump another and he gets to bump one more leaving that guy without a route just because the contract is not being followed. Should just throw it away.
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ol'browneye
Well-Known Member
Your center is not closing so I don't think this language would apply.
I would also think the Satelite Guidelines would override this language as those were made specifically for satelite center situations.
As far as you having to bump another driver and so on down the line, worry about you. I am in a satelite center and the main center is 40 miles away. Most of us that work here live near the satelite location. We had a driver at the satelite whose route was eliminated this year as part of the UPS cost-cutting measures. Instead of bumping a junior driver here at the satelite and sending him 40 miles away, he decided to be a nice guy and worked as assigned at the satelite. A couple months later another driver bid out of the satelite and this driver bid and won the vacated satelite route.
Unfortunately for him there was some other bumping going on at the main center and a driver bumped him off his newly acquired route at the satelite. And again, unfortunately for him, this was the third move bump and he was left without a route and now has to drive the 40 miles to the main center to report to work. If he had looked out for himself instead of trying to be a nice guy he would still be here at our satelite. I respect him for not wanting to screw his friend over, and the friend told me that he wouldn't have blamed him if he did, but this is UPS-sometimes you just have to look out for yourself because nobody else will.
I would also think the Satelite Guidelines would override this language as those were made specifically for satelite center situations.
As far as you having to bump another driver and so on down the line, worry about you. I am in a satelite center and the main center is 40 miles away. Most of us that work here live near the satelite location. We had a driver at the satelite whose route was eliminated this year as part of the UPS cost-cutting measures. Instead of bumping a junior driver here at the satelite and sending him 40 miles away, he decided to be a nice guy and worked as assigned at the satelite. A couple months later another driver bid out of the satelite and this driver bid and won the vacated satelite route.
Unfortunately for him there was some other bumping going on at the main center and a driver bumped him off his newly acquired route at the satelite. And again, unfortunately for him, this was the third move bump and he was left without a route and now has to drive the 40 miles to the main center to report to work. If he had looked out for himself instead of trying to be a nice guy he would still be here at our satelite. I respect him for not wanting to screw his friend over, and the friend told me that he wouldn't have blamed him if he did, but this is UPS-sometimes you just have to look out for yourself because nobody else will.
