Sups Working

Ok so this is my first post on here although I'm a long time lurker. I've been working at UPS for almost 3 years now as a PT worker in the outbound. I recently transferred from a right to work state to a non right to work state. I had joined the union about a year and a half ago. I've always experienced sups working in the right to work state but didn't say or do anything about it due to my apathy and almost complete lack of union presence. I thought when I moved here where you are required to join the union there would be more enforcement of our contract. Well needless to say its pretty much the same. This past week my immediate PT sup has been loading and working the LVD the entire shift. I want to file a grievance but fear if I do there will be a target on my back. I just can't sit ideally by like my fellow co-workers and let management continue to walk all over the contract they agreed to. So I guess my question is should I file or is it going to be more trouble then it's worth? Any input is appreciated thank you.
 

Loyal Teamster

Well-Known Member
This happened in my HUB about 2 months ago, about 3 of us preloaders filed a grievance. problem was fixed & we haven't gotten any harassment from management YET. I recommend you talk to your Stewart & file a grievance.



Thanks,
​Loyal Teamster
 

Jackofalltrades

Well-Known Member
Have you talked to your shop steward? If you have and they're not responding to your concerns, find out your local unions number and express your concerns to your business agent. Start logging times of when they work and file a greivance. You can't play scared with management or they will eat you alive.
 

UPS Preloader

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, if no one confronts management about supervisors working they will continue doing this. The first step in my opinion is to read and understand the national contract as well as your local supplement. After that I would simply ask the supervisor why he is performing bargaining unit work. In some areas that's all you need to do and they stop. Once you have the supervisors answer or if he or she keeps working you can then go to your steward to discuss the situation and file grievances as necessary. Regarding getting a target on your back? You can't worry about that. Just work safely and as directed and you'll have nothing to worry about. In most areas once you file a grievance they might harass you a little bit, but if you file another grievance for the harassment they typically back down. Management prefers easy targets, once you show your willing to fight back they will typically move on. Not always, but usually.
 

stink219

Well-Known Member
First course of action I use is to address a complaint to the sup first. If no remedy results, use these rules.
Rule #1-File!
Rule #2-See rule #1.
Rule #3-If any unfair treatment results after a grievance, file "reprisal", harassment or intimidation.
Rule #4-Always remain calm (desensitized).
 

curiousbrain

Well-Known Member
To be fair, why is he working - is it because the shift is understaffed? Did someone recently quit, retire, etc? HR is notoriously slow when replacing workers, and I used to wind up working weeks at a time because you have to staff the belts/cages/whatever, and the unload soup is the guy who always gets tapped to work.

The obvious retort here is that they should call in drivers/etc to work instead of the soup - and we all know why they don't - but, is he working "just to work", or is there a reason, even if it is paper thin?
 

Tough Guy

Well-Known Member
In our building, on pre load at least, the workload is pretty much setup to be dependent on sups working. We already get blown out, but I can't imagine how bad it'd be if our sup didn't have to come around to help out whether it's on the split, or loading some trucks. It's truly a shame that things have gotten that bad it's "expected" for the sups to work.
 

anonymous4

Well-Known Member
To be fair, why is he working - is it because the shift is understaffed? Did someone recently quit, retire, etc? HR is notoriously slow when replacing workers, and I used to wind up working weeks at a time because you have to staff the belts/cages/whatever, and the unload soup is the guy who always gets tapped to work.

The obvious retort here is that they should call in drivers/etc to work instead of the soup - and we all know why they don't - but, is he working "just to work", or is there a reason, even if it is paper thin?

Excuses. Why is HR slow hiring? Do you think they would be slow hiring if there was a zero tolerance policy for soups working? They would let the operation tank and fail numbers, right? Even the intelligent aren't immune to the kool-aid.

You really need to pose the why is he working question after talking about padding numbers and management dishonesty in other threads?
 

stink219

Well-Known Member
Section 7. Supervisors Working
(a) The Employer agrees that the function of supervisors is the supervision of Employees and not the performance of the work of the employees they supervise. Accordingly, the Employer agrees that supervisors or other employees of the Employer who are not members of the bargaining unit shall not perform any bargaining unit work, except to train employees or demonstrate safety, or as otherwise provided in the applicable Supplement, Rider or Addendum. However, in the case of Acts of God, supervisors shall comply with the procedures in subsections (b) and (c) and may only perform bargaining unit work until bargaining unit employees are available. The Employer shall make every reasonable effort to maintain a sufficient workforce to staff its operations with bargain- ing unit employees. The Employer also agrees that supervisors or other employees of the Employer who are not members of the bar- gaining unit shall not perform bargaining unit work in preparing the work areas before the start of the Employer’s hub, preload or reload operation, nor shall the Employer send any bargaining unit employ- ee home and then have such employee’s work performed by a super- visor or other employees of the Employer who are not a member of the bargaining unit.
(b) When additional employees are necessary to complete the Employer’s operations on any shift or within any classification, the supervisor shall exhaust all established local practices to first use bargaining unit employees including where applicable, double shift- ing, early call-in, and overtime.
(c) If there is no established local practice, the following shall apply with regard to inside work. Within each building, each oper- ation will maintain appropriate list(s), by seniority, of those part- time employees requesting coverage work. It will be the employees’ responsibility to sign up on the appropriate list. The Company shall post such lists and employees who are interested in adding their names to the lists shall do so on the first working day of each month. It will be the employee’s responsibility to make sure his/her contact information is correct. Employees who are unavailable to work on three (3) separate occasions within a calendar month shall have their names removed from the coverage list. Those employees shall be eligible to re-sign the list the following month. When coverage work is available, the Company will use the appropriate list to fill the required positions, and such employees will work as assigned. The employee must be qualified for the available work and double shift employees shall have seniority among themselves. No employee is allowed to work more than two (2) shifts in any twenty-four (24) hour period. Local call verification practices and procedures shall remain in place.
Nothing contained in this Section shall change existing practices or procedures covering full-time work.
(d) If it is determined at any step of the grievance and/or arbitration procedure that this Section, or a “supervisor working” provision in a Supplement, Rider or Addendum, has been violated, the aggrieved employee will be paid as follows: (i) if the actual hours worked by the supervisor amounts to two (2) hours or less, the aggrieved employee will be paid for the actual hours worked by the supervi- sor at the rate of double time the employee’s rate of pay at the time of the incident; or (ii) if the supervisor works more than two (2) hours, the aggrieved employee shall be paid four (4) hours at straight time or actual hours worked at double time the employee’s rate of pay at the time of the incident, whichever is greater. If no aggrieved employee can be identified, the payment will be made to the grievant. Such remedy shall be in addition to any other remedies sought by the Union in the appropriate grievance procedure.
 

curiousbrain

Well-Known Member
To be fair, why is he working - is it because the shift is understaffed? Did someone recently quit, retire, etc? HR is notoriously slow when replacing workers, and I used to wind up working weeks at a time because you have to staff the belts/cages/whatever, and the unload soup is the guy who always gets tapped to work.

The obvious retort here is that they should call in drivers/etc to work instead of the soup - and we all know why they don't - but, is he working "just to work", or is there a reason, even if it is paper thin?

Excuses. Why is HR slow hiring? Do you think they would be slow hiring if there was a zero tolerance policy for soups working? They would let the operation tank and fail numbers, right? Even the intelligent aren't immune to the kool-aid.

You really need to pose the why is he working question after talking about padding numbers and management dishonesty in other threads?

Thanks.
 

anonymous4

Well-Known Member
Why bother with the first paragraph when you correctly answered yourself in the second?

*
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for all the input. I really appreciate it. I'm going to talk to my sup first thing Sunday and ask why he is doing bargaining unit work. One thing I forgot to mention is that we have an employee who calls out at least three days a week. Couldn't they use that as an excuse as to why my sup is doing union work? And if so would a grievance even go my way or would they side with management?
 

UPS Preloader

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the input. I really appreciate it. I'm going to talk to my sup first thing Sunday and ask why he is doing bargaining unit work. One thing I forgot to mention is that we have an employee who calls out at least three days a week. Couldn't they use that as an excuse as to why my sup is doing union work? And if so would a grievance even go my way or would they side with management?

In the event of a callout just before the shift a sup is allowed to work until they can get another bargaining unit in place. That being said, every attempt needs to be made to get another bargaining unit in place.
 

10veleze

Active Member
Stop working and look at the them. Then file a grievance, works 100%. Remember when a Supervisor is working, he is stealing your time. Is in the union contract, get a copy, read it and show it to them.
 

PT Stewie

"Big Fella"
I am a firm believer in Article 3 sect 7. The problem is most of the people are not . I make sure I get my guarantee every day even though my day started (full time job) @ 7AM and 2nd @ UPS ends around 9:45 PM .With a 1/2 hour drive each way I do not even get 8 hours sleep. The problem being they will run out the door when asked to go home by the sups, even some of the artice 22.3's.Right over my body LOL, while management does the work to make the frickin magical number.I have had people say look at them (management) doing the work to which I reply "why don't you do it ?" "not me" they say. I will help them file sign my name, deliever to management, and e-mail to the local .Only a few takers.The peeps are sheep I am sorry to say. Lazy sheep at that.
 
Ok update time. I talked to my sup on Sunday and asked why he was working. He replied because so and so called out. That night we actually got help from a union employee and the sup didn't work. Monday right back to sup working. Found the union steward and he gave me grievance form. Filing tomorrow. Thanks for all the input I really do appreciate it!
 
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