The Naive Preloader!

[stevetheupsguy]

My Preloader asked me if I had heard about his argument with the Shop Steward. I told him no and he preceded to tell me what happened. He said that when the break bell rings, he's usually backed up with pkgs, so he takes his 10 minute break time loading pkgs and clearing the belt. The Shop Steward walked over to him and told him he needed to take break like all the other Preloaders.

My Preloader refused, saying that he needed the time to "catch up". The Shop Steward tried to explain that since the Preloader wasn't on the clock he wasn't allowed to work and that he was taking work from other people. My Preloader refused to comply and an argument ensued. My Preloader says he saw the Shop Steward working during the Preload break. *The Shop Steward was called in to work the Preload before driving, based on seniority.

I explained to my Preloader that the Shop Steward did not get the same break period that a normal Preloader gets and that he (my Preloader) should be taking his break because he doesn't get paid to work through his break. He continued with how he needs the time to clean up his area. I explained to him that 10 mins. a day doesn't seem so bad until you look at it down the road. 10 mins. a day = 50 mins. a week = 200 mins a month and so on.

I don't know if this got through to him, but last I heard, the Shop Steward filed a grievance against him for working off the clock. What are your thoughts on this matter?

 

[MonavieLeaker]

I wasnt aware grievances could be filed against an employee?

 

[UPSGUY72]

My Preloader asked me if I had heard about his argument with the Shop Steward. I told him no and he preceded to tell me what happened. He said that when the break bell rings, he's usually backed up with pkgs, so he takes his 10 minute break time loading pkgs and clearing the belt. The Shop Steward walked over to him and told him he needed to take break like all the other Preloaders.

My Preloader refused, saying that he needed the time to "catch up". The Shop Steward tried to explain that since the Preloader wasn't on the clock he wasn't allowed to work and that he was taking work from other people. My Preloader refused to comply and an argument ensued. My Preloader says he saw the Shop Steward working during the Preload break. *The Shop Steward was called in to work the Preload before driving, based on seniority.

I explained to my Preloader that the Shop Steward did not get the same break period that a normal Preloader gets and that he (my Preloader) should be taking his break because he doesn't get paid to work through his break. He continued with how he needs the time to clean up his area. I explained to him that 10 mins. a day doesn't seem so bad until you look at it down the road. 10 mins. a day = 50 mins. a week = 200 mins a month and so on.

I don't know if this got through to him, but last I heard, the Shop Steward filed a grievance against him for working off the clock. What are your thoughts on this matter?

Apparently he is young and thinks he knows everything. If not then he old and still doesn't get it. Some people can't be helped they think that if they make there SUP happy they will get ahead some how.

 

[tourists24]

My Preloader asked me if I had heard about his argument with the Shop Steward. I told him no and he preceded to tell me what happened. He said that when the break bell rings, he's usually backed up with pkgs, so he takes his 10 minute break time loading pkgs and clearing the belt. The Shop Steward walked over to him and told him he needed to take break like all the other Preloaders.

My Preloader refused, saying that he needed the time to "catch up". The Shop Steward tried to explain that since the Preloader wasn't on the clock he wasn't allowed to work and that he was taking work from other people. My Preloader refused to comply and an argument ensued. My Preloader says he saw the Shop Steward working during the Preload break. *The Shop Steward was called in to work the Preload before driving, based on seniority.

I explained to my Preloader that the Shop Steward did not get the same break period that a normal Preloader gets and that he (my Preloader) should be taking his break because he doesn't get paid to work through his break. He continued with how he needs the time to clean up his area. I explained to him that 10 mins. a day doesn't seem so bad until you look at it down the road. 10 mins. a day = 50 mins. a week = 200 mins a month and so on.

I don't know if this got through to him, but last I heard, the Shop Steward filed a grievance against him for working off the clock. What are your thoughts on this matter?

I would imagine (and hope) that if this is a good shop steward he would be filing not on the employee for working during his break, but on management for letting him work off the clock....

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I would imagine (and hope) that if this is a good shop steward he would be filing not on the employee for working during his break, but on management for letting him work off the clock....

I don't know exactly what the grievance is filed on, but the Preloader says it was filed on him. I assumed it was filed for hours worked off the clock. I'll find out more tomorrow.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Two things :

One OT - our hubs lead building steward has filed against hourlies working 10 minute breaks and gets paid all time worked.

Also, UPS paid out (to our hub) $120,000 in grievance money last year.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

The grievance is for "stealing" bargainng unit work from what I understand. I don't necessarily agree with it because the 10 minutes is a paid break. However, it is 10 minutes of work that should not have been performed.

 

[tourists24]

Keep us updated there Steve.... should be interesting on how this gets settled

 

[bigbrownhen]

Did you also stress to your pre loader that if he strains his back or sprains an ankle that since he is off the clock he may not be covered on workers comp? Now this may not be the case, but it may drive home the point. I understand he thinks he is doing the best job he can, but if he quits cleaning up their mess they will have to do it themselves. It takes awhile for newer employees to learn this. We have all been the newbie. Making a confrontation out of it wasn't the way to handle it though. If this guy is not a newbie and is just being stubborn, then the steward is going the only route to stop this situation by forcing management to do so.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Did you also stress to your pre loader that if he strains his back or sprains an ankle that since he is off the clock he may not be covered on workers comp? Now this may not be the case, but it may drive home the point. I understand he thinks he is doing the best job he can, but if he quits cleaning up their mess they will have to do it themselves. It takes awhile for newer employees to learn this. We have all been the newbie. Making a confrontation out of it wasn't the way to handle it though. If this guy is not a newbie and is just being stubborn, then the steward is going the only route to stop this situation by forcing management to do so.

The 10 minute break is on the clock not off. As drivers we code the time off in break/lunch, however it is still a paid break. Inside is same, it's a paid break. That's why I feel like the grievance is ticky tacky, personally.

 

[22.34life]

The 10 minute break is on the clock not off. As drivers we code the time off in break/lunch, however it is still a paid break. Inside is same, it's a paid break. That's why I feel like the grievance is ticky tacky, personally.

yea i dont know where all this off the clock stuff is coming from,maybe its different by supplement but in se texas an hourly in the building gets a paid ten minute break after the 1st and before the 3rd hour.now i have seen managment try to screw guys out of this time or if the guy works threw his break instead of giving him ten extra minutes the sup just gives him his regular time and says you dont get paid for break so it all breaks even.but to address the op and his question i dont think anyone should work through their break ,take your break man this job is already hard enough you need that ten minutes to catch your breath.but its your own buisness if you choose to work on YOUR break,not anyone elses.the steward should mind his own buisness,inform the guy of his rights and thats it.one of the big problems at ups is people not minding their buisness.

 

[JonFrum]

yea i dont know where all this off the clock stuff is coming from,maybe its different by supplement but in se texas an hourly in the building gets a paid ten minute break after the 1st and before the 3rd hour.now i have seen managment try to screw guys out of this time or if the guy works threw his break instead of giving him ten extra minutes the sup just gives him his regular time and says you dont get paid for break so it all breaks even.but to address the op and his question i dont think anyone should work through their break ,take your break man this job is already hard enough you need that ten minutes to catch your breath.but its your own buisness if you choose to work on YOUR break,not anyone elses.the steward should mind his own buisness,inform the guy of his rights and thats it.one of the big problems at ups is people not minding their buisness.

A Steward is not suppose to mind his own business. He is suppose to monitor overall conditions and enforce the Contract.

It's unfortunate that the preloader still insists on working through his break, even after being advised not to.

One additional reason the Steward should put a stop to it is so UPS will not be mislead into believing that two hour's work can be done in an hour and fifty minutes. Otherwise UPS may expect it from others, especially whoever replaces the preloader in the future.

 

[over9five]

I would imagine (and hope) that if this is a good shop steward he would be filing not on the employee for working during his break, but on management for letting him work off the clock....

That's what I thought.

Either way, someone should grieve and be paid that 50 minutes every week.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

A Steward is not suppose to mind his own business. He is suppose to monitor overall conditions and enforce the Contract.

It's unfortunate that the preloader still insists on working through his break, even after being advised not to.

One additional reason the Steward should put a stop to it is so UPS will not be mislead into believing that two hour's work can be done in an hour and fifty minutes. Otherwise UPS may expect it from others, especially whoever replaces the preloader in the future.

The problem with that is the contract specifically says a fair days work for a fair days pay, and nothing regarding numbers pph sporh etc. Therefore that point is null and void. (should be) By that train of thought, the steward would be then recognizing numbers and pph which is against everything negotiated in the contract.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

That's what I thought.

Either way, someone should grieve and be paid that 50 minutes every week.

Tourists24 said it's working off the clock, which is untrue.

What is very funy (Ovah you might appreciate this), we have a young kid preloader that comes in with a Teamsters T-shirt. THat's great, showing his support for the union, right? Well he also comes in with a huge DD coffee everyday! IF that isn't enough, he works his 10 minute break, sorting his cages on the preload line.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The one point that I haven't seen mentioned yet is the work ethic of the preloader in question. It is rare to find a member of Generation Me who feels that strongly about doing a good job that he skips his break in order to get caught up. As he gains experience and confidence he will start taking his break along with the others.

This break is paid time and the preloader should be taking it but is it contractually required?

 

[tourists24]

That's what I thought.

Either way, someone should grieve and be paid that 50 minutes every week.

Apparently this is a paid break and I spoke thinking it was an unpaid one. All of our loaders here are part time workers and dont get a break, so I wasnt aware of the break language. There is other motives at work here. Still interesting to see how this one will turn out.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Apparently this is a paid break and I spoke thinking it was an unpaid one. All of our loaders here are part time workers and dont get a break, so I wasnt aware of the break language. There is other motives at work here. Still interesting to see how this one will turn out.

Interesting. What region is this?

 

[tourists24]

Interesting. What region is this?

Atlantic region but I am speaking of my center specifically. We run a preload in the morning and a reload in the evenings. Our part timers are lucky to get 3 1/2 hours per day, so not much time to even get a break period

 

[22.34life]

Atlantic region but I am speaking of my center specifically. We run a preload in the morning and a reload in the evenings. Our part timers are lucky to get 3 1/2 hours per day, so not much time to even get a break period

then they are getting screwed,they should be getting a 10 min break after the 1st and before the 3rd.