UPS Contracting work

[MenInBrown]

[h=1]Santa finds extra horsepower in golf cart delivery[/h][h=2]United Parcel Service has added the lighter means of transportation to boost its delivery fleet on Padre Island[/h]Thats a great headline to read on the homepage of browncafe.com...Only thing missing is the headline that reads, UPS contracting work out from union employees...This has happened on my area, started last year...Having a helper deliver packages out of a non UPS vehicle and working without a UPS driver is against our contract...filed a grievance last year...never heard anything about it...filed another one this year, will see if the union acts on it or not...If we dont stop this, they will start doing it all year long to keep routes off the road, as well as union employees.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

How is this any different than using helpers to deliver out of a TP-60 at the mall using a hand cart?

 

[MenInBrown]

per the area agreement

 

[MenInBrown]

Helpers with no UPS driver, driving around a neighborhood on a golf cart...a little different. These helpers driving around a neighborhood have not been trained or sent to driving school...seems to be a safety issue also. Its contracting work out when a helper could easily be with a union worker delivering the packages.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Helpers are employees so this work is not being contracted out. Using helpers in this manner allows the driver to focus on the commercial deliveries. To me this is a smart business decision.

I would have an issue if this was extended beyond Peak.

 

[MenInBrown]

So what you are saying is...untrained non unit employees driving for UPS is a good business decision? Seems harmful...wait till something happens. Also more info on my area...UPS leased the area for a POD to go as well as leased the golf cart from the golf course...Thats a contract. Goes against our area agreement.

 

[MenInBrown]

I see your point though of having a stationary object like a POD and just a handcart...I think that is different than having a worker driving and delivering.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

So what you are saying is...untrained non unit employees driving for UPS is a good business decision? Seems harmful...wait till something happens. Also more info on my area...UPS leased the area for a POD to go as well as leased the golf cart from the golf course...Thats a contract. Goes against our area agreement.

Again, how is this any different from UPS entering in to an agreement with a homeowner in a subdivision to use their garage as a "warehouse" with the helper making deliveries from that "warehouse"?

It is a good business decision for the company to use their helpers in the most efficient manner. I didn't say it was in the union's best interest.

In past years our mall driver would bring a loaded TP-60 to the mall. The helper would meet him there and work out of the TP-60. The driver would complete his mall deliveries and start the rest of his route while the helper continued to deliver out of the TP-60. The driver would then go back to the mall to pickup his helper and they would complete the balance of the deliveries together. He would then drop the helper back off at the mall so that he could start doing the mall pickups, loading them in to the TP-60 while the driver did his other pickups. The helper would complete the pickups, leave the DIAD and secure the TP-60. The driver would then go back to the mall to pickup the TP-60 and head back to the center.

How does any of this go against our area agreement?

 

[upsset]

Again, how is this any different from UPS entering in to an agreement with a homeowner in a subdivision to use their garage as a "warehouse" with the helper making deliveries from that "warehouse"?

It is a good business decision for the company to use their helpers in the most efficient manner. I didn't say it was in the union's best interest.

In past years our mall driver would bring a loaded TP-60 to the mall. The helper would meet him there and work out of the TP-60. The driver would complete his mall deliveries and start the rest of his route while the helper continued to deliver out of the TP-60. The driver would then go back to the mall to pickup his helper and they would complete the balance of the deliveries together. He would then drop the helper back off at the mall so that he could start doing the mall pickups, loading them in to the TP-60 while the driver did his other pickups. The helper would complete the pickups, leave the DIAD and secure the TP-60. The driver would then go back to the mall to pickup the TP-60 and head back to the center.

How does any of this go against our area agreement?

1st. a helper by definition should be helping a driver who he is assigned to.


2nd. a helper is not authorized to DRIVE ANYTHING that is what drivers are paid to do.


3rd. peak season doesn't invalidate the CBM

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

1st. a helper by definition should be helping a driver who he is assigned to.

The helper is helping the driver he is assigned to, albeit indirectly.


2nd. a helper is not authorized to DRIVE ANYTHING that is what drivers are paid to do.

Helpers are not authorized to drive the package cars--I am not aware of any other exclusions. Did you know helpers use bicycles in Oregon?


3rd. peak season doesn't invalidate the CBM

Not quite sure what a CBM is (did you mean NMA?) but there are exceptions contained within the NMA for Peak operations.


The bottom line is that the company is tasked to use Peak helpers in the most efficient manner possibe. Golf carts, bicycles, handcarts, POD's, TP-60's, garages, etc., are used in this effort. There are residential applications where these would not work but in those where they would I don't see the problem with using them.

 

[ChadBrunn]

Four golf carts were used in our area and someone called the zoning office and found out its illegal to work a commercial out of a residential without a license. $5,000 fine for resident and company. Stops were being kept in employees garage.

 

[MenInBrown]

Again, how is this any different from UPS entering in to an agreement with a homeowner in a subdivision to use their garage as a "warehouse" with the helper making deliveries from that "warehouse"?

It is a good business decision for the company to use their helpers in the most efficient manner. I didn't say it was in the union's best interest.

In past years our mall driver would bring a loaded TP-60 to the mall. The helper would meet him there and work out of the TP-60. The driver would complete his mall deliveries and start the rest of his route while the helper continued to deliver out of the TP-60. The driver would then go back to the mall to pickup his helper and they would complete the balance of the deliveries together. He would then drop the helper back off at the mall so that he could start doing the mall pickups, loading them in to the TP-60 while the driver did his other pickups. The helper would complete the pickups, leave the DIAD and secure the TP-60. The driver would then go back to the mall to pickup the TP-60 and head back to the center.

How does any of this go against our area agreement?

Not once did you mention that helper driving a vehicle???

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Not once did you mention that helper driving a vehicle???

Our delivery areas do not lend themselves to drivers using golf carts or bicycles.

 

[MenInBrown]

1st. a helper by definition should be helping a driver who he is assigned to.

The helper is helping the driver he is assigned to, albeit indirectly.


2nd. a helper is not authorized to DRIVE ANYTHING that is what drivers are paid to do.

Helpers are not authorized to drive the package cars--I am not aware of any other exclusions. Did you know helpers use bicycles in Oregon?


3rd. peak season doesn't invalidate the CBM

Not quite sure what a CBM is (did you mean NMA?) but there are exceptions contained within the NMA for Peak operations.


The bottom line is that the company is tasked to use Peak helpers in the most efficient manner possibe. Golf carts, bicycles, handcarts, POD's, TP-60's, garages, etc., are used in this effort. There are residential applications where these would not work but in those where they would I don't see the problem with using them.

Outside of the work being contracted out...have the bicycle drivers and golf cart drivers been to driving school? Were they trained as a driver? Even temp drivers have to go to driving school.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Obviously they have not received any formal training beyond that offered during orientation. How much training do you need to deliver residentials?

 

[MenInBrown]

Our delivery areas do not lend themselves to drivers using golf carts or bicycles.

Cant argue that...but my area has helpers driving vehicles(golf carts) delivering packages which is against our contract.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Cant argue that...but my area has helpers driving vehicles(golf carts) delivering packages which is against our contract.

Can you show us specifically where that is against the contract?

Again, I am not defending the company, but the union had to have signed off on this in order for it to happen.

 

[MenInBrown]

Obviously they have not received any formal training beyond that offered during orientation. How much training do you need to deliver residentials?

All you need is orientation to deliver residentials...6 days of driving school to drive. Do they not have driving school where you work?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

All you need is orientation to deliver residentials...6 days of driving school to drive. Do they not have driving school where you work?

When I was hired in 1989 I had 3 days with an on-car and 30 days to qualify. It wasn't until I had 10 years in or so that I went to driving school, which was 2 weeks.

It takes me 10 minutes to drive from the center to my first stop and during that ride I taught my helper all he needed to know about delivering residentials.

I am still waiting for your contract reference.

 

[MenInBrown]

Can you show us specifically where that is against the contract?

Again, I am not defending the company, but the union had to have signed off on this in order for it to happen.

Union has not signed off on it...this is the second year that it has happened...union has not got a decision on it yet. That was why I posted the thread...to get input from other people that have experienced the same issues in their area. Wondering if union raised issue and if there was a resolve. Our center never goes to union first before doing anything...they do it and just hope no one files a grievance. If they were not driving around delivering pkgs there is no issue, but obviously the area warrants driving therefore a union worker driving with a helper on board...I have a helper every year and had a helper in this area up until last year...hopefully I will hear something soon on what the union has decided.