What do I have to look forward to?

jlphotog

Well-Known Member
Hey all,

Yesterday around 11:30 I got a page asking if I remember anything happening on xxx street just after I left the center. I responded with "No, why, whats up?" I get a response saying they "had a concern that I was driving dangerously and cut a guy off". At the end of the text it said "I don't believe it though". I responded with "Neither do I as it didn't happen".

Very rarely is it that I am the only PC on this particular street and yesterday was no exception. I was traveling down the street with three or four other UPS PC's. I don't recall anything out of the ordinary happening.

As I have only been with UPS for 8 months and have not encountered anything like this before, I'm just wondering what I have to look forward to next week.

If I get called to the supes office and they want me to sign some disciplinary papers, what will happen if I refuse to sign?
 
W

westsideworma

Guest
Hey all,

Yesterday around 11:30 I got a page asking if I remember anything happening on xxx street just after I left the center. I responded with "No, why, whats up?" I get a response saying they "had a concern that I was driving dangerously and cut a guy off". At the end of the text it said "I don't believe it though". I responded with "Neither do I as it didn't happen".

Very rarely is it that I am the only PC on this particular street and yesterday was no exception. I was traveling down the street with three or four other UPS PC's. I don't recall anything out of the ordinary happening.

As I have only been with UPS for 8 months and have not encountered anything like this before, I'm just wondering what I have to look forward to next week.

If I get called to the supes office and they want me to sign some disciplinary papers, what will happen if I refuse to sign?

if they do call you in there make sure you bring the steward with you.

However they really can't prove that it was you outside of this phone call and even then unless he/she reported the truck number/license plate, theres no way for them to know for sure.
 
Hey all,

Yesterday around 11:30 I got a page asking if I remember anything happening on xxx street just after I left the center. I responded with "No, why, whats up?" I get a response saying they "had a concern that I was driving dangerously and cut a guy off". At the end of the text it said "I don't believe it though". I responded with "Neither do I as it didn't happen".

Very rarely is it that I am the only PC on this particular street and yesterday was no exception. I was traveling down the street with three or four other UPS PC's. I don't recall anything out of the ordinary happening.

As I have only been with UPS for 8 months and have not encountered anything like this before, I'm just wondering what I have to look forward to next week.

If I get called to the supes office and they want me to sign some disciplinary papers, what will happen if I refuse to sign?
One,make sure you have a union steward there,no exceptions. Two,NEVER sign any disciplinary papers it can and will be used against you in the future as an admision of guilt even if you were in the right. You cannot be disciplined for not signing. There`s a saying "the only thing you sign is your paycheck",I don`t even sign things that are good because they will come back and say "look you did it that good before,see there`s your signature"
Also whatever the UPS statement is on the paper,in the comments section write a rebutal. If you are not allowed,write it on the grievance you WILL file to dispute the disciplinary paper. Both will be put into your file so make sure you get your side of the story in there.
In this instance it`s a his word -their word situatution even if they have your car number. They still would have to prove you were driving reckless. Your response should be that you were following UPS guidelines,nothing more nothing less.
 

raceanoncr

Well-Known Member
Hey all,

Yesterday around 11:30 I got a page asking if I remember anything happening on xxx street just after I left the center. I responded with "No, why, whats up?" I get a response saying they "had a concern that I was driving dangerously and cut a guy off". At the end of the text it said "I don't believe it though". I responded with "Neither do I as it didn't happen".

Very rarely is it that I am the only PC on this particular street and yesterday was no exception. I was traveling down the street with three or four other UPS PC's. I don't recall anything out of the ordinary happening.

As I have only been with UPS for 8 months and have not encountered anything like this before, I'm just wondering what I have to look forward to next week.

If I get called to the supes office and they want me to sign some disciplinary papers, what will happen if I refuse to sign?

As West said, do NOT go into any office ALONE! You have a right to have bargaining unit representation with you at all times.
If it happens, ask to be shown proof. Proof that it was you this guy was refering to. Ask for the PC number to make sure it was you. Ask the time, the street, the weather conditions, etc...you get the point.
And never, NEVER, sign disciplinary ANYTHING!
 

raceanoncr

Well-Known Member
One,make sure you have a union steward there,no exceptions. Two,NEVER sign any disciplinary papers it can and will be used against you in the future as an admision of guilt even if you were in the right. You cannot be disciplined for not signing. There`s a saying "the only thing you sign is your paycheck",I don`t even sign things that are good because they will come back and say "look you did it that good before,see there`s your signature"
Also whatever the UPS statement is on the paper,in the comments section write a rebutal. If you are not allowed,write it on the grievance you WILL file to dispute the disciplinary paper. Both will be put into your file so make sure you get your side of the story in there.
In this instance it`s a his word -their word situatution even if they have your car number. They still would have to prove you were driving reckless. Your response should be that you were following UPS guidelines,nothing more nothing less.

Sorry, Cach, we musta been on the same wave length whilst writing. Is that Instant Karma? Or just experience with this company?
I responded with almost identical comment to yours.
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
The only problem with what you all have said so far is this.......
we are never allowed to face our accuser and you'll probably not get to see the written complaint either. So if management happens to be in a "head hunting" mood that moment, it could be your head they end up finding just to appease the moment.
As others have said, NEVER go into the office alone. Always take a union steward, not one of management's rear kissers, into the office.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
Had a situation once where a driver was accused of cutting someone off. They called in with his car number and location of the incident.

Turned out there was no way that driver even possibly could have been there..


The dumb customer who allegedly was cut off..... later that day..... saw a package car that looked like the one that cut him off..... It was brown...

...and called in that car number.
 

canon

Well-Known Member
Hey all,

Yesterday around 11:30 I got a page asking if I remember anything happening on xxx street just after I left the center. I responded with "No, why, whats up?" I get a response saying they "had a concern that I was driving dangerously and cut a guy off". At the end of the text it said "I don't believe it though". I responded with "Neither do I as it didn't happen".

Very rarely is it that I am the only PC on this particular street and yesterday was no exception. I was traveling down the street with three or four other UPS PC's. I don't recall anything out of the ordinary happening.

As I have only been with UPS for 8 months and have not encountered anything like this before, I'm just wondering what I have to look forward to next week.

If I get called to the supes office and they want me to sign some disciplinary papers, what will happen if I refuse to sign?

In situations like this, the difference between those that keep their job and those that don't is knowing how to play the UPS/Union game. Get your union steward involved, and don't talk to them without him. Maintain the truth, don't try to elaborate. I wouldn't hesitate to politely deny the charges in an informal setting like if the supe just walked up and asked... but if it goes any further than that like being asked to come to the office or it seems like it's they're being argumentative, time to union-up. They have something in mind other than simply bringing the issue to your attention.

You've done nothing wrong, so there is no reason to sign anything. Even if they're saying it is "just a paper to acknowledge they reviewed it with you", there would be no reason to review anything with you if you've done nothing wrong. Don't sign it.

[long story] On the preload, a supe used to try to get ppl to sign "performance reviews" which kept record of packages that were missed on the belt. I always refused, saying I'm not bringing the noose to my own hanging. "Nooo, it's not for disciplinary reasons... this is just to show that I've reviewed it with you." Sorry... if I've done nothing wrong there is no reason for me to sign.

One day this supe pulled me off the belt to "review" my previous days performance... which I again refused to sign. We were off the belt for maybe 45 seconds... the whole time packages for my trucks going down the belt. After the review, he walked straight past my area and started writing up the packages I missed while he had me off the belt... giving me the "evil eye" the whole time. It probably didn't help matters when I started laughing at him, but I couldn't get to the packages because I was supposed to be splitting the belt and loading 4 trucks, and the loader next to me was so stacked out there's no way I could bring that much stuff back.

That was my first, and only warning letter. In the grievance hearing, the first thing they brought out was a huge stack of paperwork and made the announcement that I was uncooperative and wouldn't even sign the papers.

I said, "You told me those weren't for disciplinary reasons, now here they are in a greviance meeting." The BA went nuts... lol. "Yeah! What the friend* about that?!"

The representative looked embarrassed and told the center manager to put the papers away. After I explained what happened, they dismissed mine and 4 other warning letters for preloaders that were also there for missing pkgs. [/long story]


It's your word against the person complaining, maintain you've received UPS training and always follow the methods. No accident, they should just drop the issue... I wouldn't even accept a safety ride from this. All too often some hothead on the street gets pissed because you blocked his way when he was trying to race around you doing 20 mph over the posted limit. Talk to some of the older drivers too.. not just the steward. They've been around long enough to know what past practice has occurred in your center, what your steward is like, and what your particular management might try.

I seriously doubt they'll do anything. I've seen too many drivers receive similar concerns and it never goes beyond just being informed they exist. Management (good ones anyway) understands our drivers receive some of the best training in the industry. You're in a professional position to deny it was you, claim the other person was wrong, or whatever the case may be. Be careful about claiming it wasn't you.. the other driver may have written down your truck number and you may not have even know you offended anyone. That doesn't make them right.

By chance, was the other person driving a Volvo SUV? Just wondering. Don't let it be too much of a concern... enjoy the weekend.
 
Be careful about claiming it wasn't you.. the other driver may have written down your truck number and you may not have even know you offended anyone. That doesn't make them right.[/quote]

The two key phrase`s are"To the best of my knowledge" and "I have no recollection".
 

jlphotog

Well-Known Member
By chance, was the other person driving a Volvo SUV? Just wondering. Don't let it be too much of a concern... enjoy the weekend.

I don't know what the other "person" was driving. I wasn't aware there was anything wrong until I got the page, about three hours after I was on that street.

I didn't lose any sleep over it last night and I wont tonight either. It pissed me off for about 30 seconds after I got the page. Then I brushed it off as someone that got their corn flakes pissed on, or someone that took a whole bottle of a-hole pills that morning. The Turd.
 

disneyworld

Well-Known Member
Hey all,

Yesterday around 11:30 I got a page asking if I remember anything happening on xxx street just after I left the center. I responded with "No, why, whats up?" I get a response saying they "had a concern that I was driving dangerously and cut a guy off". At the end of the text it said "I don't believe it though". I responded with "Neither do I as it didn't happen".

Very rarely is it that I am the only PC on this particular street and yesterday was no exception. I was traveling down the street with three or four other UPS PC's. I don't recall anything out of the ordinary happening.

As I have only been with UPS for 8 months and have not encountered anything like this before, I'm just wondering what I have to look forward to next week.

If I get called to the supes office and they want me to sign some disciplinary papers, what will happen if I refuse to sign?
Angry people like to embelish complaints. In all my years I have never used profanity when involved in a dispute. I prefer to torture them with a big smile and a thank you-have a nice day.But everytime they call in a complaint it's "the driver was swearing, I felt very threatened by his actions, blah blah blah. So no matter what they say, it is never as bad as they try to make it sound.
 

jlphotog

Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone.

It looks like this has turned out to be a non-issue.

Over the past three days I have initiated at least six conversations with my supe about totally unrelated subjects and have given him every opportunity to say, oh by the way... but nothing has been said.

I don't like to let a sleeping dog lie, because you never know when he's gonna wake up and bite you in the butt. But this, I will leave alone.
 

Coldworld

Well-Known Member
Do you all realize that this is one of the few companies that is run like this. I dont know how its cost effective(ha)to waste managers time trying to fire people for mistakes that were because someone didnt know the right way or had no experience. How did ups become like this. Has this been happening since 1907, or is this something new in the last 30 or so years. If any of you havent read the policy book, or parts of it you should. UPS prides themselves in being a company of intergity, and honesty, but they ignore everything that is stated in that book on a daily basis. If it was a few supervisors or managers scattered throughout this company, thats one thing. This kind of thing is going on NATIONWIDE.Its pretty incredible that drivers can go out and have such great relations with customers and be such positive representatives of this company knowing all of the behind the scenes chaos, lies, etc that go on.
 

Covemastah

Hoopah drives the boat Chief !!
God Forbid If Brown Would Ever Stick Up For Us!!!!! Customer Calls And Says Blah Blah Blah About One Of Us And 90% Of The Time They Are Tying The Noose Back At The Center And Playing The Theme From The Good The Bad & The Ugly While Waiting For Our Return!!!!
 
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