SouthernComfort
Well-Known Member
I and about 2 dozen fellow teamsters in my local fall into a small gap that often gets over looked into contract agreements. We are "part time cover driver". I work 85% or more of the year as a pkg car driver, I do not have a set route, and am bumped from route to route every other day. I have 12 years seniority( I applied at UPS on my 17th birthday) and began cover driving after a brief 4 years working in the hub... I have been cover driving for 8 years now along with about 25 fellow drivers that for some reason fall into the shadows of contract agreements. We DO NOT get 8hr vacation days, we do not apply to any of the current 9.5 language(in my center cover drivers avg 49hrs/week, we can not get approved for 8 hour days, we are sent out on routes cold at least 3x a month and then harassed about obsessive backs. If we are dispatched with an 8.5 day you can bet your butt we will be instructed to take stops of a near more senior driver to keep them under 9.5(hanging us out to 8:45pm or later some nights). After 8 years in a center its depressing at how we get treated like endentured slaves. Most of us are in our late 20's, we have purchased homes, gotten married, and started families, our cost of living is the same as everyone elses...and then the dreaded 15% of the year sneaks up to where we are bounced back into our part time hub positions taking approx a $750/week pay cut. When they have FT openings the company brings in hub employees with 15yrs PT time that bump us down on the seniority list to become full time, these drivers half about 2% experience/area knowledge as me and my buddies I graduated from high school with 11 years ago and they are getting FT Pkg positions after 60 days of driving pkg. We get used, abused, and then hung out to dry day in and day out. The "leaks" claim 2000 new FT positions, but how many of those positions will be offered to me and my fellow black sheep cover drivers? When can we be ellibible for 9.5 agreements, 8hr requests, 8 hour holiday pay, and not be forced to work the day after thanksgiving ever year (for air pay-a $5/hr pay decrease)? We all have plans to retire from this company, but there's a bunch of disgruntled cover drivers that have a bad taste in their mouth about the way we have been used and abused the past 5+ years. Are there any leaks yet as to what the new agreements plans are forr PT cover drivers? There are driver 3 years older than me driving feeder 60% of the year that went FT 2 years ago....we have been treading water for years waiting for our break, will this contract bring us up and make us whole?