Why has the Union let the Safety Committees be taken over by management?

[Integrity]

To All Interested Parties,

This question is a general question to stimulate discussion about this issue.

There have been many posts in this forum about the poor condition of the safety committees.

Why is the leadership of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters allowing this to happen?

The contract seems pretty clear regarding safety committees.

How is the union officials letting management get away with this?

Sincerely,
I

 

[BigUnionGuy]

Why is the leadership of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters allowing this to happen?

The contract seems pretty clear regarding safety committees.
I

What's your level of participation ?

 

[804brown]

The executive board of Local 804 pulled all of their safety committees as of Feb 1 , 2011! A secret memo by one of UPS' Division Managers was found which spoke of using safety to increase discipline on the workers. Now management is freaking out. But the members love it. Tim S our President said he will put them back when we have equal standing in the committees and when the union's concerns and grievances are listened to and addressed. Until then, let them stew in their own coffee and doughnuts!

 

[TheDick]

Safety has always been window dressing for the company to "look" good to other entities like osha and others. But as a serious interest our saftey, no, UPS is not interested in putting grip-tape in pkg cars, adding reflective tape to bumpers, or replacing all incandi brake lights with LED's cuz they're brighter. So yeah it sucks but it must be giving that up for something else. Too bad, once UPS takes something away it never comes back. Remember that when they want you to start paying for ur bennies.

 

[Integrity]

What's your level of participation ?

BigUnionGuy,

The topic title is "Why has the Union let the Safety Committees be taken over by management?"

The sub question, if you will, is; Why is the leadership of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters allowing this to happen?

I would really appreciate it if you would be so kind as to stay on topic.

Sincerely,
I

 

[Integrity]

The executive board of Local 804 pulled all of their safety committees as of Feb 1 , 2011! A secret memo by one of UPS' Division Managers was found which spoke of using safety to increase discipline on the workers. Now management is freaking out. But the members love it. Tim S our President said he will put them back when we have equal standing in the committees and when the union's concerns and grievances are listened to and addressed. Until then, let them stew in their own coffee and doughnuts!

804brown,

Has a grievance been filed about this issue?

Sincerely,
I

 

[Integrity]

Safety has always been window dressing for the company to "look" good to other entities like osha and others. But as a serious interest our saftey, no, UPS is not interested in putting grip-tape in pkg cars, adding reflective tape to bumpers, or replacing all incandi brake lights with LED's cuz they're brighter. So yeah it sucks but it must be giving that up for something else. Too bad, once UPS takes something away it never comes back. Remember that when they want you to start paying for ur bennies.

TheDick,

Safety Committees are contractual. They are part of the National Contract.

Management have no more authority over the Committees than the contract allows.

In the same way, Local Union officials have no authority to violate the terms of the National Contract either.

Sincerely,
I

 

[nicky]

The executive board of Local 804 pulled all of their safety committees as of Feb 1 , 2011! A secret memo by one of UPS' Division Managers was found which spoke of using safety to increase discipline on the workers. Now management is freaking out. But the members love it. Tim S our President said he will put them back when we have equal standing in the committees and when the union's concerns and grievances are listened to and addressed. Until then, let them stew in their own coffee and doughnuts!

I have heard that same thing about safety being used to increase discipline... Its why they are harping on it soooo hard recently. So work safely, and it will force you to slow down.

 

[Integrity]

I have heard that same thing about safety being used to increase discipline... Its why they are harping on it soooo hard recently. So work safely, and it will force you to slow down.

nicky,

What does "safety being used to increase discipline" actually mean?

Sincerely,
I

 

[nicky]

nicky,

What does "safety being used to increase discipline" actually mean?

Sincerely,
I

It means if they see you not look left right left ONE time they are giving you a warning letter. It means if they see you miss a hand rail ONE time you are getting a warning letter. It means if you dont turn your hazards off between stops you are getting a warning letter. They then try to use the discipline and threat of further discipline to force you to make their phony numbers.... BTW the three examples are not what could happen, they are what I have seen happen....

 

[Integrity]

It means if they see you not look left right left ONE time they are giving you a warning letter. It means if they see you miss a hand rail ONE time you are getting a warning letter. It means if you dont turn your hazards off between stops you are getting a warning letter. They then try to use the discipline and threat of further discipline to force you to make their phony numbers.... BTW the three examples are not what could happen, they are what I have seen happen....

nicky,

How is this consistent with progessive discipline?

Does the Local Union officials support this practice?

Sincerely,
I

 

[nicky]

nicky,

How is this consistent with progessive discipline?

Does the Local Union officials support this practice?

Sincerely,
I

Your under the impression that the company has ever had any intention of following the contract. At least what I have seen tells me that they will do what they want and deal with teh consequences later. We had a driver that got injured at work, went out on disability, the quack that UPS used said he was fine and sent him back. He then filed another injury report after aggravating the previous injury. He was fired for filing a false injury report.... He was out of work for 6 months, during which a normal doctor found three herniated disks in his back... The source of his pain. He was returned to service with full back pay and then put back out on disability. The driver in question is a steward and a thorn in their side, it made it to national panel at which point the company wouldnt even let it inside it was settled prior to going inside. As I said, they have no intentions of honoring the contract....

 

[Integrity]

Your under the impression that the company has ever had any intention of following the contract. At least what I have seen tells me that they will do what they want and deal with teh consequences later. We had a driver that got injured at work, went out on disability, the quack that UPS used said he was fine and sent him back. He then filed another injury report after aggravating the previous injury. He was fired for filing a false injury report.... He was out of work for 6 months, during which a normal doctor found three herniated disks in his back... The source of his pain. He was returned to service with full back pay and then put back out on disability. The driver in question is a steward and a thorn in their side, it made it to national panel at which point the company wouldnt even let it inside it was settled prior to going inside. As I said, they have no intentions of honoring the contract....

nicky,

It is not an impression.

It is a written UPS Policy for all UPS employees to honor the contracts.

This is expected of all employees. Management, stewards and union members.

It can be found on page 24 of the current UPS Policy Book.

You said this was settled.

How is this not honoring the contract?

Sincerely,
I

 

[nicky]

nicky,

It is not an impression.

It is a written UPS Policy for all UPS employees to honor the contracts.

This is expected of all employees. Management, stewards and union members.

It can be found on page 24 of the current UPS Policy Book.

You said this was settled.

How is this not honoring the contract?

Sincerely,
I

They honor the contract by paying because they did not honor the contract... Thats your argument here? You really live in a utopian world dont you? Because the world I live in says that if you break the law and pay the consequences later... You still broke the law! They use supervisors to shuttle packages, the supervisors get filed on, the company pays out.... All of that doesnt change teh fact that the supervisor is doing hourly work, in direct violation of the contract.

 

[washington57]

They honor the contract by paying because they did not honor the contract... Thats your argument here? You really live in a utopian world dont you? Because the world I live in says that if you break the law and pay the consequences later... You still broke the law! They use supervisors to shuttle packages, the supervisors get filed on, the company pays out.... All of that doesnt change teh fact that the supervisor is doing hourly work, in direct violation of the contract.

cheaper to pay grievances than hire another driver

 

[nevik]

as far as safety committee issues in my location, there are a few drivers that we call "pets" who definately receive special treatment! as far as the union, dont even have a clue
what their take is on safety committees? do they care? safety is important but i see it as a way for management to favor their "pets"

 

[steward71]

This BS with the Safety Committes has been going on for years. Contract says union has right to help pick the reps. but never does. Our building has filed many times but our local like many times does nothing or says they can't get UPS to meet.

 

[BigUnionGuy]

BigUnionGuy,

The topic title is "Why has the Union let the Safety Committees be taken over by management?"

The sub question, if you will, is; Why is the leadership of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters allowing this to happen?

I would really appreciate it if you would be so kind as to stay on topic.

Sincerely,
I

I think my question is on topic....

If you are a dues paying member.... You Are the Union

Or was the thread more about the sub-question ?


If there is a problem with the safety committees, it would reflect on your Local.

You voted for your Local leaders.... file a grievance and take it up with them.

The language in the contract is clear.... It's up to YOUR Local leaders to

enforce it and/or process your grievance.

Hope this helps you.


-Bug-

 

[JonClayton]

I didnt even know the union even had an official opinion on safety committees.. I'd love to know where in the book its mentioned. I'm a part time safety co chair and my biggest problem is management cooperation and so forth..our union is almost pathetic so it probably wouldn't do much good..but it would still be very interesting to know..

 

[Integrity]

I didnt even know the union even had an official opinion on safety committees.. I'd love to know where in the book its mentioned. I'm a part time safety co chair and my biggest problem is management cooperation and so forth..our union is almost pathetic so it probably wouldn't do much good..but it would still be very interesting to know..

JonClayton,

It is more than an opinion.

It is an agreement.

It can be found in Article 18 Section 20.4 of the National Contract.

Sincerely,
I