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

[Integrity]

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.

steward71,

Have you consulted the international Teamsters?

The safety commitee is part of the National Contract.

Sincerely,
I

 

[Integrity]

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-

-Bug-

Thank you for your contribution to this discussion.

I disagree that the individual members are the union.

The union functions through the leadership.

They are voted in, but I suspect the number of members voting for local officials is probably very low.

Why should individual members file grievances on chronic long term contract violations that local officials know about and seem powerless to do anything about?

The chronic company abuse and neglect of clear Safety Committee National Contract language is an example of this.

Sincerely,
I

 

[Used&AbusedwithNoPrivacy]

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

In my opinion, the Safety Committee should be comprised of equal respresentation on both sides of Management and Union. Both sides should strive to achieve success by always demonstrating 1) safe work habits and, 2) through promoting overall efficiency (in that order). Instead, what we have realistically in the Safety Committee are some Safety Reps that are suppose to be Pro Union, but are really undercover management who just also happen to be Union members and do everything to please the management because they lack the experience and the guts stand up to them. So, you end up having the entire Safety Committee composed of Pro Management instead of having equal representation on both sides. The Safety Reps are usually younger aged individuals and are supposed to promote Safety at all times, but instead they are easily overcome by the older, stern Management members who usually just end up telling them what to do.

 

[Integrity]

In my opinion, the Safety Committee should be comprised of equal respresentation on both sides of Management and Union. Both sides should strive to achieve success by always demonstrating 1) safe work habits and, 2) through promoting overall efficiency (in that order). Instead, what we have realistically in the Safety Committee are some Safety Reps that are suppose to be Pro Union, but are really undercover management who just also happen to be Union members and do everything to please the management because they lack the experience and the guts stand up to them. So, you end up having the entire Safety Committee composed of Pro Management instead of having equal representation on both sides. The Safety Reps are usually younger aged individuals and are supposed to promote Safety at all times, but instead they are easily overcome by the older, stern Management members who usually just end up telling them what to do.

Used&AbusedwithNoPrivacy,

The National Contract states that the Safety Committee should be comprised of an agreed upon number of bargaining unit members and up to an equal number of management people.

Representation does not have to be equal. It must always favor the union.

The National Contract states that individuals who volunteer to be on the Safety Committee must be approved by the Local Union Officials.

How are your bargaining members being selected?

Are they being approved by the Local Union Officials.

Sincerely,
I

 

[packageguy]

Integrity, I know of centers in Jersey, that stopped all safety commitees,
It was a joke, a catch 22, you took accessments
and if something happend like an injury you got a warning letter
and so on. drivers got pissed and and stopped all activities.
From what I hear supervisors doing it all.

 

[over9five]

Integrity, I know of centers in Jersey, that stopped all safety commitees,
It was a joke, a catch 22, you took accessments
and if something happend like an injury you got a warning letter
and so on. drivers got pissed and and stopped all activities.
From what I hear supervisors doing it all.

That's how it should be. No Teamster should be involved in their "safety" committee.

 

[Integrity]

Integrity, I know of centers in Jersey, that stopped all safety commitees,
It was a joke, a catch 22, you took accessments
and if something happend like an injury you got a warning letter
and so on. drivers got pissed and and stopped all activities.
From what I hear supervisors doing it all.

littleboybrown,

Did the members themselves unite and stop the safety committees or was this the Local Union Officials response to problems with the committees?

Sincerely,
I

 

[hubrat]

That's how it should be. No Teamster should be involved in their "safety" committee.

A driver from the Safety Committee has been conducting Driver Observations while earning union wages! Nobody cares about that or that the center manager is not doing her own job.

 

[over9five]

A driver from the Safety Committee has been conducting Driver Observations while earning union wages! Nobody cares about that or that the center manager is not doing her own job.

I've heard of that happening, and it is unacceptable. If this is happening in anyones center, you need to call your local and express your outrage.
I have not heard of it happening here.

 

[Integrity]

A driver from the Safety Committee has been conducting Driver Observations while earning union wages! Nobody cares about that or that the center manager is not doing her own job.

hubrat,

Although, if done correctly and with Local Union approval, there should be no problem with a bargaining unit member of the safety committe doing this.

Unfortunately, I have never seen it done correctly and I would strongly urge any bargaining unit member to not participate in observations of hourly employees.

I don't think bargaining unit members should participate in any extra activities until the Safety Committees are performing the 7 functions listed in the National Contract.

The Committees should be doing these 7 functions with excellence before they take on other activities.

Sincerely,
I

 

[hubrat]

hubrat,

Although, if done correctly and with Local Union approval, there should be no problem with a bargaining unit member of the safety committe doing this.

Unfortunately, I have never seen it done correctly and I would strongly urge any bargaining unit member to not participate in observations of hourly employees.

I don't think bargaining unit members should participate in any extra activities until the Safety Committees are performing the 7 functions listed in the National Contract.

The Committees should be doing these 7 functions with excellence before they take on other activities.

Sincerely,
I

I don't think a Teamster should do something that can result in the discipline of another Teamster.

 

[over9five]

I don't think a Teamster should do something that can result in the discipline of another Teamster.

Agreed.
This is obviously a "divide and conquer" tactic. Get those Teamsters ratting out each other!
DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THESE OBSERVATION RIDES!

 

[Integrity]

I don't think a Teamster should do something that can result in the discipline of another Teamster.

hubrat,

I agree!

Are you familiar with the National Contract language pertaining to Safety Committees?

Sincerely,
I

 

[hubrat]

I got on-area-observed today by my Teamster brother...

 

[brownedout]

I got on-area-observed today by my Teamster brother...

With a brother like that....

 

[menotyou]

I got on-area-observed today by my Teamster brother...

File a grievance.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Our safety committee has been axed.

Yet we still have hourlies doing safety obs (inside)

Is this legitimate?

 

[menotyou]

I don't see how.

 

[paidover95]

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

What company does this guy work for???

 

[Anonymous 10]

What company does this guy work for???

Ups freight