Heres your Circle of Honor award, and a warning letter.

[upsdude]

This topic has been repeatedly discussed here, sorry but here we go again.

A driver in my center was awarded his 25 year safe driving “Circle of Honor” jacket last week. In addition to 25 years safe driving, he’s never had an injury or missed time from work.

This past Wednesday he failed to give word for word answers to an auditor when asked about the 5 seeing habits. The driver was given a warning letter along with 4 other drivers.

The Teamster BA shows up on Thursday and yet again says we must know the “safety stuff” even though it isn’t in the contract. He goes on to say the same thing at the PCM while standing arm and arm with management. Management told us we could be terminated for failing to correctly answer safety questions and here is a Teamster BA agreeing with them. I pulled the BA off to the side with a couple other drivers. I told him he was facing a mass exodus from Local 822 (we’re a right to work state) if he didn’t get his a s s in gear and start representing the members. I reminded him I had personally taken on the local in 96 and won a huge decision against the local in a case heard by the NLRB. I told him I would not hesitate to take them on again. I told him to get on the phone and call Local 804 in NY and ask how they handle such issues. I also suggested he take a day off from stuffing my mailbox with Obama crap and read the contract.

Friday Morning. I was so mad I woke up at 400 AM fuming over this mess. What the heck, I went into work at 630 (2 hours early) knowing the division manager would be there. Sure enough he was and we had a long conversation. He’s a good man that listens and he listened to what I had to say. The DM had the warning letters yanked and thrown away.

The BA shows up at 730 and tells me he did call 804 and I was correct, they don’t face disciplinary action for not being tape recorders. He later puffed his chest out and said he had made the company pull all the warning letters. Whatever.

So I would like to thank Local 804 for standing up, it does trickle down.

[rod]

I've said it before and I'll say it again------Nothing and I mean NOTHING I read or hear about UPS ( and even the Teamsters) surprises me anymore. People who have never worked at the Brown Machine would call you a liar if you told them what goes on in an average day at UPS.

[farmerbrown]

Good going dude. You did the right thing. Instead of bitching with the fellas at work, you did what was necessary. It takes courage and commitment to do the right thing. I wish more guys in my right to work state would follow your example.

[dannyboy]

dude

two things

first, glad to know there are real men that work for ups, not just a bunch of lemmings

secondly, shame on ups on using the safety message and mindset to be able to stuff our files with warning letters. shows that the big stick managment approach is still the prefered way of managing for those with big egos and small brains. also glad to know that dm is not one of them. at least he gets it! (what the safety push is all about.)

d

[NoStress]

the union does back the company safety standards on DOK questions. as long as they pay to train us.

[brownmonster]

You will never have an injury or an accident as long as you have a good memory. The pace of the job has nothing to do with it.

[soberups]

Originally Posted by NoStress

the union does back the company safety standards on DOK questions. as long as they pay to train us.

The union does NOT back disciplinary action for failing to regurgitate a commentary word for word.

A Circle of Honor driver being suspended for not passing a DOK test would be laughed out of any panel hearing.

The idiot who issued a warning letter to this driver is obviously a scared little man who just wants to look good for his boss. He isnt concerned with safety. He is only concerned with his drivers passing an audit so he can cover his own ass. At UPS, its not what you accomplish that matters....its how good you look "on paper" pretending to accomplish it.

[Baba gounj]

Originally Posted by upsdude

This topic has been repeatedly discussed here, sorry but here we go again.

A driver in my center was awarded his 25 year safe driving “Circle of Honor” jacket last week. In addition to 25 years safe driving, he’s never had an injury or missed time from work.

This past Wednesday he failed to give word for word answers to an auditor when asked about the 5 seeing habits. The driver was given a warning letter along with 4 other drivers.

The Teamster BA shows up on Thursday and yet again says we must know the “safety stuff” even though it isn’t in the contract. He goes on to say the same thing at the PCM while standing arm and arm with management. Management told us we could be terminated for failing to correctly answer safety questions and here is a Teamster BA agreeing with them. I pulled the BA off to the side with a couple other drivers. I told him he was facing a mass exodus from Local 822 (we’re a right to work state) if he didn’t get his a s s in gear and start representing the members. I reminded him I had personally taken on the local in 96 and won a huge decision against the local in a case heard by the NLRB. I told him I would not hesitate to take them on again. I told him to get on the phone and call Local 804 in NY and ask how they handle such issues. I also suggested he take a day off from stuffing my mailbox with Obama crap and read the contract.

Friday Morning. I was so mad I woke up at 400 AM fuming over this mess. What the heck, I went into work at 630 (2 hours early) knowing the division manager would be there. Sure enough he was and we had a long conversation. He’s a good man that listens and he listened to what I had to say. The DM had the warning letters yanked and thrown away.

The BA shows up at 730 and tells me he did call 804 and I was correct, they don’t face disciplinary action for not being tape recorders. He later puffed his chest out and said he had made the company pull all the warning letters. Whatever.

So I would like to thank Local 804 for standing up, it does trickle down.

BRAVO

[brownhorn]

Originally Posted by soberups

The union does NOT back disciplinary action for failing to regurgitate a commentary word for word.

A Circle of Honor driver being suspended for not passing a DOK test would be laughed out of any panel hearing.

The idiot who issued a warning letter to this driver is obviously a scared little man who just wants to look good for his boss. He isnt concerned with safety. He is only concerned with his drivers passing an audit so he can cover his own ass. At UPS, its not what you accomplish that matters....its how good you look "on paper" pretending to accomplish it.

That last sentence says it ALL!

[sortaisle]

Over here in Spokane, we get this nice little talk. It goes, invariably, as follows: "I want you to say the 5 seeing eye HABITS word for word, but I don't want you to say it like a robot." ? It seems to me, that if you answer the question correctly, but using your own words, you have a much better understanding of the 5 eye Habits rather than the tape recorder that regurgitates the stuff.

[sortaisle]

I didn't know we couldn't use acronyms on this board...I guess I should have read the rules better.

[scoobypanda]

Great job. Your manager is obviously taking the easy way out instead of trying to create an actual culture change. That must be too difficult for him, so he decides to throw around warning letters. I am glad that his boss does not have his head in his anus and I am happy that your co-workers have someone who will stand up for what is right and is not afraid to speak his mind. The first amendment applies to everyone, even us silly little truck drivers.

[upsdude]

Originally Posted by dannyboy

secondly, shame on ups on using the safety message and mindset to be able to stuff our files with warning letters. shows that the big stick managment approach is still the prefered way of managing for those with big egos and small brains. also glad to know that dm is not one of them. at least he gets it! (what the safety push is all about.)

d

Danny you are so right. Real “Leaders” don’t need a big stick or a printer full of paper, they simply “lead”. Folks that are ill equipped mentally or by a lack of guidance will never be “Leaders”. Those folks need an arsenal of threats and all the intimidation they can muster to meet the goals expected of them.

Dear UPS,

On Monday the 6th of October some hourly and maybe some management folks around the world will suffer injuries and may be involved in a vehicle crash. Most of these incidents will be minor some may be serious.

Please rest assured that none of the employees secretly met in a cave in Afghanistan to plan for the demise of UPS. Most of the injury/accident incidents came by no fault of the employee or by a millisecond lapse of attention. Please again let me repeat myself, the employees are not trying to put the company out of business. The employees are not looking to a coworker and saying “Hey Yall, watch this” prior to getting injured. I will concede that if you do have such evidence go ahead and do what you do best, fire’em.

Please provide the best care available for the injury. Please review the incident and see what the COMPANY could have done differently. Please then review with the employee and see what he/she could have done differently. Make the necessary changes, and file the incident away.

[Raw]

I`m torn on this one. UPS faces heavy OSHA fines so are only doing what OSHA instructs them to do to prevent more fines. I also don`t like to memorize rules & slogans word for word or have my job threatened. But then again if you go to any other job that pays $70,000 a year you will have to memorize and learn way more than that, so I went ahead and memorized it word for word. Took about 2 hours, big f`ing deal! Pick your battles. I got a nice shirt and socks and an atta boy out of it!

[stevetheupsguy]

$70,000 or not I'm not a robot. I'll spout out all of the info you want, but in my lingo. Better yet, I'll let mgmt know in advance when I'm on my way back to the building or I'll start early in order to avoid the auditor in the first place.

[rod]

Originally Posted by Raw

so I went ahead and memorized it word for word. Took about 2 hours, big f`ing deal! Pick your battles. I got a nice shirt and socks and an atta boy out of it!

This may have been answered before but I am curious if UPS allows you to stay on the clock while memorizing their saftey stuff? We had the 5 safe driving habits to learn and what to do if a damaged hazardous pkg is discovered but all that stuff was pounded into our heads "ON" the clock.

[over9five]

Originally Posted by rod

This may have been answered before but I am curious if UPS allows you to stay on the clock while memorizing their saftey stuff? We had the 5 safe driving habits to learn and what to do if a damaged hazardous pkg is discovered but all that stuff was pounded into our heads "ON" the clock.

And that is my biggest beef with this stuff. If they want to PAY me to come in early and study, I'll happily do it.
BUT, till that time I am an HOURLY employee, and there is NO WAY I'm studying this garbage on MY time!

[helenofcalifornia]

That's funny, Steve. When there are auditors or safety people in our building, most of the drivers are already punched out by the time they back up their trucks. "Sorry, I'm off the clock. Catch me next time!"

[JimJimmyJames]

Six months ago we were tested on the safety questions but not given the answer sheet like we were every other time we have been tested. I vocally expressed my disapproval with my supervisors that this was not past practice and in no way was fair as a result. I was told they were not holding our answers against us and not to worry about it.

As a result of this I resolved I would simply refuse to take a verbal or written test in the future without a study aid of some type with me. They have given us numerous pocket and wallet sized answer guides along with the full size dittos they frequently pass out. I always keep one of them on my person.

We were again given this test last week. I simply pulled out the answers and answered the questions "in my own words" . When I handed the test in, my dispatcher remarked slyly about my "original" answers. I said thank you and went on my way .

[dannyboy]

I`m torn on this one. UPS faces heavy OSHA fines so are only doing what OSHA instructs them to do to prevent more fines. I also don`t like to memorize rules & slogans word for word or have my job threatened. But then again if you go to any other job that pays $70,000 a year you will have to memorize and learn way more than that, so I went ahead and memorized it word for word. Took about 2 hours, big f`ing deal! Pick your battles. I got a nice shirt and socks and an atta boy out of it!

first off lets face it. the average ups man did not go to college for a reason. not that he is stupid, but sitting down and memorizing something is not his strong suite.

secondly, dont fall for this ups faces heavy osha fiines if we dont echo exactly word for word what is asked for. that is the ups mentality of getting around osha. not osha saying that we have to be like a parrot. its easy to get a parrot to repeat word for word, but does he have a clue as to what he is spouting off about?

I would, and you managment types chime in if i am wrong, i would rather have a center full of drivers that can comprehend the points than memorize them. the driver at the center of this post is one. he knows what it takes to be a safe driver and employee. so what if he cant make like a parrot and spout back exactly word for word what the suits are wanting.

And in this case, i think the dm agrees with me.

so again please, osha is not who is at fault here. it is ups who for too long let a lot of bad behaviours go unnoticed and unchanged. only after osha put presure on did the managment group and liberty insurance take a serious look at the way business was done.

in many ways, ups reacts to situations instead of planing ahead.

d

[mattwtrs]

Originally Posted by dannyboy

in many ways, ups reacts to situations instead of planing ahead.

d

Exactly the way I feel. I remember one of my 1st delivery sup's telling me. "Failing to plan is a plan to fail". Funny how that applies to more than life at UPS.

[UPS Lifer]

Originally Posted by NoStress

the union does back the company safety standards on DOK questions. as long as they pay to train us.

Here is the problem - Depth of Knowledge means just what it says.... You have to understand the concept of the question and why it is important...

I am embarrassed for the management team that would give any driver or employee a warning letter for not reciting DOK word for word. To me, that is a manager or supervisor asking for a lot of trouble!

I can tell you right now that would never stand up in a panel! I am not talking about a warning letter (technically a warning can't be grieved.) But I am talking about progressive action after a warning such as a suspension. This is totally ludicrous. If my boss told me to take that kind of action against a driver I would respectfully decline. The boss could take that heat.

You supervisors out there - get it straight - You can PM me if you want straight talk. Treat your people right!

[dannyboy]

i would bet not too many have the manhood to stand up for what is right when it comes to disagreeing with their boss.........

but it is nice to know there are a few

d

[dragon]

UPS dude I am going to check on your story tomorrow when I get in and see if they pulled the letters. I heard about the letters being issued but nothing about retraction. Will give you some feedback......

[UPSBOI]

How would OSHA mandate the 5 seeing habits? Maybe DOT but not OSHA.