Say goodbye to bottled water and coffee machines

[tourists24]

UPS doesnt even want to pay us to pee while on the clock,,,, why in the world would they want to give us water.... that eventually leads to more peeing.... and that costs money

[BCFan]

LOL

[hurricanegunner]

Be careful to observe the 8 keys to peeing while OFF the clock.

[bubsdad]

Originally Posted by BLACKBOX

We have been told that ANYONE who has a vendor contract for servicing UPS whether it be coffee,office supplies,cleaning services,etc....will be scrutinized on whether their services can be pared down or eliminated completely.

One question.....FEDX express driver told me they don't charge customers when they order supplies...do we do the same? or do you see us charging our shippers for ordering supplies? I have no idea if we pass the this cost to the shipper.

The vending company they went to at our building sucks. It's like playing a slot machine when you put your money in. Fingers crossed, wishing on a star, am I getting a FULL cup of coffee, half a cup or just some hot water?

[bubsdad]

Originally Posted by QKRSTKR

We gave up paper towels in the restrooms. Anyone else? Sucks if you want to wash up your arms and legs. Next it'll be toilet paper. They'll tell us hold it till your first stop or wait till you get home. Or bring in some leaves from a tree next time.

Yep. Here too. We complained about it in the comittee meeting because the "wipe-all" towels they said we could use to clean our windows have lanolin in them, which just smears the windows. Their fix is to put a roll of paper towels in each tractor.

[rushfan]

Peeing off the clock reminds me of my last drive. The supv. told me to use my lunch time for that. I started to do so. I would pull off to a truck stop and find a parking spot. Mind you it takes 5-10 min to do so. I then punch into the IVIS "other, activity" (One cannot punch anything into the IVIS while the wheels are moving). Take care of business, finish my "other activities", and go back on the road. The whole peeing process takes about 15-20 minutes. It's not ripping off the company. I'm just doing what I'm told to do.

Payroll admin. assistant hates it, as my lunch is not one continuous 1/2 hour. It's broken up, which causes her more work.

[JonFrum]

Originally Posted by beentheredonethat

I do agree that removing water is pretty shortsighted.
However, it's funny to see a lot of different topics here on browncafe. On this one and many others, folks keep bringing up past practice and how they'll grieve due to past practice. Then on other topics people will be amazed UPS won't do what's in the contract since either it doesn't cost that much, they think we should do it. etc etc. People, this is why UPS is reluctant to give stuff outside of contract, because if for some reason we stop, you grieve it.

"Stuff" given to us by UPS outside the Contract, then taken away, is not normally grievable. What "stuff" are you referring to?

Whenever a Contract is negotiated, there is a clause that says UPS will maintain existing standards, and improve standards where specified in the new Contract. This is to prevent UPS from turning the negotiated and ratified Contract into a sham, by cutting a different benefit after the ink is dry, to retaliate for a benefit increase given in the give-and-take of negotiations.

Here's the New England Supplement's language . . .

ARTICLE 47 --- MAINTENANCE OF STANDARDS
Section 1 --- Protection of Conditions
The Employer agrees that all conditions of employment related to wages, hours of work, overtime differential, and general working conditions, as negotiated or agreed upon, shall be maintained at not less than the highest standards in effect at the time of the signing of this Agreement and the conditions of employment shall be improved wherever specific provisions for improvements are made elsewhere in this Agreement.

Some things provided by UPS are required by Law, weather mentioned in the Contract or not.

There is also the National Labor Relations Act that makes unilateral, mid-Contract cuts in certain things by UPS an Unfair Labor Practice.

We've already lost paper towels in the bathroom when they installed less useful blowers. Now we have a grievance in over paper towels being removed from the lunch room.

[Just Numbers]

[QUOTE=JonFrum;584009]"Stuff" given to us by UPS outside the Contract, then taken away, is not normally grievable. What "stuff" are you referring to?

Whenever a Contract is negotiated, there is a clause that says UPS will maintain existing standards, and improve standards where specified in the new Contract. This is to prevent UPS from turning the negotiated and ratified Contract into a sham, by cutting a different benefit after the ink is dry, to retaliate for a benefit increase given in the give-and-take of negotiations.


So am I understanding this correctly...Everything UPS provides in addition
to the contract becomes existing standards in the next contract. If that be the case then UPS should get rid of everything before negotiating the next contract. It is because of things like this in contracts that this whole country is screwed up and most of the manufacturing jobs are in other countries. Don't get me wrong...I believe in unions (after all I'm a Teamster) but, things become rediculous. The day I started with UPS was the day I found out why cars cost so much. My second stop was Fisher Body. Although there were several UAW employees on the dock none would sign for the packages. They could only sign for fabric deliveries, now my tax dollars are paying for their pensions.

[dilligaf]

Originally Posted by QKRSTKR

We gave up paper towels in the restrooms. Anyone else? Sucks if you want to wash up your arms and legs. Next it'll be toilet paper. They'll tell us hold it till your first stop or wait till you get home. Or bring in some leaves from a tree next time.

We've been using paper towels as toilet paper for....................forever.

[over9five]

Originally Posted by tourists24

UPS doesnt even want to pay us to pee while on the clock,,,, why in the world would they want to give us water.... that eventually leads to more peeing.... and that costs money

Rumor is they will soon close the restrooms. This will end a lot of related costs too, such as cleaning, heating, water usage, etc.

[JonFrum]

Originally Posted by Just Numbers

So am I understanding this correctly...Everything UPS provides in addition to the contract becomes existing standards in the next contract.

No, not everything. Just the important stuff, as defined by the NLRA. (Various other federal, state and local laws mandate certain things as well.)

If that be the case then UPS should get rid of everything before negotiating the next contract.

That would be an Unfair Labor Practice under the NLRA. Certain things are "Mandatory Subjects of Bargaining" and can not be unilaterally changed mid-contract by UPS.

It is because of things like this in contracts that this whole country is screwed up and most of the manufacturing jobs are in other countries. . . .

UPS has signed these contracts with the Teamsters time after time for decades and recommended them to us for ratification.

Also, UPS likes being covered by the NLRA. They are even trying to force FedEx to be covered by it.

[The "country is screwed up" because of decades of bad policies by Liberals, Progressives, Community Organizers and Socialists. Not because of our use of paper towels, water, coffee and other small necessities at work.][/QUOTE]

[whiskey]

Originally Posted by BLACKBOX

We have been told that ANYONE who has a vendor contract for servicing UPS whether it be coffee,office supplies,cleaning services,etc....will be scrutinized on whether their services can be pared down or eliminated completely.

One question.....FEDX express driver told me they don't charge customers when they order supplies...do we do the same? or do you see us charging our shippers for ordering supplies? I have no idea if we pass the this cost to the shipper.

I think the amount of business a company gives UPS determines whether or not they get free supplies.
I heard the USPS will ship out a standard size box to your address for free. And there is no weight limit. As much as you can fit in that box for one price.

[UpstateNYUPSer]

I think the amount of business a company gives UPS determines whether or not they get free supplies.

That is simply not true--as long as you have a shipper number you can order supplies at no charge.

I heard the USPS will ship out a standard size box to your address for free. And there is no weight limit. As much as you can fit in that box for one price.

Priority Mail Flat Rate is the service that you are describing and, yes, if it fits, it ships, at a price range of $4.95 for an envelope or small box, $10.35 for a medium box and $13.95 for a large box ($11.95 to overseas military addresses). They will ship you the box and then come back and pick it up.

[gostillerz]

We don't have paper towels or toilet paper anymore to save on paper costs, but I get 15 add/cut pages per day. I won't disgrace my sh** to use those.

[beentheredonethat]

Originally Posted by JonFrum

"Stuff" given to us by UPS outside the Contract, then taken away, is not normally grievable. What "stuff" are you referring to?

Well just in the last week or so there's an instance. Red is grieving the sales rewards being changed.

[hondo]

As was told to me: if you lose something (it's taken away), grieve it! You may still lose it, but at least you tried and didn't acquiesce. FWIW, paper towel grievance was won here. They were reinstalled.

[JonFrum]

Originally Posted by beentheredonethat

Well just in the last week or so there's an instance. Red is grieving the sales rewards being changed.

I don't know exactly where the line is drawn between things that are frozen in place by a contract, and things that are left to management's discression. I would guess, and it is only a guess, that sales lead rewards are not grievable.

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with filing a grievance and seeing where it goes. Infact, asking for a clarification of an issue is itself a valid use of the grievance proceedure. No harm done just asking.
- - - - -
Incidentally, since the paper towels have been removed from our lunch room, no one is willing to buy any of the gooey items. The moist muffins and such sit in the vending machine for a couple of weeks unsold, and every Monday MisterJunkFoodMan throws them all in the trash barrell because they are past their expiration date. For lack of a penny's worth of paper towels, a $1.25 muffin is thrown away. What's wrong with this picture?

[Just Numbers]

Originally Posted by JonFrum

No, not everything. Just the important stuff, as defined by the NLRA. (Various other federal, state and local laws mandate certain things as well.)


That would be an Unfair Labor Practice under the NLRA. Certain things are "Mandatory Subjects of Bargaining" and can not be unilaterally changed mid-contract by UPS.


UPS has signed these contracts with the Teamsters time after time for decades and recommended them to us for ratification.

Also, UPS likes being covered by the NLRA. They are even trying to force FedEx to be covered by it.

[The "country is screwed up" because of decades of bad policies by Liberals, Progressives, Community Organizers and Socialists. Not because of our use of paper towels, water, coffee and other small necessities at work.]

[/QUOTE]

You forgot to mention that the teamsters backed a community organizer in the last election!

[JonFrum]

You forgot to mention that the teamsters backed a community organizer in the last election!

Barack Obama is taking us over the cliff, and the IBT wants to be his driver.

[dilligaf]

Originally Posted by JonFrum

I don't know exactly where the line is drawn between things that are frozen in place by a contract, and things that are left to management's discression. I would guess, and it is only a guess, that sales lead rewards are not grievable.

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with filing a grievance and seeing where it goes. Infact, asking for a clarification of an issue is itself a valid use of the grievance proceedure. No harm done just asking.
- - - - -

You are right Jon, there is no harm in finding out. It's like asking questions. As far as filing, anything that was in place previously and then removed (unless specifically covered in the contract) should be able to be filed under past practice.

[Just Numbers]

Originally Posted by JonFrum

Barack Obama is taking us over the cliff, and the IBT wants to be his driver.

AGREE!

[Mike23]

I'd also bring up (with the newspaper article) that we had a driver pass away this week due to not having enough water. I'm pretty sure the union will (and should) rip UPS a new one if they're taking away your water with just that little bit of info.
http://www.browncafe.com/forum/ups_discussions/260832-nashua_nh_driver_passed_away_today.html That's the link to the post I read it on (new of course). I'm sure if you did some scrounging you could find an article someplace on it.

[JonFrum]

Originally Posted by dilligaf

You are right Jon, there is no harm in finding out. It's like asking questions. As far as filing, anything that was in place previously and then removed (unless specifically covered in the contract) should be able to be filed under past practice.

True. But in order to win the grievance, the Past Practice must have been agreed to by both sides, at least tacitly. If UPS announced from Day One that a non-contractual practice was only temporary, optional, or doesn't set a precedent, then it may not be a winable Past Practice.

It may still be worth filing though to make a point, or to see if UPS will agree to continue the practice, even though they don't legally have to. They might want to avoid creating Ill Will, for example. (I know. Now I'm talkin' crazy talk.)

[JonFrum]

Originally Posted by JonFrum

. . . Now we have a grievance in over paper towels being removed from the lunch room.

UPDATE: We just won our grievance about paper towels in the lunch room.

Ah, the sweet taste of victory in my mouth!

And if I dribble any on my chin, I can wipe it off with -- (drum roll please) -- a paper towel!!!

Neat how that all works out.

[tourists24]

Originally Posted by JonFrum

UPDATE: We just won our grievance about paper towels in the lunch room.

Ah, the sweet taste of victory in my mouth!

And if I dribble any on my chin, I can wipe it off with -- (drum roll please) -- a paper towel!!!

Neat how that all works out.

please tell me that grievance was settled before getting to panel... Id like to sit in on that panel case if it was heard... lol... Next case::: paper towel robbery