Special treatment to shop stewart. - Page 2 - Brown Cafe

Bubblehead · 10-31-2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just_another_day_at_work

Yes. That's the only thing that I know of for our steward as "special treatment".

Is this because of your lack of involvement?
If not what have you done about it?
Why have so many lost touch with the concept of a union shop?
You get what you give.
This isn't the YMCA, your dues only scratch the surface of what is necessary to maintain the organization.
You guys need to quit bitching and get involved.
Only then do you earn the right to sound off.

soberups · 10-31-2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubblehead

Is this because of your lack of involvement?
If not what have you done about it?
Why have so many lost touch with the concept of a union shop?
You get what you give.
This isn't the YMCA, your dues only scratch the surface of what is necessary to maintain the organization.
You guys need to quit bitching and get involved.
Only then do you earn the right to sound off.

Reread his post, he agrees with you as do I. He is saying that the stewards dont get any "special treatment" other than help with commit pkgs when they are delayed in the AM for steward duties, which is an operational necessity.

Billy · 11-01-2009, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Is this because of your lack of involvement?
If not what have you done about it?

He does everything he can about it. I use to work with Just_another_day_at_work. He follows the contract to the letter. He files on every violation, Takes all his breaks, and does his job properly. If every employee in that building ( 4 centers ) did their job like him, there would be a lot more jobs available. Sometimes you guys need to understand the everyone doesn't have English as a first language. Their post may read a bit different some times.

705red · 11-01-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownmonster

Our steward runs an hour and a half or more of bonus each day. He also gave up about 3 grand in supes working grievances so a driver could get his job back. You can be a steward and not be a complete pain in the butt.

This should have never happened! WHo is to decide what grievances are important? What about the people that had that $3,000 coming?

Each grievance should be heard for its merit. If the driver was dirty than he should be fired, if not thats what the grievance procedure is for.

Billy · 11-01-2009, 09:35 AM

Perhaps it was his grievance and not others though. I'd be willing to give up my personal grievances as a steward to keep the jobs of a employee. To make extra money is what shouldn't happen. Trading them for jobs is a perfectly acceptable trade to me.

Just_another_day_at_work · 11-01-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy

He does everything he can about it. I use to work with Just_another_day_at_work. He follows the contract to the letter. He files on every violation, Takes all his breaks, and does his job properly. If every employee in that building ( 4 centers ) did their job like him, there would be a lot more jobs available. Sometimes you guys need to understand the everyone doesn't have English as a first language. Their post may read a bit different some times.

Thank you Billy.

whiskey · 11-01-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bumped

Yes, our building is the same. Is it because of special treatment? No. Its because they're not on the belt looking at their load until start time. They take their lunch and breaks near noon each day whether its peak or summer. They don't even upload the EDD until start time. They attend every PCM. Their pick up compliance is 100% every day regardless how many miles out of the way it is. They walk off every stop.

Yes, they go out with less stops. Yes, management is happy to give them off whenever they want. When they take a day off management can add 20-30 more stops.

Wow, Jesus lives.

Dis-organized Labor · 11-01-2009, 03:42 PM

In the Airline, i have had some very good Stewards, one in particular. I "partnered" with him to try to improve the operation I was responsible for managing. He was a great resource and truly a "voice of reason".
The "troublemakers" ended up not liking him and would not accept that he was actually their advocate.
I treated him special, but only because he spent time in my office listening to my perspective and challenges. We worked on a great many initiatives and made things better from a previous sxxx-hole. It was a shame that the union turned on him.

grgrcr88 · 11-07-2009, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy

Perhaps it was his grievance and not others though. I'd be willing to give up my personal grievances as a steward to keep the jobs of a employee. To make extra money is what shouldn't happen. Trading them for jobs is a perfectly acceptable trade to me.

At no time EVER,EVER,EVER, should one grievance be traded for another, That only leads to problems, not to mention the posibility of opening up the Union to improper representation suits.

I was once asked to trade one drivers suspension for anothers Term, got up and walked out and have not sat back down with that particular manager since.

dilligaf · 11-07-2009, 09:04 AM

There, it's fixed and it about time!

grgrcr88 · 11-07-2009, 09:09 AM

I am so tired of poeple that know nothing of what a stedard does, talking about the "special " treatment, relationship, what ever the hell you want to call it, with management.

The fact is we as stewards are required to spend time with management personel at all levels, to protect and defend the membership. Ya, we may talk to the manager in a friendly tone when we see each other on the shop floor, ya we may know a bit more about the management team than the average driver, but you have no idea wgat goes on behind those closed doors, and I am quit certain most of you do not ever want to know. (based on the level of involvement at the local). Until you have walked in the shoes of a steward, do not talk bad about them, in fact why don't you thank them every once in a while for the time they spend working for your protection!!!

cachsux · 11-07-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grgrcr88

I am so tired of poeple that know nothing of what a stedard does, talking about the "special " treatment, relationship, what ever the hell you want to call it, with management.

The fact is we as stewards are required to spend time with management personel at all levels, to protect and defend the membership. Ya, we may talk to the manager in a friendly tone when we see each other on the shop floor, ya we may know a bit more about the management team than the average driver, but you have no idea wgat goes on behind those closed doors, and I am quit certain most of you do not ever want to know. (based on the level of involvement at the local). Until you have walked in the shoes of a steward, do not talk bad about them, in fact why don't you thank them every once in a while for the time they spend working for your protection!!!

I`ll be the first to say it that stewards don`t get the respect they deserve until someones screwed and then they`re their best buddy (save me, save me). I also know they will get m.f`d behind their back if they don`t run off and file or get in mgmts face for every chicken shiz reason regardless of how stupid it is.

So,grgrcr88,705red,the other stewards on here,my guys Big E,Hulkster,Towey,and the rest. Thank You!

soberups · 11-07-2009, 10:07 AM

One of the biggest challenges of being a steward is to remember that you wear more than one hat.

I am on friendly terms with many of the management people I work for. I will come into the office and chat with them, make jokes etc. But when its time to represent a member, I have to take that "friend" hat off and put the "steward" hat on because the relationship is now by definition adversarial. And once the meeting is over and the business has been resolved...I have to take that "steward" hat back off again because when I leave the gate and get to my first stop in the morning, I have to be wearing my "professional employee" hat. The customers I deal with do not need to know about any labor issues that are occuring in the office, they just need a professional to provide them the service they are paying for.

Friends are friends, the contract is the contract, and business is business. Its important to keep them seperate.

cachsux · 11-07-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soberups

One of the biggest challenges of being a steward is to remember that you wear more than one hat.

I am on friendly terms with many of the management people I work for. I will come into the office and chat with them, make jokes etc. But when its time to represent a member, I have to take that "friend" hat off and put the "steward" hat on because the relationship is now by definition adversarial. And once the meeting is over and the business has been resolved...I have to take that "steward" hat back off again because when I leave the gate and get to my first stop in the morning, I have to be wearing my "professional employee" hat. The customers I deal with do not need to know about any labor issues that are occuring in the office, they just need a professional to provide them the service they are paying for.

Friends are friends, the contract is the contract, and business is business. Its important to keep them seperate.

I think you touched on it be veered off,respectfully. I am "friendly" with many members of my management team right now,I think we have a good group at present at least the ones I work for. Drivers also for that matter. Joking around,talking sports,sharing a laugh are good things. It takes the edge off. But we are not "friends" by definition. When things need to get serious i don`t expect anything from them like I would from a friend.
I agree with everything you said though on the different situations of the workday.

brownmonster · 11-07-2009, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 705red

This should have never happened! WHo is to decide what grievances are important? What about the people that had that $3,000 coming?

Each grievance should be heard for its merit. If the driver was dirty than he should be fired, if not thats what the grievance procedure is for.

The steward filed the grievances on behalf of himself.

grgrcr88 · 11-08-2009, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soberups

One of the biggest challenges of being a steward is to remember that you wear more than one hat.

I am on friendly terms with many of the management people I work for. I will come into the office and chat with them, make jokes etc. But when its time to represent a member, I have to take that "friend" hat off and put the "steward" hat on because the relationship is now by definition adversarial. And once the meeting is over and the business has been resolved...I have to take that "steward" hat back off again because when I leave the gate and get to my first stop in the morning, I have to be wearing my "professional employee" hat. The customers I deal with do not need to know about any labor issues that are occuring in the office, they just need a professional to provide them the service they are paying for.

Friends are friends, the contract is the contract, and business is business. Its important to keep them seperate.

Well said Sober, maybe some of these haters will understand a bit more of what we have to do day in and day out!!!

grgrcr88 · 11-08-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cachsux

i`ll be the first to say it that stewards don`t get the respect they deserve until someones screwed and then they`re their best buddy (save me, save me). I also know they will get m.f`d behind their back if they don`t run off and file or get in mgmts face for every chicken shiz reason regardless of how stupid it is.

So,grgrcr88,705red,the other stewards on here,my guys big e,hulkster,towey,and the rest. Thank you!

Thanks,I appreciate it.

tieguy · 11-08-2009, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superupsman

I noticed in our bldg. that management gave our shop stewards a special treatment like going out with less stops, asking for a day off any day and etc... Is your bldg. have the same treatment with our building.

most of the better stewards I knew , knew the contract and knew how to work it to their advantage.

grgrcr88 · 11-08-2009, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tieguy

most of the better stewards I knew , knew the contract and knew how to work it to their advantage.

This is why more people should get involved with their Local Union. The more knowledge you have the more powerful we all become. The Union is only as strong as its members!!

tieguy · 11-08-2009, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grgrcr88

This is why more people should get involved with their Local Union. The more knowledge you have the more powerful we all become. The Union is only as strong as its members!!

I actually agree. some of my time has been spent educating people who argue concepts that are not in the contract. you see some of it here.

grgrcr88 · 11-08-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tieguy

I actually agree. some of my time has been spent educating people who argue concepts that are not in the contract. you see some of it here.

Yes, I do, see it everyday!!

Education is a powerful thing!!

705red · 11-08-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cachsux

I`ll be the first to say it that stewards don`t get the respect they deserve until someones screwed and then they`re their best buddy (save me, save me). I also know they will get m.f`d behind their back if they don`t run off and file or get in mgmts face for every chicken shiz reason regardless of how stupid it is.

So,grgrcr88,705red,the other stewards on here,my guys Big E,Hulkster,Towey,and the rest. Thank You!

Cach thank you and you are welcome. We appreciate a thank you every now and than.

dannyboy · 11-09-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

At no time EVER,EVER,EVER, should one grievance be traded for another, That only leads to problems, not to mention the posibility of opening up the Union to improper representation suits.

I guess you never went to the panel?

Trade offs happen all the time. Union brings four discharge cases, behind the scenes they agree to take three back, but uphold the fourth. Or other such dealings. OF course that is before arbitrators get involved. And the union knows that in a lot of cases, if all four go to arbitration, all four might as well pack up and go home. So yes, deals get made at all levels of the game.

As a steward, I never got any special treatment. Very rarely did I ever get help, usually it was the other way around, they wanted me to help someone else. 90% of the time, I was the LDI. Not by choice either.

As sober said, while I had a working relationship with management, it was one of mutual respect. I understood where they were coming from, and they understood that I had a job to do, and usually was pretty successful. Only times I failed was when the employee decided to proceed on their own path. As has been posted, you cant fix stupid.

There are at least 20 drivers working there now that could/should have been fired but weren't, many for dishonesty, falsification issues etc. All, with a different management team would now not have jobs at UPS.

As Tie said, a good steward not only has to know the book, but also know how to play. And some of the plays were unconventional, but worked. I was never too good to beg if that is what it took to get the driver back to work.

One last thing. Things are not always what they can appear to be, at first glance. As a steward, I never got one cent more than the drivers I represented, but yet many nights put in several hours or more on the defense of the driver. Hours that were unpaid.

d

over9five · 11-09-2009, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyboy

I guess you never went to the panel?

Trade offs happen all the time.

d

I know trade-offs happen all the time. But I have to wonder if we're trading good grievances to save the jobs of people that deserve to be fired. If that's what is happening, then it's not right.

grgrcr88 · 11-09-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyboy

I guess you never went to the panel?

d

I have been to multiple panels, every case has been and always will be heard or settled on its own merit. At least in our neck of the woods, how the hell you gonna go tell some guys wife and kids that sorry, we decided to trade your lively hood for someone elses. Its ok though, the better man kept his job???

B/S if you are doing that shame on you!!