Business agents - Brown Cafe

wadep · 06-28-2007, 05:08 AM

Who or what is our buisness agent. In our centrer he shows up for special occasions, management changes, and very little else. In my 5 plus years with U.P.S. I have seen him about a dozen times.

In other union represented jobs I've had, the B.A. is either on site, or pops into the facility 2 or 3 times a week.

We have new hires that have been with the company for well over a year and have yet to meet the B.A.

How does one proceed with a non confidence vote to have him replaced. What is the percentage of vote needed. Anyone?

Our B.A. is a former U.P.S. driver.

over9five · 06-28-2007, 06:30 AM

Your shop steward must communicate with the BA. Why don't you approach him, and suggest that the BA show up once or twice a week?

It's not asking too much.

helenofcalifornia · 06-28-2007, 06:42 AM

If your business agent sucks, good chance your shop steward sucks too. How is a steward supposed to learn if not by example? Too bad that new hires or even old hires will never benefit from what a proactive business agent can do for them and their job. We had one who loved to come unanounced to the preload. Management hated him, but he didn't care. The agent that followed him was just like the one you are talking about. We have a so-so one now. One of our drivers is retiring soon and wants to be the new business agent. He is going to kick ass and take no prisoners. And what I mean by that, is make sure UPS follows the contract. I can hardly wait.

ups79 · 06-28-2007, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helenofcalifornia

If your business agent sucks, good chance your shop steward sucks too. How is a steward supposed to learn if not by example? Too bad that new hires or even old hires will never benefit from what a proactive business agent can do for them and their job. We had one who loved to come unanounced to the preload. Management hated him, but he didn't care. The agent that followed him was just like the one you are talking about. We have a so-so one now. One of our drivers is retiring soon and wants to be the new business agent. He is going to kick ass and take no prisoners. And what I mean by that, is make sure UPS follows the contract. I can hardly wait.

The problem is he probably won't be able to collect his pension if he obtains another job as your BA. You know the old rule, "working in retirement and drawing a pension".

olympicking · 06-28-2007, 09:19 AM

My business agent told me that if I don't like working at UPS I can quit. I thought his fat checks were because of union dues.

tieguy · 06-28-2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wadep

Who or what is our buisness agent. In our centrer he shows up for special occasions, management changes, and very little else. In my 5 plus years with U.P.S. I have seen him about a dozen times.

You don't see him when you attend the monthly union meetings either?

over9five · 06-28-2007, 10:37 AM

"You don't see him when you attend the monthly union meetings either?"

Ha, ya, you must see him down at the hall.

local804 · 06-28-2007, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wadep

Who or what is our buisness agent. In our centrer he shows up for special occasions, management changes, and very little else. In my 5 plus years with U.P.S. I have seen him about a dozen times.

In other union represented jobs I've had, the B.A. is either on site, or pops into the facility 2 or 3 times a week.

We have new hires that have been with the company for well over a year and have yet to meet the B.A.

How does one proceed with a non confidence vote to have him replaced. What is the percentage of vote needed. Anyone?

Our B.A. is a former U.P.S. driver.

For the new hires that dont meet the business agent, well maybe thats a good thing. I am sure your BA is very busy at your building working with UPS management. Your business agent probably runs all shifts as does mine. Dont complain if you dont see him, Complain if he isnt there when you need Him!!!!

ps You vote him in.....get it?

GuyinBrown · 06-28-2007, 05:37 PM

What exactly makes him a bad BA?

Do you have a problem that he is unable to resolve? Have you tried to contact him and gotten the runaround? Are contract violations that are brought to his attention not being challenged?

Your steward should be your first contact anyway. He/she should be the one you see on a daily basis. I only see our BA a handful of times over the course of the year, but that doesn't mean he isn't doing his job. If I have a question or complaint, I go to the steward and 90% of the time he resolves the issue. On the occasions that he can't I'll call our BA and if he doesn't call me back the same day, he definitely calls be back the following day. He's made his cell phone number just as available as his number down at the union hall to anyone that wants it. On a couple of occasions he's made a call to my CM to resolve an issue. Again, no face time but if my problem is fixed with a phone call, there are no complaints on my end either.

Just because you don't see him every day doesn't necessarily make him a bad BA.

wadep · 06-28-2007, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by local804

For the new hires that dont meet the business agent, well maybe thats a good thing. I am sure your BA is very busy at your building working with UPS management. Your business agent probably runs all shifts as does mine. Dont complain if you dont see him, Complain if he isnt there when you need Him!!!!

ps You vote him in.....get it?

Our B.A. isn't in our building. The last sighting of him on U.P.S. property was when our latest in a long string of center managers was introduced about 6 months ago.

GuyinBrown · 06-28-2007, 06:38 PM

Again, I fail to see how this makes him a bad BA.... Have your latest center managers been violating the contract in some way that neither your steward nor BA have been able to rectify? And most BA's aren't in the buildings. They're generally down at the union halls. You do know the difference between a BA and a steward, correct?

705red · 06-28-2007, 07:18 PM

As a steward its our job to deal with the buildings. If we run into problems that we cant resolve we then turn it over to the agent. You must remember that these agent have several buildings to represent and just because you dont see them does not mean their not going there jobs. Almost all of the low level hearings that happen, happen when all the the drivers are already out on the street, so this way the grievant isnt embarassed by his situation. Now if the agents not doing his job then vote him out, but you also said hes a ups driver so im sure hes taking it seriously so he doesnt end up back on that truck soon!

DS · 06-28-2007, 07:20 PM

The only time we ever see ours is at election time.I try to avoid them.
In fact I hate them.They've never done anything for me except take my
money.I`m sure after we leave the building,they go for a round of golf
and lunch after with the local upper management.If they approach me
I tell them I gave at the office.

steamroll · 12-24-2007, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olympicking

My business agent told me that if I don't like working at UPS I can quit. I thought his fat checks were because of union dues.

who is this agent? he sounds like management. you don't work for him, he works for you

Dirty Savage · 12-24-2007, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steamroll

who is this agent? he sounds like management. you don't work for him, he works for you

Methinks they are talking about the Teamsters representative, not a UPS person. While we are on the subject, we see ours a couple of times a year. The Teamster's office is above a restaurant we UPSers go to for lunch sometimes, and he comes down to talk to us and buys us lunch sometimes. Yeah, he doesn't come in to the centre much, but he did make an appearance this peak when he came around to talk to us about the ridiculous hours we were putting in. So that was kind of nice.

LKLND3380 · 12-28-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wadep

Who or what is our buisness agent. In our centrer he shows up for special occasions, management changes, and very little else. In my 5 plus years with U.P.S. I have seen him about a dozen times.

In other union represented jobs I've had, the B.A. is either on site, or pops into the facility 2 or 3 times a week.

We have new hires that have been with the company for well over a year and have yet to meet the B.A.

How does one proceed with a non confidence vote to have him replaced. What is the percentage of vote needed. Anyone?

Our B.A. is a former U.P.S. driver.

You have a shop steward for your building... Each shift (preload, drivers, twilight) should have a Shop Steward and at least one Alternate Shop Steward...

The best way to meet and talk with your BA is to ATTEND LOCAL MEETINGS at the TEAMSTER HALL... Meet you local president as well... Find out where your dues are going... BECOME A FACE THAT GOES WITH A NAME...

Too many people bitch about the union but do not take time out for one day to attend the general meeting at the Union Hall... This isn't big government where the president or governor is un approachable... This is YOUR UNION, take control and become involved...

You may become the next Shop Steward or BA...

(my next rant will be about co workers not reading or knowing the basics of the Master Agreement and Supplement)

Ms Spoken · 12-29-2007, 02:07 PM

kind of hard to attend a union meeting when the hall is over 6 hours away. The last time I saw our BA I asked him who was getting fired since that is the only time he ever shows up. He didnt like that but, hey when it's the truth then so be it.

HazMatMan · 12-29-2007, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ups79

The problem is he probably won't be able to collect his pension if he obtains another job as your BA. You know the old rule, "working in retirement and drawing a pension".

Quote:

Originally Posted by helenofcalifornia

If your business agent sucks, good chance your shop steward sucks too. How is a steward supposed to learn if not by example? Too bad that new hires or even old hires will never benefit from what a proactive business agent can do for them and their job. We had one who loved to come unanounced to the preload. Management hated him, but he didn't care. The agent that followed him was just like the one you are talking about. We have a so-so one now. One of our drivers is retiring soon and wants to be the new business agent. He is going to kick ass and take no prisoners. And what I mean by that, is make sure UPS follows the contract. I can hardly wait.

I don't think he can officially retire from UPS if he gets a job at the Union hall. I could be wrong, it may differ where you are. If he leaves UPS to be a Business Agent or whatever for the Union I don't think he will get a pension..

MR_Vengeance · 12-29-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by local804

. I am sure your BA is very busy at your building working with UPS management.

in my building, the BA is very busy working for the UPS management. Infact, he doesn't fight for everybody, he fight for his "friends" ( the selected few that he cares about )

satellitedriver · 12-29-2007, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ups79

The problem is he probably won't be able to collect his pension if he obtains another job as your BA. You know the old rule, "working in retirement and drawing a pension".

If he is in Central States, he would be able to now.
Under the old CS mandates he would not have been able to work( even for the union) over 80 hours a month.
Thank you, UPS, for bailing out CS.

LKLND3380 · 12-30-2007, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR_Vengeance

in my building, the BA is very busy working for the UPS management. Infact, he doesn't fight for everybody, he fight for his "friends" ( the selected few that he cares about )

Maybe more UPSers should go to the Union meetings and become his friend?

MR_Vengeance · 12-30-2007, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LKLND3380

Maybe more UPSers should go to the Union meetings and become his friend?

if the BA is the hot girl in your avater then i would go to the union meetings............

over9five · 12-31-2007, 04:51 AM

That is his CM...... and she dresses like that for the pcm...

wornoutupser · 01-01-2008, 02:03 PM

Hey Over,
Your comment is funny about LKLND's avatar.
His center had a big deal years ago when 2 sups were in a meeting and a comment was made about this type of material.

The one offending male was fired and the female has since left UPS!

ezmoney5150 · 01-01-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR_Vengeance

in my building, the BA is very busy working for the UPS management. Infact, he doesn't fight for everybody, he fight for his "friends" ( the selected few that he cares about )

Spoken like a true divide and conquer supervisor. Did they tell you to say that in the brainwash class?????