Chicago Land Ups Freight

[BigEmpty53]

How do you guys feel about the contract that was voted in today ?
I honestly think, have all the people that were saying they would vote "no" for the contract showed up, outcome would have been different. 710 had much bigger turn out then 705. 710 was 161-60 I believe and 705 was 64-32. I might be off by few votes.

[705red]

Originally Posted by BigEmpty53

How do you guys feel about the contract that was voted in today ?
I honestly think, have all the people that were saying they would vote "no" for the contract showed up, outcome would have been different. 710 had much bigger turn out then 705. 710 was 161-60 I believe and 705 was 64-32. I might be off by few votes.

If you look at the numbers 705 has roughly a 50% turnout seeing that they only represent around 200 from ups freight, while 710 has around 700 for a little better than a 20% turnout. I hope you can live with your contract and remember no one ever got everything they wanted in any contract let alone your very first contract. Now im sure you know the areas that you need to improve on for the future and mant more future contracts. Welcome and keep your heads up guys/gals you fought a great fight to organize and thats something to be proud of.

[slaveof18wheels]

Originally Posted by 705red

Now im sure you know the areas that you need to improve on for the future and mant more future contracts.

Which is almost everything since hardly anything is defined in the damn thing.

Welcome and keep your heads up guys/gals you fought a great fight to organize and thats something to be proud of.

Maybe we fought a great fight but the teamsters rolled over and played dead. Of course that was after they lied right to our faces.

[BigEmpty53]

I have no other choice but to leave with the contract. I do my job to the best of my abilities each and every day and for the rest I don't care very much. It is what it is at this point.

[705red]

Originally Posted by slaveof18wheels

Maybe we fought a great fight but the teamsters rolled over and played dead. Of course that was after they lied right to our faces.

Would you like to be more specific on the lies you speak of. Before you answer that understand that i am a volunteer organizer and i see that you live in lake county, so i can almost guarantee that we have meet, so keep in mind i know what was said during this so-called lie filled conversation. As an organizer i never promised anything, i only spoke of basic union benefits and current scenarios that we went/are going through. At no time did i promise you the world!

From what i have read on your contract it appears you will be receiving a $4.35 raise, how much of a raise did you receive in the previous 5 years?

You also get overtime after 8 hours in a day plus better medical. How about work place rights that you were not entitled to without a contract. Of course you want more, crap i have not been satisfied with any of the contracts that i have worked under and i believe we deserve more but i can sleep at night and go to work proud.

[slaveof18wheels]

Red I will tell you "EXACTLY" what lies I am talking about. Seven weeks ago at the meeting to start signing the cards Teamsters officials stood in front of EVERYONE in those halls and told us POINT BLANK that "we are not getting Indys contract, Our contract would be different" The only difference in the contracts is the ability to now split 1 week of vacation. Otherwise it is Indy's contract VERBATUM! So they LIED! Now don't get me wrong, I am very content to be a member of 710 (yes I am a road driver), but not being honest with the rank and file starts everyone off on the wrong foot. What I am more dissappointed about than anything though is the fact that teamsters didn't work to fix the problems that had come outof Indys deal. Indy has had many issues settled from their contract in the 6 or so months before we were offered ours but the t'sters in one of their less than shining moments did not implement them into our deal. And now that it is done EVERY local will waste time fighting many of the same fights and grieving many of the same issues that indy has already settled. That is a very big waste of a stewards, employees, business agents and managements time. and we all know that in this industry today time is money.

[slaveof18wheels]

Not everything is about the money red. I do quite well on what I make and I am happy. But bottom line this first week under this new contract has been a living hell. Managers at every terminal I went to this week are interpreting the contract differently, and no two are the same. Most of them can't even tell you when or how to punch in. On the clock, line haul on property, jockey, dock, whatever. And if management can't even figure out the basics how in hell are employees supposed to function, hell I had to ask every terminal how they are interpreting the rules there and most of dispatchers and supp's really don't know for sure. It's like getting ground rules for every stadium in baseball and then being told you have to play in the dark. It's a little hard to see the line drive that just bounced off your skull.

[705red]

Originally Posted by slaveof18wheels

Red I will tell you "EXACTLY" what lies I am talking about. Seven weeks ago at the meeting to start signing the cards Teamsters officials stood in front of EVERYONE in those halls and told us POINT BLANK that "we are not getting Indys contract, Our contract would be different" The only difference in the contracts is the ability to now split 1 week of vacation. Otherwise it is Indy's contract VERBATUM! So they LIED! Now don't get me wrong, I am very content to be a member of 710 (yes I am a road driver), but not being honest with the rank and file starts everyone off on the wrong foot. What I am more dissappointed about than anything though is the fact that teamsters didn't work to fix the problems that had come outof Indys deal. Indy has had many issues settled from their contract in the 6 or so months before we were offered ours but the t'sters in one of their less than shining moments did not implement them into our deal. And now that it is done EVERY local will waste time fighting many of the same fights and grieving many of the same issues that indy has already settled. That is a very big waste of a stewards, employees, business agents and managements time. and we all know that in this industry today time is money.

Well i cannot speak about what was said during 710s meeting with you freight guys/gals as im in local 705. I can assure you that when i heard that both of our locals went off of the natonal it was news to me as every contract in both of these locals are negiotated seperate from any master or national contract.

I door knocked with fellow 710ers and never did any1 that i door knocked with made any sort of promises to intice you to join. My advice to you is that you should start keeping a notebook and writing down your language concerns and how the union and management disagree on its meaning. This will help you in future negioations to clarify and see were you need to add or remove language.

Keep your head up and iknow 5 years seems so long away but it will be here quicker than you think.

[705red]

Originally Posted by slaveof18wheels

Not everything is about the money red. I do quite well on what I make and I am happy. But bottom line this first week under this new contract has been a living hell. Managers at every terminal I went to this week are interpreting the contract differently, and no two are the same. Most of them can't even tell you when or how to punch in. On the clock, line haul on property, jockey, dock, whatever. And if management can't even figure out the basics how in hell are employees supposed to function, hell I had to ask every terminal how they are interpreting the rules there and most of dispatchers and supp's really don't know for sure. It's like getting ground rules for every stadium in baseball and then being told you have to play in the dark. It's a little hard to see the line drive that just bounced off your skull.

Theres going to be learning curves for all involved as most of your management did what they want when they want and have not ever had guidelines.

For the time being you should only care about the language in your contract, i see your a road driver so you will go to other barns with different language but you work under your language, not the different locals building that you are at.

Give it some time to absorb and see whats good whats bad and what should never had been allowed into your contract.

[slaveof18wheels]

Well red I have to say its been 3 months now and the learning curve has turned into a big circle. Or maybe thats a circus. 705 doing 710 work. 710 doing 705 work. No work rules as of yet, and no idea when they are even going to start discussions. Hell, they can't even get a simple issue like seniority figured out. And some of us finally got to see the benefits package about 1 week before we had to make our changes. Some never got the package so they just had to cold call the resource line. And sorry but the benefits are not better in any way, shape, or form. Like I said before, this contract was crap for Chicagoland. It may be acceptable for the rest of the country but it was a total hose job for us. But, we will keep working as instructed. What choice do we have now? It has to eventually get better because it sure as hell couldn't get much worse.

[Channahon]

Originally Posted by slaveof18wheels

Managers at every terminal I went to this week are interpreting the contract differently, and no two are the same. Most of them can't even tell you when or how to punch in. On the clock, line haul on property, jockey, dock, whatever. And if management can't even figure out the basics how in hell are employees supposed to function, hell I had to ask every terminal how they are interpreting the rules there and most of dispatchers and supp's really don't know for sure. It's like getting ground rules for every stadium in baseball and then being told you have to play in the dark. It's a little hard to see the line drive that just bounced off your skull.

I've known Labor Managers and Business Agents who cannot agree on language in the contract. Sometimes, the language is vague and subject to intepretations at hearings.

You have to imagine a roomful of UPS management, Teamsters and attorneys for both sides negotiating a contract. Not to mention the financial people crunching numbers on all issues.

Hang in there, the contract is new for you and your management team. I'm sure some communications between your steward and management, may provide some needed answers.

[Guaranteed 8]

By the end of the year all contract interpitations will be resolved. You have to wait. All contracts have growing pains.