2008 Contract Issues

Ruralbrownman

Well-Known Member
From what we have heard there is every indication the contract talks will start early for 2008. What the biggest issues you want to resolved for the new contract. I , personally want to see strong wordage in the over 9.5 clause , if the company wants to sent us with 10 hour dispatches , why not make then pay double time for everything past 9.5. How about reducing lunch to thirty minutes instead of 1 hour.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
When we had our Contract Proposal Meeting in Atlanta, the biggest issue was the Pension, then excessive overtime. Right now the company wants to overload drivers with work to cut routes, one of the proposals was double-time after eight, and triple time after nine. In other words, make it where it would be cheaper to put in extra routes instead of over working everyone. Some people want just eight, some like to work ten-eleven hour days. It would be nice if the Dispatch could be set to a certain degree by going down the Seniority List and see if this could be done. But in reality, most of these proposals we are making now will be thrown out in the give and take portion of settling a contract.
 

mittam

Well-Known Member
I used to work at a company that based our pension on total hours worked per year. The more overtime you worked the more was put towards your pension. perhaps a good topis for negotiations would be the base weekly contribution and then extra per hour of overtime each day.
 
I think that the double after 8 and triple after nine sounds like it would knock management into shape. It is the same here in Idaho with the cutting of routes. We have a "extra route" that runs EVERY day except Monday, and even then our air driver is still delivering some ground packages.
 

ducky13swing

Active Member
I would really like to see the pension issue resolved. I think it is extremely unfair to have your pension divided up among companies who are no longer contributing to the fund.

I can not see this being swept away in the give and take portion, or atleast I would hope not.

As for the extra pension contribution based on hours worked, at the current rate, you probably won't see any extra pension value, because it will be spent before you retire.

I currently do not work in package, so I can not comment on that part.

Just a thought from someone in mgmt.
 

Ruralbrownman

Well-Known Member
While I agree on the multicompany pensions , I certainly do not want the company in total control of the pension. Everything you read about in the newspaper about companies stealing and doing away with their pensions would happen at UPS. It MUST remain as it is now with union and company and government watching it.
Has the company ever been honest with the hourly worker. Remember when they did away with the trift plan. We were told we had to get the money out , well we had a few guys leave it in , altho they were pressured to get it out , and had a few more years of 100% returns. All that was was on attempt to get the union people to put the money in company stock. We must be careful with the pension funds , as the people in central states will tell you.
 

Braveheart

Well-Known Member
Air drivers do not deliver ground! File a grievance to have the extra route put back on and to pay you every hour that air driver was delivering grounds at your OT RATE. It is a sure win. Another way per our contract is to pay the air driver at the full time rate but if the air driver is chicken and declines then you lose, so file for yourself at the OT RATE. Just tell the air driver to tell you every time it happens.
 

Braveheart

Well-Known Member
We need automatic double time after 9.5 hours and automatic triple time after 8 hours when we are granted an 8 hour request or the option to just bring the load back at 8 hours. Move the extra week of vacation at 25 years to the 5th year since nobody makes it to 25 and another week off or another 5 personal days will prolong our careers. I will take smaller raises for a better pension, medical, disability pay, more options on pension choices, and you should get report credits for vacation when out on comp so you don't come back to 12 months of no vacation and no sick days. These coupled with improved 8hour req, auto 9.5 double pay, stronger protections from excessive harassment, rides limits, over discipline, etc etc etc.
 

Braveheart

Well-Known Member
We need to compete with DHL and FEDEX so the smaller raises will allow more full time jobs lowering our hours per day and increase family time. Add more combo full time jobs like preload air driver combo to start off at $12-$14 an hour and in 2-2 1/2 years top off at $20-$22 an hour. More full time jobs, more help with air, fewer preloaders quiting, keeps us competative, lowers paid day, OCA driver/carwash combo full time jobs keep us regular drivers from having to stay out late chasing those pesky late pickups, OCAS etc. The smaller raises only apply to the Topped Out full timers. We do need to raise the starting pay for all part timers and bigger raises for them as well. Like a raise at 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, then yearly.
 

Braveheart

Well-Known Member
I remember flat 50 cent raises for everone and xmas bonuses of $500 for pt and $1000 for full time and the harassment was not nearly as bad. We full timers are making $27 plus now and I think 50 cents per year is fine with a better pension, medical, disability, 9.5, 8hr, military leave improvements, reduction in harassment, and reduction in excessive discipline, christmas eve day off period if it is a Sunday or Saturday and if it is a Monday we work Saturday and get Sunday through Tuesday OFF!!! Lets get things in the contract that really help us not just our wallets. We need stronger protections from umbrella discipline where they try to link everything together under one thing like failure to follow methods BS. We are human and we make mistakes. If they mess up my pay a full days pay penalty instead of 1/2 if not paid by next week. If they don't pay my grievance in two weeks then add a fullday pay penalty per week just like the paycheck penalty. Its our union, our contract, lets tell them what we want in it!!!!!
 

tieguy

Banned
We are human and we make mistakes. If they mess up my pay a full days pay penalty instead of 1/2 if not paid by next week. If they don't pay my grievance in two weeks then add a fullday pay penalty per week just like the paycheck penalty. Its our union, our contract, lets tell them what we want in it!!!!!


LOL, you are human and you make mistakes that you do not want to be held accountable for. At the same time you want to stiffen the penalties if we make the mistakes?:thumbup1:
 

sendagain

Well-Known Member
All those increases are fine as long as you are much better than your competitor. If there is little difference between the service of UPS and FedEx, there is no way to give those pay increases and not undermine the future of the company. FedEx Ground gets straight time no matter how many hours over eight they work. Thinking you should get double time when your competitor is working at half your cost, is a sure way to watch your job disappear.
 

nhguy

Well-Known Member
I'm with you tieguy on this one. Should the company be expecting a re-imbursement penalty for drivers that work 9.5 on an 8.5 planned day??? I can understand drivers frustrations with long days, nobody wants to work from 9-8. Unfortunately a lot of it happens to be due to the type of business we are all in. Customers want early deliveries and late pick-ups.
The other problem I used to see when I was in package is that drivers get used to bringing home x amount of dollars every week and when you did lighten the work day the driver still was on the clock the same. Can't say that this applies today since our society is more focused on time off and having more free time to spend at home. In addition most homes have both partners working full time jobs. There are no simple solutions to this issue and I don't think putting financial penalties or increasing overtime rates is going to reduce your work day. :cool:
 

upsdude

Well-Known Member
My boss has yet to miss one of his kid’s games, I’d like the same treatment.

I’d like to turn in a request 8 and have it honored. The latest trick by local management is changing your start time. Turn in a request 8 and they change your start time to 11:00 or 12:00 noon. You want an 8-hour day? Fine, start at 11 and I’ll see you at 8 PM. It’s that kind of crap that removes any chance of trust between hourly and management.

Penalties are needed for excessive overtime. Money is the only thing UPS understands.
 

Working4TheBene's

Well-Known Member
But isn't it true that in the end, money is all that anyone understands.

I would have to agree that most employees at UPS (whether mgmt or hourly) all would like and deserve raises. Face it, our business depends on customers shipping needs. And as such we have to adjust our schedules to refelect those changing needs. Unfortunately (of funtunately - because more jobs will be created), it seems like all our centers and hubs will soon be open for business 24hrs a day in order to just keep up...

Our union is both a blessing and a hinderence... at least in Northeast, our dues are $65/month... and as such, those part timers that are working hourly barely take home anything working around 20 hours a week... But we all know, without the union, UPS would probably not be offering benefits for part timers at all.

We have to remain competitive with the other big shipping companies... but once fedex goes more union, I'm sure they too will begin to feel the tightning of their belts.
 

Ruralbrownman

Well-Known Member
ups dude

They can not change your start time in the middle of the week. The schedule must be posted on Friday for the next week. So talk to your stewert and let him know they can not do that. Also they must allow a certain % of drivers off on 8 hr requests. Our BA has informed us no matter what the load is , you bring it back in 8 hours , however we must give the manager a call in the afternoon and tell him you will be bringing work back and put the responsibility on him to take care of the extra work. It has been working in our building.
 

upsdude

Well-Known Member
ups dude

They can not change your start time in the middle of the week. The schedule must be posted on Friday for the next week. So talk to your stewert and let him know they can not do that. Also they must allow a certain % of drivers off on 8 hr requests. Our BA has informed us no matter what the load is , you bring it back in 8 hours , however we must give the manager a call in the afternoon and tell him you will be bringing work back and put the responsibility on him to take care of the extra work. It has been working in our building.

Agreed, but. Then you get hit with the old “Are you refusing to work?” routine. In my 20 years the union has always said, “Work then file”. So much for making it to your kid’s game or school function.

It’s pretty sad when the drivers are now working more hours than the center management. I remember when one sup stayed late until all the drivers were in. Management made sure the dispatch was correct, they didn’t want to stay any longer than we did. Now they have an OMS that works until 10 or so. The sups head home at 430 500 and leave an inexperienced OMS to firefight.

I was a positive minded hard working employee for the last 20 years. I’ll continue to work hard, but UPS has destroyed the positive attitude.
 

3brownstars

Well-Known Member
Someone needs to talk to the National Guard and Reserve UPSers about contract language. What I would like to see is, (1) UPS make up the difference in the gross income to equal 8 hours pay per day anytime a workday is missed due to military service, no matter if it is federal or state duty, training or a mission, voluntary duty or being activated. (2)All insurance and pension benefits are paid the entire time the employee is away from work for military service{this is for the family's benefit}. (3)Immediate reinstatement to work, the employee must inform UPS of the date they will be returning as soon as it is known, and provide documentation for the time missed upon returning to work. (4)All other userra laws still apply.

UPS claims to support and promote community service and involvment, so I think UPS should support employees that serve their neighbors, their states, and our nation. May GOD bless those who have served, who are serving now, and those who will in the future.
 
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