A supervisor stands up to the IE manager...and pays the price

[stevetheupsguy]

When I first started as a driver, it was almost 2 years before I actually took a lunch.

The route I was on typically went out with an 11 hr day, with at least 9 hrs worth of business and pickup stops. It was designed by my management team to be "lunch proof."

At that time, the policy in our district was that one hour would automatically be deducted from the drivers pay for lunch...whether any lunch was taken or not. You could not take a 1/2 hr lunch without management approval---which was never given.

When I asked my sup why I couldnt just enter "no lunch" on my timecard he explained to me that I had to "earn" a lunch, and that "if you are working at a brisk enough pace it wont matter anyway because you will make that money up in bonus. The union requires you to put an hour lunch on your timecard, so blame them. If you dont have time to take lunch, you need to improve your methods."

I was young and naive and I wanted to be a "good" employee, so I made the mistake of trusting and believing my supervisor. So for 2 years I skipped my lunch and breaks, wrote in a 1 hr lunch on my timecard, and made about 15 or 20 minutes of "bonus" per day.

Then when the route got "timestudied", it lost almost an hour. So not only was the "bonus" gone, but even if I continued skipping my lunch and breaks I would still be at least 45 minutes "overallowed".

It was at that point when it finally dawned on me that I was getting screwed and manipulated by a management team and an IE dept who had been lying to me all along.

So as far as personal responsibility goes, I had no one to blame but myself. I was ignorant of the contract, and stupid enough to think that management was actually being honest with me and had my best interests at heart. Its not a mistake I will make again.

This is the same story that most, if not all, UPS'ers trying to make seniority could tell.

I think 9/5 needs to add this phrase to his list of cool phrases......."lunch proof."

This is exactly what is happening to me and I havent hit 30 days yet.

The only thing that can be done is TAKE YOUR HOUR between 4th and 5th hour, and let ctr know that you will not get those businesses delivered before your pickups. And for most drivers this is suicide, be prepared for harrassment, correct?

Average 70-80 stops, all or 95% business until 3:30pm. It is literally impossible to run off the airs and get done before that. Pickups start at 3:30pm. So where is the time to take a lunch? I was told that I had to "break it up" in pickups for take it in the building whenever after 6pm.

From where I'm sitting I could tell you to put your foot down and just take your lunch, but I was once in your same shoes. If I would have done that when I was doing my 30 days, my boss would have found some reason to disqualify me, or was I just so brainwashed that I thought he would? I feel your pain, brotha!

Are you trying to qualify? If so you will probably just have to suck it up until you make seniority as a driver. It kinda sucks but that's the way it is. Once you're in and you no longer have that possible DQ hanging over your head, settle down and do it right.

It shouldn't have to be this way.

 

[dilligaf]

With a good union backing you can do that in your qualification period. I do not have that leveling of the playing field. Our center steward is an extension of management. Ask HappyBob. He speaks at PCMs, enough said.

I understand and I wish I could say something that would help. Stephen is right, it shouldn't be this way.

 

[Catatonic]

With a good union backing you can do that in your qualification period. I do not have that leveling of the playing field. Our center steward is an extension of management. Ask HappyBob. He speaks at PCMs, enough said.

Everyone is controlled by IE.
No one has any choice, they are puppets of IE.
IE makes all the decisions ... even if they get 3 point seat belts.

 

[brownmonster]

Everyone is controlled by IE.
No one has any choice, they are puppets of IE.
IE makes all the decisions ... even if they get 3 point seat belts.

IE says you are over your quota of using the same answer in multiple threads.

 

[Catatonic]

IE says you are over your quota of using the same answer in multiple threads.

They just appear to be the same.
It's just that I am obsessed with IE.
I can't post anything with IE being included
IE controls me.
I can't make decisions for myself.
IE causes everything bad in the world.
IE caused Obama to get elected.
IE caused global warming.
It's all about IE.

 

[browndevil]

They just appear to be the same.
It's just that I am obsessed with IE.
I can't post anything with IE being included
IE controls me.
I can't make decisions for myself.
IE causes everything bad in the world.
IE caused Obama to get elected.
IE caused global warming.
It's all about IE.

......and I thought is was all Bush's fault

 

[Catatonic]

......and I thought is was all Bush's fault

He halped.

 

[Thebrownavenger]

your actions tell me differently. My thread was deleted twice. My video deleted multiple times.

Good!

 

[UPS Lifer]

With a good union backing you can do that in your qualification period. I do not have that leveling of the playing field. Our center steward is an extension of management. Ask HappyBob. He speaks at PCMs, enough said.

Here is where locker room lawyers get in over their heads. During "qualification" "probation" ... what ever you want to call it, you are not entitled to representation by the union. Obviously, this does not mean you should not be treated properly but TECHNICALLY you can't file a grievance. I am sure a good steward could find a way around that though.

I can tell you that if I felt I was abused during probation, I probably wouldn't stick around. Those things are not going to change. I guess it is a matter of what you are willing to take.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Here is where locker room lawyers get in over their heads. During "qualification" "probation" ... what ever you want to call it, you are not entitled to representation by the union. Obviously, this does not mean you should not be treated properly but TECHNICALLY you can't file a grievance. I am sure a good steward could find a way around that though.

I can tell you that if I felt I was abused during probation, I probably wouldn't stick around. Those things are not going to change. I guess it is a matter of what you are willing to take.

I suppose, and I never said otherwise. Don't know fi you are trying to portray me as the locker room laywer...

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I suppose, and I never said otherwise. Don't know fi you are trying to portray me as the locker room laywer...

I think you're the locker room defendant. Please rise...........LOL

 

[soberups]

Here is where locker room lawyers get in over their heads. During "qualification" "probation" ... what ever you want to call it, you are not entitled to representation by the union. Obviously, this does not mean you should not be treated properly but TECHNICALLY you can't file a grievance....
.

Your statement is only true for "off the street" hires.

A part-timer who is trying to get promoted to FT driving is already a union member, and has every right to file on a contract violation during his preseniority period.

 

[UPS Lifer]

Your statement is only true for "off the street" hires.

A part-timer who is trying to get promoted to FT driving is already a union member, and has every right to file on a contract violation during his preseniority period.

True! The dicey part is that the part-timer still has to deal with the intangibles such as perceived attitude that may not have anything to do with a contract violation. I guess it all goes back to how bad do you want the job?
Are you willing to take the BS? Is it worth the BS?

It seems to me that if you stick around through seniority the pluses out weigh the minuses.

That being said.....
I highly do not recommend taking advantage of employees during pre-seniority. I don't think anything good can come from it.