Accidents

DS

Fenderbender
It will stay on your record longer than you live.
This is BS,file a grievance.
I have a good mechanic and I just write crap like that up
in my DVIR.Accident? hardly.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
I was charged with avoidable accident today.Hit a tree branch and broke the mirror. How long does this stay in a record.

That not an accident.. Grieve it. You center manager is a A-hole. How do they handle it when the car wash people break the mirrors when they are moving the cars around at night...

I've a lot of mirror and never heard a peep about any of them. I even destroy a mirror and mirror bracket two weeks ago when I caught a branch driving down a long driveway I've been do hundred of times. I told the mechanic the bracket is going to have to be replace he said don't worry about that what we get paid for end of story..

Next time right it up as a cracked mirror on the DVIR slip and don't worry about tell anyone the mechanics will fix it.
 

brownIEman

Well-Known Member
Easy there caped crusaders, one thing at a time.

First off, ismaili, When you say you were charged with an avoidable accident, were your taken into the office with a steward and discipline recorded in your pitsburgh? If so, what level of discipline, Documented talk with, Warning letter, suspension?

Or, were you just brought in to go through the accident online packet, entering details of the accident, filling in the prevention report with a supervisor, taking the CBTs related to hitting a tree branch etc.???

Or both.

Details please?
 

OVERBOARD

Don't believe everything you think
I had two accidents in my first two years, both where backing. One was a dog run that ran across the driveway and The owner of the house had it attach to the side door jam of his house. So as I back the Pkg car catches the dog run, the dog run doesn't break but instead rips out the side door from the house. I left a note for him to call UPS and went on my way. To the OP’s point both accidents are still brought up 17 yrs. later, every safety ride my sup gives me piece of paper with a list of accidents and injuries.
 

brownIEman

Well-Known Member
I had two accidents in my first two years, both where backing. One was a dog run that ran across the driveway and The owner of the house had it attach to the side door jam of his house. So as I back the Pkg car catches the dog run, the dog run doesn't break but instead rips out the side door from the house. I left a note for him to call UPS and went on my way. To the OP’s point both accidents are still brought up 17 yrs. later, every safety ride my sup gives me piece of paper with a list of accidents and injuries.


Yes, your entire accident/injury history is to be reviewed during the anual safety ride, just a part of the process.
What level of discipline did you recieve?
 

Packmule

Well-Known Member
Generally don't advocate dishonesty, but since the company has become so completey stupid about accidents, just tell them you were trying to adjust it and it cracked. Mechanic will replace the glass for .50 cents, and life goes on. Tell them the truth, and Liberty Mutual, which owns UPS's ass, will charge them thousands.
And BTW, if you have any family members who own a Liberty Mutual policy, tell them they have 30 days to cancel it, or you are no longer considering them family!
Bitter? No. Just gettting sick of the hostile environment.
 

OVERBOARD

Don't believe everything you think
Yes, your entire accident/injury history is to be reviewed during the anual safety ride, just a part of the process.
What level of discipline did you recieve?
Thats funny, 17 yrs. ago there was no discipline. The only thing was the laugh everybody got at my expense, the next day at the PCM.
 

ismaili

Member
They didnt say anything about disipline but my sup told me that it was going to count as avoidable accident. they tried to make me do an online assesment but the webside was down.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
They didnt say anything about disipline but my sup told me that it was going to count as avoidable accident. they tried to make me do an online assesment but the webside was down.

Talk to your steward and if it is counted as a avoidable accident file a grievance. That's BS.
 

OVERBOARD

Don't believe everything you think
You should file so it on record, but dont expect anything to change. The Union as no power to change what UPS deems avoidable accident, The only thing the Union can do is if you where giving a warning letter. Then they can fight to get the warning letter removed. Ups can charge you with what ever they want.
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
Generally don't advocate dishonesty, but since the company has become so completey stupid about accidents, just tell them you were trying to adjust it and it cracked. Mechanic will replace the glass for .50 cents, and life goes on. Tell them the truth, and Liberty Mutual, which owns UPS's ass, will charge them thousands.
And BTW, if you have any family members who own a Liberty Mutual policy, tell them they have 30 days to cancel it, or you are no longer considering them family!
Bitter? No. Just gettting sick of the hostile environment.
UPS is self-insured. Liberty just administers the plan and does what UPS instructs them to. I have had them say no to things. I call a certain lady in Albany, and Poof! Approval. She cuts the checks for my rehab.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
Ask Scratch if it is BS. Yes it is, but in my center as in many it is charged as an accident. Get a flat tire from a piece of metal in the road, they try to charge you. Basically anything they want to charge you with they will, even if there is a police report, saying another driver is at fault.
In our center, they will not let us grieve warnings , we only file a protest. They have refused to have hearings on grievance of warning letters. I got one, and I never got it, it was only sent to the union. When I was told I protested it.
 

Packmule

Well-Known Member
We're talking auto insurance, not health insurance. In auto, accidents are judged by tier ratings, 1,2,3. A Tier one means UPS pays Liberty anywhere between $1000 dollars and $6000. A tier two, UPS pays Liberty $9000 to $18,000. A tier three is always $40,000. All of this is irregardless of fault, as legally defined by public traffic laws. Meaning, you and I are always at fault, and being a professional driver means we are to be untouchable. Failure gets real ugly. That's why I submitted a proposal last month for the new contract that states: no driver shall be charged or disciplined in any way for any accident they are not deemed LEGALLY at fault for. Period. If UPS doesn't want to pay $40,000 for a tier three that was in reality a fender ding and not their driver's fault, find a different insurance company. But stop abusing drivers because they don't want to pay their premiums.
I call this being a proactive union that is worth paying dues to, verses a reactive union we have now that may or may not save you. Like Overboard said, the union really has no say in whether or not you get charged or discharged.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Packmule, UPS does not physically transfer the funds to LM---they set aside that money in the event that it will be needed to cover the costs of the accident.
 

Dragon

Package Center Manager
Or, were you just brought in to go through the accident online packet, entering details of the accident, filling in the prevention report with a supervisor, taking the CBTs related to hitting a tree branch etc.???

Ah yes..... all the value added training we are going to do over a $1.25 mirror. Everyone one is going to take something away from this. :wink2::wink2::wink2:
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Maybe, but they sure talk it up like it's gone for good. They are very vindictive about it.

I had what was initially classifed as a Tier 3 struck bicyclist accident a few years ago. The only damage was a bent front bike wheel. I was pulling away from a sidewalk/parking area in front of a bar. I saw him, cleared him with the front but got the wheel with the rear tires. There was some debate as to whether he threw the bike under the pkg car. Anyway, UPS repaired the bike, which I know did not cost $40K. The cyclist was uninjured and thankfully did not pursue damages against the company---he just wanted his bike fixed.
 
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