Hey BC members. I am currently a part time loader. I asked my part time sup if he needed me to come in to work on Friday night because I was informed by another coworker that the supervisor sends him home about 50% of the time(against his preference) on Fridays because there is not enough work for him. The supervisor told me to just show up on Friday and we'll see if he needs me. I rebutted by saying that it is a 30 minute drive to work and back and if he doesn't need me then he needs to let me know prior to me blowing $7 on gas just to be sent home. I have no problem coming in on Friday. I just do not think it's right to have me come in if he will send me home anyways. He said that a lot of people don't show up everyday so he doesn't know. I find that to be unacceptable. If I show up on Friday and he tries to send me home I would just like to know if the union will back me up and get me my 3 and a half hours. It seems to me that they will back me up but I'm just trying to cover all my bases by asking the pros here on BrownCafe. Thanks!
Advice
- Thread starter heyo
- Start date
CustomerConcern
Well-Known Member
Are you on Lay Off status? Is this extra work? Why would you be needed if they keep sending guys home? Just trying to undestand you situation better.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
You are the union, first of all.
The rules in our area are: If you are not notified one (1) hour before your shift of a layoff, you are entitled to work and entitled to 3.5 (inside) hours at the minimum.
If they attempt to send you home, you deny and invoke your hourly guarantee and recieve flak, I would say "ok we disagree, hold that thought..." and get steward involved. Fill out the grievance, get your copy, and you should get paid to sit at home. However, a quick chat between union steward and sup should work that out.
Just keep in mind I have seen people that wanted to enforce their rights and they ended up being either laid off or forced onto preload /sunrise shift , from twilight. This likely happened over the other sorts as well including day sort.
Most of us in the workgroup with seniority took dead days/ VLOs to protect them for as long as we could to keep them working , but in the end the co. cut staffing to the point and hours to the point a reshuffling was in order.
The rules in our area are: If you are not notified one (1) hour before your shift of a layoff, you are entitled to work and entitled to 3.5 (inside) hours at the minimum.
If they attempt to send you home, you deny and invoke your hourly guarantee and recieve flak, I would say "ok we disagree, hold that thought..." and get steward involved. Fill out the grievance, get your copy, and you should get paid to sit at home. However, a quick chat between union steward and sup should work that out.
Just keep in mind I have seen people that wanted to enforce their rights and they ended up being either laid off or forced onto preload /sunrise shift , from twilight. This likely happened over the other sorts as well including day sort.
Most of us in the workgroup with seniority took dead days/ VLOs to protect them for as long as we could to keep them working , but in the end the co. cut staffing to the point and hours to the point a reshuffling was in order.
Last edited:
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
I agree with CC--it sounds as though the OP is trying to pick up an extra shift even though they send people home early on that shift. I would think in this case if he does show up and is sent home that the guarantee would not apply as this is not his regular work shift.
Why would he get extra work if people are being sent home due to lack of work??
Why would he get extra work if people are being sent home due to lack of work??
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
Nothing like opening up a open and shut grievance for someone with more senority than you.
IF they needed extra people to work they will put a list up and then it goes be senority of those who sign it usally they put a list up once a year and then call people on the list if they need extra help on a particular day. Apparently they don't need help becasue they are sending your friend home early. If your friend wants his guaranteed 3 1/2 hours all he has to do is speak up and tell his SUP that he want's his 3 1/2 hrs. They can always find someone else that wants to go home early. If your friend agrees to go home early he's not garanteed 3 1/2 hrs.
If they ask you to work an extra shift and you agree your NOT guaranteed another 3 1/2 hr.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
Arguable. The PT guarantee is 3.5 hours *daily* guarantee. Assuming it's not double shifting and simply picking up an extra day, the PT 3.5 should be in effect. It's a 6th punch too? sweet. OT?
It's only guaranteed 3.5 if you don't agree to go home early once you agree to leave early the 3.5 is out the door. PT's have different rules then FTimers. It not and extra day it's an extra shift. Eitherway this would not fall under a six punch. It would't be overtime untill he worked over 8 hrs for the day for both shifts or more than 5 1/2 but less than 8 for once shift.
I don't see anything in the Original Post about a second shift, or a sixth punch, or being on layoff. I assume this is just a routine question asking if the Union will enforce the Contract by backing-up the OP if the supervisor tries to send him home and he has to insist on his 3.5 hour guarantee.
Yes, the Union will back you up on this one. If the Supervisor tries to send you home, insist on your 3.5 hour guarantee. If he refuses, get a Steward and have the Steward have a talk with the Supervisor. In the unlikely event the Supervisor still insists on you going home, go home (to avoid an Insubordination charge,) then file a grievance.
Yes, the Union will back you up on this one. If the Supervisor tries to send you home, insist on your 3.5 hour guarantee. If he refuses, get a Steward and have the Steward have a talk with the Supervisor. In the unlikely event the Supervisor still insists on you going home, go home (to avoid an Insubordination charge,) then file a grievance.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
I agree with you, the wording is not good thuogh. There's more to the story: it seems the OP and friend "go home" Fridays , otherwise he would not make it sound like he's not scheduled to work Fridays.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
I think what the OP meant to say is, he was ASKING the sup for the night off INSTEAD of laying off the co-worker, which happens 50/50. The sup denied the night off until staffing at the time is planned. There is no problem with that,
HOWEVER, both should do the right thing and WORK instead of being pawns shuffled around and disposed. Let management make their move instead of messing with peoples lives that may not know the contract better.
Again keep in mind , come Monday or the near future, you will probably be getting your 3.5 most likely in another area.
HOWEVER, both should do the right thing and WORK instead of being pawns shuffled around and disposed. Let management make their move instead of messing with peoples lives that may not know the contract better.
Again keep in mind , come Monday or the near future, you will probably be getting your 3.5 most likely in another area.
That's exactly what I meant. I recently switched shifts and I'm not on lay off, sixth punch, or double shifting. Thanks for the prompt responses BC'ers.
I actually do not mind at all if there's not enough work on Friday because I would like the day off anyway. I plan on working it unless I'm told not to come in on Friday which would be fine with me. My problem is with the needless drive to work and back for which I won't be getting paid if I don't get to work.(Which won't happen because now with JonFrum's answer I feel on more solid ground than before)
UnconTROLLed
perfection
please read my initial post, incase you missed it. especially the bottom part.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
So you are saying that I should work on Fridays so people don't get shuffled around or laid off? And no, I did not miss your post. I just read JonFrum's post last and wanted to reply to it first. I'm not quite sure what dead days or VLO's are. Are you saying I should take off every Friday so they don't start laying people off?
VLO = Voluntary Layoff.
If you"re willing to take the day off, and the bottom person wants to work, you can make both of you happy by asking for a VLO. The Supervisor doesn't have to give it to you, but he might.
Arranging a VLO in advance, to avoid the round trip travel, may be hard to do, since the Supervisor never knows until the last minute if enough warm bodies will show up for the shift.
If you"re willing to take the day off, and the bottom person wants to work, you can make both of you happy by asking for a VLO. The Supervisor doesn't have to give it to you, but he might.
Arranging a VLO in advance, to avoid the round trip travel, may be hard to do, since the Supervisor never knows until the last minute if enough warm bodies will show up for the shift.
Especially on a Friday.
UnconTROLLed
perfection
I am just saying be careful what you wish for, because there may be a time where they send you away to another area, or even another shift, if you request your 3.5 and are at the bottom of seniority list.
