Area Seniority? Recent transfer....

Bolshevik

Well-Known Member
Hey guys, I need some help/advice.

I work in Ontario California, in the hub not the airport side. I had worked for preload for just over 9 years and recently transferred to Intra-sort (at night, same building) just to get away from those early morning hours and also to free up my day to find a 2nd job. I ended up on a PD loading trailers, which kind of sucks but then I noticed EVERYONE in my new area has <5 years. EVERYONE. I have nearly double the seniority as the PT that follows me, great right?

Nope, management has been trying to tell me that I do no have 'belt seniority' which I know does not exist. Also, Ive heard people mention 'area seniority' which is where my problem starts. Do these variations of seniority exist, in any way, in our contract or supplement?

From what I understand, area seniority means building seniority, not shift/sort seniority WHICH DO NOT EXIST, correct? And since I DID NOT TRANSFER buildings, and only changed shifts, my 9.5 years of seniority are just as valid correct?

Please, if someone can clear this up for me, or explain it a little better, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
Area/Belt seniority is one of those things that PT/FT supervisors like to make up to keep their pick-offs/setup guys in the same spots they've always had them in. There is seniority within the work group (ie. belt) which is dictated by your PT seniority date. Basically, it's bull****.

The only way your seniority would be end-tailed in the way they're trying to pull would be if you had transferred buildings, which you didn't. You need to try and get this adjusted with a steward or grieve it outright.
 

Bolshevik

Well-Known Member
Area/Belt seniority is one of those things that PT/FT supervisors like to make up to keep their pick-offs/setup guys in the same spots they've always had them in. There is seniority within the work group (ie. belt) which is dictated by your PT seniority date. Basically, it's bull****.

The only way your seniority would be end-tailed in the way they're trying to pull would be if you had transferred buildings, which you didn't. You need to try and get this adjusted with a steward or grieve it outright.

EXCELLENT! Like I said, I know that area seniority does exist, as in building seniority, but management tries to play it as area= belt. So, since Im new to the belt, they claim I have zero seniority.

And Im not trying to bump anyone off their set jobs. It just ticks me off when they start cutting people (by asking the highest seniority first) but decide to skip me, THE HIGHEST SENIORITY PERSON ON THE BELT.

Ironically sometimes I dont mind staying and getting paid, but its the principle that they are trying to deny something has costed me NINE AND HALF years to accumulate.
 

you aint even know it

Well-Known Troll
Troll
Area seniority and building seniority is essentially the exact same thing. There is no such thing as unloading, loading, small sort, etc SENIORITY. And yes, you should keep your seniority if its the same building or if you transferred to another building that shares seniority with the building you are from.
 

8Keys

Active Member
There is no such thing as shift or area seniority. You should have seniority over those other guys. I guess the question is what you intend to do with that seniority. If you want to move into a different preferred job, you may have to sign the lists and wait for a position to open up (exact rules can vary with supplement and past practice in your building). If you want to work longer hours than the others in your area, you should be able to.
 

Ouch

Well-Known Member
What are you trying to use your seniirity for? I went back and read your thread twice and maybe I missed it but I think your saying you are having an argument with the sups about seniority. Proving a sup wrong is not that hard. When it comes time to pick vacations and you pick before everybody else your point will be proven. If you cant wait that long you can always file a grievance and prive your point that way as well.
 

PT Car Washer

Well-Known Member
You do have seniority for extra hours and vacation picks but I don't think you can pick and choose what job you want to do that day. Like 8Keys said work as directed until an opening comes up. Nothing wrong with moving around. I wish more people would do that rather than complaining about how much their job sucks.
 

cosmo1

Perhaps.
Staff member
EXCELLENT! .....It just ticks me off when they start cutting people (by asking the highest seniority first) but decide to skip me, THE HIGHEST SENIORITY PERSON ON THE BELT.....

Seniority gives you the right to work, not the right not to work​.
 

Bolshevik

Well-Known Member
Im not using my seniority to bump those with lower off their set jobs, preferred jobs, etc. I only wanted to establish that I was the highest seniority PT in my area is all.


Seniority gives you the right to work, not the right not to work​.

Thats not necessarily true. Not sure how they do things where you work, but in my hub, when volume is light and they are looking to cut workers from a certain area, they always go the highest seniority FIRST to see if they want to leave. If they do, then the lower stay but if us higher seniority decide to stay, the lowest have to go home. Its not like im saying, "I have seniority, therefore I get to pick the easiest job here" at all. I actually prefer to stay for now, because Ive yet to land a 2nd day job :(
 

cosmo1

Perhaps.
Staff member
I think I said the right.

Past practices is a different issue.

Try telling (asking) your supervisor to come to you first. He/she might not even know your seniority date, h*ll, he/she might have been hired yesterday!
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
Seniority gives you the right to work, not the right not to work​.

Not necessarily. I prefer that people stay and work their 3.5 guarantee every day, but that's not realistic with a PT gig. Personally, as a PT steward, it drives me nuts but if the area is overstaffed and they start asking people to go home, management needs to ask the most senior guys first.
 
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