Blackmail

[cino321]

I posted this in the "Life after Brown" forum by accident....

Good morning.

I am a preloader with a route assignment. I have about 5 months of seniority (although I'm like #14 out of 35 in my center). I came into work today feeling sick and decided I can't work like this. I tell my supervisor I want to leave. I have a 3:30 start. He asks if I can wait around till like 4:30 when my shop steward comes from lunch (he's a full timer) so he can pull my route. I said alright I'll give it a shot. Around 4 o'clock he comes to me and says that if I leave sick on him there are things he can't do for me anymore in regard to off routes and air in the load, things of that nature. I decided to leave at 4:16 because I couldn't handle it anymore.

I have a really heavy assignment (3 P1000's and a van) I pull about 1900 pieces daily, sometimes more. My loads aren't perfect. (I'm dealing with old school drivers who are used to having the same preloader for the last 7 years before I came along so they're not making my life easier) I learned the assignment with old charts so they're not too accurate, every now and then I get a off route or a air in the load, it happens. I do however have good attendance, I've called in sick once I've been late twice since I started.

My question is... do I have grounds for harassment? I mean this guy was clearly trying to threaten and blackmail me to stay and work. I'm only 19 of course they're gonna try to take advantage of me but this is a little ridicolous.

When I come back to work tomorrow I want to have something constructive to say so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[toonertoo]

Most people, I believe will tell you they have worked sick, and 3.5 hrs, vs 10 , it is usually possiible to do it.

If you've been there 5 months and been late twice, and called off once, I hate to break it to you but that aint a good attendance record. We have drivers, and ptimers with yrs without a missed day.

Its pretty hard to replace someone at 3am, thats why most ptimers tough it out.

 

[cino321]

In my building I have a phonomenal record, especially in my center, there are guys here who bang out at least once a week. I could careless if it's hard to replace someone at 3 in the morning, I have sick time and I'm entitled to it. It's not my responsibility to make sure they're staffed... and I refuse to get extorted for it

 

[trickpony1]

cino-
I was a preloader before you were born.
I got to the point where I would not sign the misload cards that the supe brought around each night. Unless I was given an armed guard to watch my three pkg cars after I left, I couldn't be responsible for what might get thrown on my pkg cars after I left. The issue got dropped.

Tooner-
Considering that most people are given 5 sick days to use per calender year, I don't think calling in sick once in 5 months is bad.
Being late twice in five months?.....oh my gosh! Things happen.....you know that. When I was a preloader, I was going to graduate school. My supe knew that if I was late, I would get there when I could. The success of the company didn't appear to hinge on my being late periodically.

It appears that cino's only option is to puke in the back of the package car or poop his pants and continue working.

And, yes, the company will use veiled threats and extortion.

 

[cino321]

Yeah I'm a full time student too man... things do happen. I was looking into my local contract and there is a article about harassment in there... looks like my full time supervisor needs a little refresher.

 

[trickpony1]

I would caution you against confronting your FT supe alone! Never, ever, put yourself in this situation because, if you do, it will be his word against yours and we all know they never lie.

I would tell your union steward what has happened and ask that he go with you to discuss the issue with the supe. Document everything in a notebook at home. Keep your mouth shut, your nose clean and this will probably pass in a short time frame.

They knew you were a student when they hired you. This doesn't mean they should kiss your ###, but extending a little accomadation once in a while won't break the company, besides, if you are as good a preloader as you claim, you can catch up quickly.

Good Luck.

 

[ups79]

You are sick and you have been home for a least 3 hours now. Why haven't you gone to bed? If you are truly that sick why spend the last 3 hours if not more on the computer? Like toonertoo said, lots of times if you go to work you sweat the sickness out of you.

 

[cino321]

Oh yeah I know my shop steward has my back... I'm not asking my supervisor for any favors or accomidation, so I don't understand where he gets off saying that he's been doing me favors and he's going to stop if I go home sick... Thanks a lot... I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[clemente]

If you were really sick then make sure you let the shop steard know. Most often however, asking for help to load is a better alternative. Most supervisors just want to get the job done and usually early in the morning there is no one on the bench to take over for you.

 

[rod]

After working my 1st 17 years with perfect attendance (never called in sick and was never late) my back went out. A week later my center manager called me and said " get your friend--king ass back to work" He then proceeded to accuse me of "faking a back injury" and wanting to "ride the work comp gravy train" All I can say is welcome to the uncaring world of UPS. Don't expect it to ever change.

 

[satellitedriver]

I posted this in the "Life after Brown" forum by accident....

Good morning.

I am a preloader with a route assignment. I have about 5 months of seniority (although I'm like #14 out of 35 in my center). I came into work today feeling sick and decided I can't work like this. I tell my supervisor I want to leave. I have a 3:30 start. He asks if I can wait around till like 4:30 when my shop steward comes from lunch (he's a full timer) so he can pull my route. I said alright I'll give it a shot. Around 4 o'clock he comes to me and says that if I leave sick on him there are things he can't do for me anymore in regard to off routes and air in the load, things of that nature. I decided to leave at 4:16 because I couldn't handle it anymore.

I have a really heavy assignment (3 P1000's and a van) I pull about 1900 pieces daily, sometimes more. My loads aren't perfect. (I'm dealing with old school drivers who are used to having the same preloader for the last 7 years before I came along so they're not making my life easier) I learned the assignment with old charts so they're not too accurate, every now and then I get a off route or a air in the load, it happens. I do however have good attendance, I've called in sick once I've been late twice since I started.

My question is... do I have grounds for harassment? I mean this guy was clearly trying to threaten and blackmail me to stay and work. I'm only 19 of course they're gonna try to take advantage of me but this is a little ridicolous.

When I come back to work tomorrow I want to have something constructive to say so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

One constructive thing you could say is that you do not want to work there anymore because they hurt your feelings. I had a conversation with my father when I was your age. I told him that I felt sick and was going to call into work to take the day off. He just looked at me and said " Son, there are alot more bathrooms where you work than there is in this house." After 20 years at UPS, I have never called in sick. Maybe you should rethink the harrasment thing. If you want to be a man you need to stop being a boy.

 

[toonertoo]

Dont know anything about paid sick days, don t have em here.

If thats a phenomenal record there, good for you, wouldnt be here.

My theory is get paid to be sick, stay home when I feel great and want to go do something, but If I had paid sick days, maybe Id feel differently.

Sups will harrass, coerce, and blackmail you into staying, yes. Can you do anything about it? My question would be "is it really worth it"?

 

[cino321]

One constructive thing you could say is that you do not want to work there anymore because they hurt your feelings. I had a conversation with my father when I was your age. I told him that I felt sick and was going to call into work to take the day off. He just looked at me and said " Son, there are alot more bathrooms where you work than there is in this house." After 20 years at UPS, I have never called in sick. Maybe you should rethink the harrasment thing. If you want to be a man you need to stop being a boy.

That's great and everything, but my supervisor blatantly violated the contract. All three of my shop stewards agreed with me. I'm sure that my steward could care less about how i feel about my supervisor, but they'll take any chance they can to file grievances.

Yes, it's very notable to never call out. However, there is a huge difference between people like you and people like me. I am a disgruntled employee. I do not have any pride in my job when I am worked like a farm animal and written up for airs that my drivers put in their own loads (which eventually one of them got caught doing when i initialed every air), or write me up off route packages because drivers decided to change their own routes as they go along and take advantage of a new preloader.

So when it comes down to it the decision for me to take the day off or not is how my supervisor treats me, and I won't be doing him any favors, I'll take any chance I can to screw with him as much as he screws with me.

 

[mattwtrs]

In my District we do not have any paid sick days until you have 1 year seniority. I really like what satellite had to say too!

 

[dammor]

That's great and everything, but my supervisor blatantly violated the contract. All three of my shop stewards agreed with me. I'm sure that my steward could care less about how i feel about my supervisor, but they'll take any chance they can to file grievances.

Yes, it's very notable to never call out. However, there is a huge difference between people like you and people like me. I am a disgruntled employee. I do not have any pride in my job when I am worked like a farm animal and written up for airs that my drivers put in their own loads (which eventually one of them got caught doing when i initialed every air), or write me up off route packages because drivers decided to change their own routes as they go along and take advantage of a new preloader.

So when it comes down to it the decision for me to take the day off or not is how my supervisor treats me, and I won't be doing him any favors, I'll take any chance I can to screw with him as much as he screws with me.

May as well say goodbye now son. You will never make it at this job. Your attitude is way off the chart. Keep trying to screw the sup all you want. Truth is you are only screwing yourself. I doubt you will do well anywhere else either. Mcdonalds wouldn't even put up with your work ethic. You'll have a chance to prove me wrong though because that's probably where you will end up. As far as drivers sneaking nda misloads in thier own trucks, are you smoking crack? We hate misloads and our mission in life is not to take advantage of a new loader. I try to work with mine as much as possible. I also give my loader a gift certificate every Chrsitmas because having been a pre-loader myself many years ago I know it is not easy and I appreciate the hard work and effort it takes to be one. Good luck at Mickey D's.

 

[Griff]

I'm one of the few drivers who actually doesn't give a crap what my preloader does. I don't need the truck to be perfect, as long as my airs are up front and the bulk is in the back, I'm good to go. I come in at exactly my start time, get EDD, check for my airs and I'm out the door. I have a lot of oldschool drivers that laugh at me and give me crap about coming in so "late". They get there early and I guess watch their truck get loaded for free, I refuse to give UPS my time for free.

As for the OP, of course you have grounds for harassment but you seem far too gung-ho over the whole thing. Anyone who works for UPS has grounds for harassment on a weekly basis. You have to pick and choose your battles with UPS management, mainly because the union rep's pick and choose their battles so much.

 

[satellitedriver]

That's great and everything, but my supervisor blatantly violated the contract. All three of my shop stewards agreed with me. I'm sure that my steward could care less about how i feel about my supervisor, but they'll take any chance they can to file grievances.

Yes, it's very notable to never call out. However, there is a huge difference between people like you and people like me. I am a disgruntled employee. I do not have any pride in my job when I am worked like a farm animal and written up for airs that my drivers put in their own loads (which eventually one of them got caught doing when i initialed every air), or write me up off route packages because drivers decided to change their own routes as they go along and take advantage of a new preloader.

So when it comes down to it the decision for me to take the day off or not is how my supervisor treats me, and I won't be doing him any favors, I'll take any chance I can to screw with him as much as he screws with me.

"However, there is a huge difference between people like you and people like me. I am a disgruntled employee. I do not have any pride in my job when I am worked like a farm animal."

That is exactly the point I was trying to make to you. You seem more disgruntled than you are an employee. The fact that you do not have any pride in your job tells the rest of the people like me you have even less pride in yourself for continuing doing it, just to screw somebody. At the age of 19, (which seems old to me for you to be acting so young), you do not have the life experience to have a clue what it is like to be worked like a farm animal. There is a real world out there and it will make mincemeat out of you if you keep your attitude. You are young enough to direct your life in any direction .Take advantage of that and find something you can be proud to do and do it to the best of your ability. Do not sit in the bottom of an outhouse and complain that everyone is taking a **** on you. I really mean all of this missive to be a positive message to you and wish you good luck in how you choose to live your life.

 

[CTOTH]

"However, there is a huge difference between people like you and people like me. I am a disgruntled employee. I do not have any pride in my job when I am worked like a farm animal."

That is exactly the point I was trying to make to you. You seem more disgruntled than you are an employee. The fact that you do not have any pride in your job tells the rest of the people like me you have even less pride in yourself for continuing doing it, just to screw somebody. At the age of 19, (which seems old to me for you to be acting so young), you do not have the life experience to have a clue what it is like to be worked like a farm animal. There is a real world out there and it will make mincemeat out of you if you keep your attitude. You are young enough to direct your life in any direction .Take advantage of that and find something you can be proud to do and do it to the best of your ability. Do not sit in the bottom of an outhouse and complain that everyone is taking a **** on you. I really mean all of this missive to be a positive message to you and wish you good luck in how you choose to live your life.

I am only loyal to those who will be loyal in return. How in the world does that reflect on one's work ethic? Also, just because our society deems something acceptable, doesn't make it right. Would you want Mark Foley sending gay emails to your teenage son? Somehow our society believes that a few AA meetings will clean that right up though.
There is no pride in being a part-timer at UPS. Do you take pride in being exploited? All the folks who paid their dues and have since retired, become drivers, feeder drivers, etc...It was a different company then and was something you could take pride in. The new UPS is destined to fail under there current business plan and there is no pride in failure.

 

[blue efficacy]

Most people, I believe will tell you they have worked sick, and 3.5 hrs, vs 10 , it is usually possiible to do it.

If you've been there 5 months and been late twice, and called off once, I hate to break it to you but that aint a good attendance record. We have drivers, and ptimers with yrs without a missed day.

Its pretty hard to replace someone at 3am, thats why most ptimers tough it out.

Thats a pretty decent attendance record for a part timer. Not great, but decent.
Sure, theres fulltimers that will go forever without missing a day, but they're making quite a bit more than $10 an hour too!

 

[any122]

"However, there is a huge difference between people like you and people like me. I am a disgruntled employee. I do not have any pride in my job when I am worked like a farm animal."

That is exactly the point I was trying to make to you. You seem more disgruntled than you are an employee. The fact that you do not have any pride in your job tells the rest of the people like me you have even less pride in yourself for continuing doing it, just to screw somebody. At the age of 19, (which seems old to me for you to be acting so young), you do not have the life experience to have a clue what it is like to be worked like a farm animal. There is a real world out there and it will make mincemeat out of you if you keep your attitude. You are young enough to direct your life in any direction .Take advantage of that and find something you can be proud to do and do it to the best of your ability. Do not sit in the bottom of an outhouse and complain that everyone is taking a **** on you. I really mean all of this missive to be a positive message to you and wish you good luck in how you choose to live your life.

Man it's easy for sat driver to say after all whats he making a year80,000 compared to the part time mc donald wages that part timers are making.If you are sick you should go home hell let the drivers come in and load thier own.After all if they bitch about the way you do it the driver bitchen should show you how he would like it loaded.As far as the sup I would give rite back to him tell him you're not doing me any favors im doing you a favor just showing up!