Can/Should I file?

[undies]

Basically there is a female cover driver with less seniority that I wanted to bump/switch routes and he said no, he never lets me bump/switch with her. I ended up telling a friend with more seniority to bump/switch with me because he was on a route I knew better than him, he did. I ended up doing really bad because the route was over-dispatched like a mother.

Last night when I came in at about 10:30pm one of the on-roads was still there. He questioned me about a message I had sent earlier in the day complaining about some unfair practices. The message was something to the effect of "How come () can bump me while I cant bump (), feels like sexism to me." He was yelling (in my opinion, it was loud and harsh) and started accusing me of lying because I had told the driver to bump/switch with me as opposed to him coming to me. Apparently my message was full of lies. Anyways, I tried to explain myself as best I could, considering it was 1030 at night and I was half-asleep. It really ticked me off that he did that out in the open in front of another driver and the night OMS as opposed to taking me in the office and discussing it. I've filed on him before for sending "hostile" messages through the DIAD. Any opinions? Thanks.

 

[iruhnman630]

You were concerned that he confronted you in front of the ods, yet you aired your grievance in a message likely to be seen by the ods? Your concern needs to be addressed in person. Save the messaging for package service issues.

Consult your steward about seniority issues regarding route selection.

 

[undies]

Yikes, I was just trying to get some feedback on the situation. It's still fresh in my memory and maybe I just wanted to vent a little.

 

[Jones]

Stop sending passive/aggressive messages through the DIAD, that's not gonna get you anywhere. If you think your seniority rights are being violated get with a steward and file.

 

[brown_trousers]

Stop sending passive/aggressive messages through the DIAD, that's not gonna get you anywhere. If you think your seniority rights are being violated get with a steward and file.

can cover drivers just bump/displace other drivers without first having their current work taken away? I was under the impression that our contract only allowed "bumping" as a solution to the higher seniority worker losing their work. I didn't think the contract allowed us to bump people for no other reason than just wanting a different route.

 

[Jones]

can cover drivers just bump/displace other drivers without first having their current work taken away? I was under the impression that our contract only allowed "bumping" as a solution to the higher seniority worker losing their work. I didn't think the contract allowed us to bump people for no other reason than just wanting a different route.

It depends, you really need to talk to a local steward. Where I'm at cover drivers can bid on vacation week routes and that goes by seniority, but if they haven't bid a route for the week they work as assigned and can't bump.

 

[Johney]

In our building any unassigned route is covered by unassigned drivers in seniority order. They will do staffing, but so & so says I have more seniority than so & so and I want to do that route. Then the domino effect starts and on and on until the low guy gets stuck with the garbage route.

 

[5yrssafedriver]

In our building any unassigned route is covered by unassigned drivers in seniority order. They will do staffing, but so & so says I have more seniority than so & so and I want to do that route. Then the domino effect starts and on and on until the low guy gets stuck with the garbage route.

ive been driving for 6 years, ive filed and lost every time ive filed....soo in the end i was told i cant bid on vac. routes so i cant file 9.5 so i work as directed every day doing all the garbage. That really does NOT seem fair. the entire time ive had more seniority than at least one driver so we are all screwed

 

[Dracula]

Well, where I come from, the rules for cover drivers went like this: when the vacation list went up, it was picked by seniority, first bid drivers, then unassigned. All picked by seniority. If a cover driver didn't want to cover a vacation route, he picked "float". The list came down on Friday, it was finalized, and posted by Friday afternoon with all of the picks. Come Monday, when call-ins, optional days and base cars that didn't have regular drivers opened up, the picks, again, went by seniority, first bid drivers, then unassigned drivers that didn't pick a vacation. Drivers off on Comp or disability had their routes held down, again by seniority.

Now, managers always tried working the bids to their advantage, but that stopped when drivers simply stepped up and said, "NO, this is the route I'm going to run." They always tried getting newer drivers on the easier routes to make things run smoother. Normally, this was because they would never run a route with a newer driver, fearing that the route wouldn't get done. So, they tried twisting arms to get more experienced drivers to run routes they might not want to run, if only because they had ran them before. But that is not the driver's problem. But, and it is a big but, the driver had to stand up for him/herself and demand to run the route they wanted (as long as was their pick to make). There is nothing managers can do if a driver has the seniority and demands to run a route in their right to run.

When I was a bid cover driver (waaay back when) I had many heated arguments with sups because I knew every route in the center. So, some days, there might be a real nasty, ball-buster that only I knew how to run. But I was second on the list to pick, and normally I would pick a route I would WANT to run. I always used to warn sups that they needed to train newer drivers on as many routes as possible because when they wanted me to run a route I didn't want, they would be friend$cked. Yeah, yeah, we will was what they always said. Did they train though? Of course not.

So, before the message was cemented in their heads, they would try all kinds of tactics to get me to run some POS so they wouldn't have to worry about getting that route done that day. It puts a smile on my face thinking back on some of those blow out arguments on the boxline and in front of all of the other drivers. Man, they used to get fired up, usually because they realized one of them was going to have to brown up and run a packed P-1000 in some industrial area with a new hire. But you know what? Tough testies. My job wasn't to fill management holes and to make a sups job easier. My seniority and it's benefits didn't stop because they didn't plan accordingly. What is the expression? "Lack of planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part." They always hated hearing that one.

You OP isn't real clear. It lacks some details. And different areas have different agreements, but it sounds like this sup is protecting your female driver. Maybe because he knows she will go splat on routes she doesn't know. Maybe he is banging her and hates you. You're not the first. But if you have the right to pick over her, well, you gotta put one foot in front of the other and stand firm. Don't get mad, don't start yelling, and for your own sake, stay off the DIAD messages with personal opinions. Tell them, "No, this is the route I will be running today/this week/or for the duration." As long as it is in your right to do so, do so. Yeah, they will get mad, maybe even threaten you. All of that doesn't matter. You can file later on that, but run the routes you are entitled to run. Stand up for yourself, and be consistent. Trust me, if you show them that you are sticking to the rules EVERYDAY, they will eventually try this crap on drivers further down the seniority list.

Just pay it forward to those drivers when you see them getting the scroogie.

 

[Ms.PacMan]

As a female driver I'd like to the OP to tell us the exact scenario.

The rules here are as Dracula described above but there were always those bid cover drivers who had an assigned route for the week (that they had picked the week prior) who wanted to displace a junior unassigned driver from an easier route because that driver called in sick or took an optional for a day.

OP - if you picked an area to cover then you do it - for the duration. If you are both unassigned drivers then bump her and mean it. And I agree with everyone else that a DIAD message is not an appropriate way to air a grievance.

 

[UpsYours]

get ur steward

 

[Dragon]

Basically there is a female cover driver with less seniority that I wanted to bump/switch routes and he said no, he never lets me bump/switch with her. I ended up telling a friend with more seniority to bump/switch with me because he was on a route I knew better than him, he did. I ended up doing really bad because the route was over-dispatched like a mother.

Last night when I came in at about 10:30pm one of the on-roads was still there. He questioned me about a message I had sent earlier in the day complaining about some unfair practices. The message was something to the effect of "How come () can bump me while I cant bump (), feels like sexism to me." He was yelling (in my opinion, it was loud and harsh) and started accusing me of lying because I had told the driver to bump/switch with me as opposed to him coming to me. Apparently my message was full of lies. Anyways, I tried to explain myself as best I could, considering it was 1030 at night and I was half-asleep. It really ticked me off that he did that out in the open in front of another driver and the night OMS as opposed to taking me in the office and discussing it. I've filed on him before for sending "hostile" messages through the DIAD. Any opinions? Thanks.

Why did you want to switch..does her being a female really have anything to do with it??

I ended up telling a friend with more seniority to bump/switch with me because he was on a route I knew better than him, he did. I ended up doing really bad because the route was over.....must be a good friend but really didn't want to hear your crying all day, the real reason you did poorly on the route (RTB 1030pm?) was due to your poor attitude all day because you didn't get your way.

Consider your supervisor "talk with" getting off easy.

 

[Coldworld]

come on..get with the program, you know that the cute girls get the better routes....as it should be!!!

 

[undies]

This cover driver is consistently put on the "easier" routes, I feel as other drivers let this go because she is female. When I've spoken up about this I was chastised by other drivers and told to just leave her alone. Yet I get bumped all the time. Psh, no thanks. There are only 3 drivers below me in seniority so it's very slim pickings when it comes to that option. In the end it's not a big deal, I just don't like double standards...even thought that's pretty much what UPS management is all about.

Also, I didn't do poorly on the route because of my attitude. The route was severely overloaded, during peak entire neighborhoods are taken off and 3 bulk stops removed, all the work was stuffed in the truck and I had more shuttled out to me later in the day.

 

[DainGrant]

Grass is much greener at article 22.3 no need to bump in my building too much work

 

[menotyou]

This cover driver is consistently put on the "easier" routes, I feel as other drivers let this go because she is female. When I've spoken up about this I was chastised by other drivers and told to just leave her alone. Yet I get bumped all the time. Psh, no thanks. There are only 3 drivers below me in seniority so it's very slim pickings when it comes to that option. In the end it's not a big deal, I just don't like double standards...even thought that's pretty much what UPS management is all about.

Also, I didn't do poorly on the route because of my attitude. The route was severely overloaded, during peak entire neighborhoods are taken off and 3 bulk stops removed, all the work was stuffed in the truck and I had more shuttled out to me later in the day.

File on seniority. Don't mention the sex of the driver, it may/may not be sexism, but in the end it sounds like whining. Just saying. The talk should not have occurred in front of the other drivers, but I'd leave that one alone. just file on the seniority issue and never send that kind of message via DIAD again. Be sure, a copy of said message has already been placed in your file.

Favorites are a part of the game. It's not fair, but neither is life.

 

[packageguy]

file on seniority. Menotyou makes a good point.

 

[Brokedownandbrown]

You file two grievances 1- for not following seniority rules for route selection. 2- file for harassment, it is not permissible to conduct business in front of others in a vile unprofessional manor.

 

[Ms.PacMan]

I don't get why you aren't just walking up to that (female) driver in the morning and taking the DIAD from her and telling her you're bumping her off the route. She then has to go to the supe and ask what she is doing. If he comes back to you and makes you work the other route then tell him you'll file a grievance and I would bet that it ends there. Actually I would bet that it would end when you bump her.

Quit asking the supe for permission - just do it.

 

[grgrcr88]

We have Bid Cover drivers and unassigned Cover Drivers. The 5 bid cover drivers pick routes by seniority the week prior and the unassigned work as directed. Seniority does not allow them to bump unless a junior man is working and they are not. It only gives them the right to work, not to pick which work they do.