Can someone tell me if my position is skilled or not?

[serpentor]

Hi there. To keep it short, I work at a very small center (we load 7 trailers a night, around 7000 pieces avg). My position is a scanner on the belt, which I realize is not skilled. However, I am the first trailer on the belt, the other 6 are about 100m in down, and I am required to split the belt for all the other trailers, flip labels, pull smalls, totes, and bags and break all jams that occur. I recently confronted mgmt about filing a grievance over fueling, they told me fueling was not a bid job, but that it was skilled labor and they would have to ask based on seniority... Ok, but in the same breath they said my job was skilled, and I couldn't go fuel during the sort based on there is no one else that can do or wants to do my Dr appt position. Then they told me it's also not eligible for a raise either. Im really confused, I don't trust our union or mgmt because they are all good friends.... What can I do? Is there a definition of skilled labor or a national list of all bid and or skilled positions so I can have something factual to base my complaints on. I'm also conflicted about this fueling bs they keep feeding me. I signed a bid sheet last year for fueling, the sheet was taken down the same night because of a typo, lost and never reposted...the position was given to an employee close to the bottom of the list that is friends with mgmt also. Thing is, this has happened 3 times in my 6 years at this center. Oh.., what to do?

 

[By The Book]

Hi there. To keep it short, I work at a very small center (we load 7 trailers a night, around 7000 pieces avg). My position is a scanner on the belt, which I realize is not skilled. However, I am the first trailer on the belt, the other 6 are about 100m in down, and I am required to split the belt for all the other trailers, flip labels, pull smalls, totes, and bags and break all jams that occur. I recently confronted mgmt about filing a grievance over fueling, they told me fueling was not a bid job, but that it was skilled labor and they would have to ask based on seniority... Ok, but in the same breath they said my job was skilled, and I couldn't go fuel during the sort based on there is no one else that can do or wants to do my Dr appt position. Then they told me it's also not eligible for a raise either. Im really confused, I don't trust our union or mgmt because they are all good friends.... What can I do? Is there a definition of skilled labor or a national list of all bid and or skilled positions so I can have something factual to base my complaints on. I'm also conflicted about this fueling bs they keep feeding me. I signed a bid sheet last year for fueling, the sheet was taken down the same night because of a typo, lost and never reposted...the position was given to an employee close to the bottom of the list that is friends with mgmt also. Thing is, this has happened 3 times in my 6 years at this center. Oh.., what to do?

Do you have a car wash position at your building that is full time? If you do, don't they fuel the vehicles?

 

[serpentor]

Yes we have 2 car washers. One fuels and shifts during the sort, the other is the damages and hazmat auditor. After our sort is finished, fueling requires on additional employee in order to get everything fueled, set up, and ready for the am sort.

 

[Champ_Here]

Hi there. To keep it short, I work at a very small center (we load 7 trailers a night, around 7000 pieces avg). My position is a scanner on the belt, which I realize is not skilled. However, I am the first trailer on the belt, the other 6 are about 100m in down, and I am required to split the belt for all the other trailers, flip labels, pull smalls, totes, and bags and break all jams that occur. I recently confronted mgmt about filing a grievance over fueling, they told me fueling was not a bid job, but that it was skilled labor and they would have to ask based on seniority... Ok, but in the same breath they said my job was skilled, and I couldn't go fuel during the sort based on there is no one else that can do or wants to do my Dr appt position. Then they told me it's also not eligible for a raise either. Im really confused, I don't trust our union or mgmt because they are all good friends.... What can I do? Is there a definition of skilled labor or a national list of all bid and or skilled positions so I can have something factual to base my complaints on. I'm also conflicted about this fueling bs they keep feeding me. I signed a bid sheet last year for fueling, the sheet was taken down the same night because of a typo, lost and never reposted...the position was given to an employee close to the bottom of the list that is friends with mgmt also. Thing is, this has happened 3 times in my 6 years at this center. Oh.., what to do?

Read the contract. Then read your supplement. At the center I work at we have 2 skilled positions - shifting trailers (preload) and splitting smalls in the smalls sort. I guess a case could be made to request an extra .25 for the 10 to 15 minutes of shifting tp60s into the building for our pm sort (local sort) but it's kind of a hassle with our OMS/management.

 

[Champ_Here]

Also I'd like to add that at our center fueling/parking cars has always been considered additional work. In my case I am an exceptions/data pkg clerk and international auditor. When I finished with that stuff if I want additonal work and they need help to finish I go out and get my extra 1 1/2 to 2 hours of work. I'm assuming your center is like mine and doesn't have a fuel station on property and you would need to leave the property to a gas station. In that case you'd need to get your DOT card and probably go to a class so that you are able to leave the property with a pkg car.

 

[By The Book]

Yes we have 2 car washers. One fuels and shifts during the sort, the other is the damages and hazmat auditor. After our sort is finished, fueling requires on additional employee in order to get everything fueled, set up, and ready for the am sort.

A case could be made that this is full time work, your supplement will dictate how that goes. I would call your local office and explain the situation and ask how is this work is being performed now.