Combo jobs

Damok

Well-Known Member
Something interesting I thought I'd share and see what the opinions are. I was talking to our center manager about combos and what the issue with creating more is and part of his response was this (paraphrased)...

We have too many people right now who complained about not getting a combo but then when they get it they either don't show up for both shifts, continuously come in late or do an all around crummy job. We started giving the combos but if this is what's going to happen why should we work to give more?.


Again this is paraphrased but the idea comes through. It certainly isn't their entire reason I'm sure but do any of you see this at your location? I see it but was wondering if you think it's partially true or all hype?
 

TheVoice

United Prole. Socialist
Something interesting I thought I'd share and see what the opinions are. I was talking to our center manager about combos and what the issue with creating more is and part of his response was this (paraphrased)...

We have too many people right now who complained about not getting a combo but then when they get it they either don't show up for both shifts, continuously come in late or do an all around crummy job. We started giving the combos but if this is what's going to happen why should we work to give more?.


Again this is paraphrased but the idea comes through. It certainly isn't their entire reason I'm sure but do any of you see this at your location? I see it but was wondering if you think it's partially true or all hype?

This is the same answer I was given by both my district manager and Night manager. Of course, it is true, to a large degree. However, I don’t see management as being as innocent about this as they are playing it out. In the end of the day, its usually the supervisors that are giving the consent to go home after their first shift is done, so to say that it’s the combos and there is nothing they can do about it would be absurd. Furthermore, when they build up a shoddy attendance, they are not disciplined properly (by keeping a accurate Pittsburgh), so they can’t blame the union stewards for defending someone even they know is abusing the system, when the records are flawed.

But in the end…I agree that most combo’s that abuse their job by: not showing up to both shifts, working at a less than productive pace…these are the guys that are hurting us most.

All I can say is although I agree there are some people out there abusing these jobs, there are still people that want those jobs that will not be like that.
 

Damok

Well-Known Member
All I can say is although I agree there are some people out there abusing these jobs, there are still people that want those jobs that will not be like that.


I absolutely agree... the trouble will be fixing it. This actually one of my main, if the main, union gripes I have (at least as it pertains to my experience). Protecting people who are just horrible employees benefits no one. Keeping them as members for dues and union strength is a terrible argument.
 

blue efficacy

Well-Known Member
The people getting the jobs are senior PTers, many of whom have realized that busting your ass on a Hub/Preload job only gets you more work, no recognition or anything.

They need to rework the contract to clarify rules regarding 22.3 jobs, to address things like leaving after the first job, etc.
 

happy harry

Well-Known Member
The people getting the jobs are senior PTers, many of whom have realized that busting your ass on a Hub/Preload job only gets you more work, no recognition or anything.

They need to rework the contract to clarify rules regarding 22.3 jobs, to address things like leaving after the first job, etc.
What language do you think should be reworded? If the employee leave its either walking off the job, or its that they were given permission to go home by there supervisor. Which happens more times than not.
 

happy harry

Well-Known Member
The people getting the jobs are senior PTers, many of whom have realized that busting your ass on a Hub/Preload job only gets you more work, no recognition or anything.

They need to rework the contract to clarify rules regarding 22.3 jobs, to address things like leaving after the first job, etc.

My problem was that the union is asking for more friend/T jobs and then the bodies filling them are not fullfilling the negotiated procedure. That's how you lose jobs.
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
I used to wish we had more combo jobs here but now I have a pretty hard time accepting one if I had the opportunity. The company has been getting rid of so many of them. It just doesn't seem like a safe job to have. These people that aren't working both shifts are just helping justify why management should be able to cancel those jobs. Both parties are at fault here though. UPS is required to create more jobs and should have to be required to keep them unless volume is low enough to justify the cancelations. The union side should hold themselves accountable for working their 8 hours and management should be able to inforce it. People in my center just laugh when we bring this issue up with our sups and their excuse is that they just wanted to work "for hours only." LOL!
 

ScottP

15 down 20 to go
I used to wish we had more combo jobs here but now I have a pretty hard time accepting one if I had the opportunity. The company has been getting rid of so many of them. It just doesn't seem like a safe job to have. These people that aren't working both shifts are just helping justify why management should be able to cancel those jobs. Both parties are at fault here though. UPS is required to create more jobs and should have to be required to keep them unless volume is low enough to justify the cancelations. The union side should hold themselves accountable for working their 8 hours and management should be able to inforce it. People in my center just laugh when we bring this issue up with our sups and their excuse is that they just wanted to work "for hours only." LOL!

As far as I know management can't "cancel" a 22.3 job. These jobs all have a number with them the same as your social security number. Now maybe they can pull a "not enough volume to fill the hours" but even then I thought that once you gained seniority as a full time employee you are guaranteed your full time hours. We had this issue go down at my hub. An employee who took a certain combo job pretty much never did the two jobs that were on the bid. He ended up as an 8 hour hazardous responder. Now a friend of mine decided, because of a major start time change, to bump this individual. He was told the job no longer existed. Thus the argument began about how the jobs all have numbers and can't be simply erased from existence. Long story short the company knew they were wrong and "worked out" a solution for my friend. He is doing the job as it is written.

I have a combo job and would like to think that I have always given the company at least an honest days work for an honest days pay. I see what you guys are talking about in my hub but not to the extent at which some are making it out to be in their area. We have a pretty strict attendance policy (meaning it's actually enforced) for our 22.3 people. I would like to think that we will get more jobs in the future for the people who do want to work. I would like to be an optimist and think that full time people would have a good reason to show up for work everyday and make an accounting for themselves. I know that I can't afford to miss even one day if it's not a paid day off. But alas there are and will always be those who spoil it for everyone. Funny how such a small amount of poison can destroy the entire crop.
 

IDoLessWorkThanMost

Well-Known Member
As far as I know management can't "cancel" a 22.3 job. These jobs all have a number with them the same as your social security number. Now maybe they can pull a "not enough volume to fill the hours" but even then I thought that once you gained seniority as a full time employee you are guaranteed your full time hours. We had this issue go down at my hub. An employee who took a certain combo job pretty much never did the two jobs that were on the bid. He ended up as an 8 hour hazardous responder. Now a friend of mine decided, because of a major start time change, to bump this individual. He was told the job no longer existed. Thus the argument began about how the jobs all have numbers and can't be simply erased from existence. Long story short the company knew they were wrong and "worked out" a solution for my friend. He is doing the job as it is written.

I have a combo job and would like to think that I have always given the company at least an honest days work for an honest days pay. I see what you guys are talking about in my hub but not to the extent at which some are making it out to be in their area. We have a pretty strict attendance policy (meaning it's actually enforced) for our 22.3 people. I would like to think that we will get more jobs in the future for the people who do want to work. I would like to be an optimist and think that full time people would have a good reason to show up for work everyday and make an accounting for themselves. I know that I can't afford to miss even one day if it's not a paid day off. But alas there are and will always be those who spoil it for everyone. Funny how such a small amount of poison can destroy the entire crop.

As a 22.3 combo, you can take it easy, relax and enjoy your 8 or whatever hours.
:devil3:
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
I absolutely agree... the trouble will be fixing it. This actually one of my main, if the main, union gripes I have (at least as it pertains to my experience). Protecting people who are just horrible employees benefits no one. Keeping them as members for dues and union strength is a terrible argument.
I agree that we have some bad employees and as a steward it can be hard to defend them. However as a steward it is my job to defend the contract and not the person. I can tell you that you will benefit from these people at one time or another through your career at ups. How do you think the stewards get as good as they are? By defending the few trouble makers!
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
Ups has created some very bad 22.3 by rushing to create these jobs after the arbitrators ruling against them. Now we do have a problem with people going home after their 1st shift, but this has been created by ignoring it and or allowing it by both foth sides (management and union).

We need to take a look at were it would benefit as in car wash preload, or preload and feeder wash back to back shifts. Now i understand that this is not possible at every building, but there are buildings that have extra sorts that could benefit from having ftime people.

Who handles your customer counter packages? Who brings them from the building to the counter? At my building we now have 3 22.3 employees whose job it is to bring packages up to the counter and assist the customers. I have heard that these are non-union jobs across the country, just something to look at and bring upto your union.
 

Damok

Well-Known Member
... However as a steward it is my job to defend the contract and not the person...

That's a good point Red, I didn't think of it from that angle. I can just imagine how maddening it must be when you have to go to bat for a complete schmuck though :/
 
After 18 years as a driver I took a 22.3 job. It's been the best career move I have ever made, the best 2 years I've had at UPS. Unfortunately next year I have to go back to package as my wife will be entering college full time and will no longer be working part time. If any package driver out there can afford it take a year or two and do it. I work 3pm to 11pm, so I have every morning to myself. It's like having a day off every day before I go to work, and the work load is nothing compared to running a route.
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
As far as I know management can't "cancel" a 22.3 job. These jobs all have a number with them the same as your social security number. Now maybe they can pull a "not enough volume to fill the hours" but even then I thought that once you gained seniority as a full time employee you are guaranteed your full time hours. We had this issue go down at my hub. An employee who took a certain combo job pretty much never did the two jobs that were on the bid. He ended up as an 8 hour hazardous responder. Now a friend of mine decided, because of a major start time change, to bump this individual. He was told the job no longer existed. Thus the argument began about how the jobs all have numbers and can't be simply erased from existence. Long story short the company knew they were wrong and "worked out" a solution for my friend. He is doing the job as it is written.

I have a combo job and would like to think that I have always given the company at least an honest days work for an honest days pay. I see what you guys are talking about in my hub but not to the extent at which some are making it out to be in their area. We have a pretty strict attendance policy (meaning it's actually enforced) for our 22.3 people. I would like to think that we will get more jobs in the future for the people who do want to work. I would like to be an optimist and think that full time people would have a good reason to show up for work everyday and make an accounting for themselves. I know that I can't afford to miss even one day if it's not a paid day off. But alas there are and will always be those who spoil it for everyone. Funny how such a small amount of poison can destroy the entire crop.

I've heard (on here, from friends/family in other hubs) of many combo jobs that have been eliminated. The people that held those jobs were still guaranteed 8 hours but had to work two regular part-time shifts at their original part-time pay. In many cases they were having to work shifts with huge gaps in between. Such as preload and then locoal sort at night. It may or may not be the right thing but I've heard of it happening. If it's wrong then I hope arbitrators (assuming anyone affected fights it) will fix the problem.
 

Fredless

APWA Hater
We have too many people right now who complained about not getting a combo but then when they get it they either don't show up for both shifts, continuously come in late or do an all around crummy job. We started giving the combos but if this is what's going to happen why should we work to give more?.


Again this is paraphrased but the idea comes through. It certainly isn't their entire reason I'm sure but do any of you see this at your location? I see it but was wondering if you think it's partially true or all hype?

I think this is poor management. If they are letting their combo people be like little gods to get away with that type of crap, then its their fault. Management needs to do their jobs and MANAGE.

1)Don't show up for both shifts? Find out why then take the proper steps

2)Continuously show up late? They rag the part timers on my shift for being like 5 minutes late at times because they are having to work two jobs to support themselves and their families and would be thrilled to get a 22.3 job at UPS, but now..seemingly never will. Management needs to again, MANAGE and keep tabs on their 22.3 guys. If they're late all the time like he says, start the discipline process.

3)Do a crummy job? Thats subjective - as long as they are following the UPS methods they've been instructed too, sadly management and their co-workers will have to make the best of the situation.

Management here does keep tabs of the 22.3's on my shift but I will admit - they skirt the rules on almost everything whereas a Driver or part timer would get nailed to the wall. I don't know why management treats the combo people so special and looks the other way. I'm not saying its this way everywhere, just in my hub.
 
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