cover drivers bumping down

[grizzlies1]

I am the lowest cover driver on the seniority list and I get to drive maybe 2 or 3 times a week.The guy who is above me on the list has always declines to drive so it bumps down to me.I refused to drive one day because i had previous obligations with my second.My supervisor threaten me with disqualification from cover driving and I am expecting a warning letter.What are my options? Why does the guy above of me get to decline, but i cant?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Let me see if I got this right---you are a cover driver who is trying to get a FT job and you refused to drive because you had previous obligations with your second (job)? And you wonder why your sup is upset with you? You will be lucky if all you get is a warning letter out of this.

 

[grgrcr88]

Did you have a scheduled start time posted in your center posted prior to you clocking out on Friday, if not you do not have to work. I dont care what they want, or what Upstate says.

 

[Coldworld]

The crappy thing about this is ups doesn't give a damn on how you make a living when they only gove you a day here or there cover driving...thus the need for employmennt from other sources. But when they get in a pinch and run understaffed you better be ready to roll out the door at a moments notice...not realistic at all. I think op real question is why someone higher is declining days and nothing is happening to them but op is getting in trouble for doing the same thing.

 

[menotyou]

Did you have a scheduled start time posted in your center posted prior to you clocking out on Friday, if not you do not have to work. I dont care what they want, or what Upstate says.

What he said. If you get a warning letter, MAKE SURE YOU FILE A REBUTTAL GRIEVANCE!!!!!!!!!! Put in there that you did not have a set start time and that you had a prior job obligation. You weren't blowing them off to go play golf. Not that I haven't done that before. One thing UpstateNYUPSer is right about is that management does not care about anything other than themselves. Start keeping a journal if you don't already. Keep in there every time that the casual ahead of you refuses. And why he gets to refuse and you don't?? because your sup lets him. You can't worry about that. It will drive you crazy. Just keep doing the right thing.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

What he said. If you get a warning letter, MAKE SURE YOU FILE A REBUTTAL GRIEVANCE!!!!!!!!!! Put in there that you did not have a set start time and that you had a prior job obligation. You weren't blowing them off to go play golf. Not that I haven't done that before. One thing UpstateNYUPSer is right about is that management does not care about anything other than themselves. Start keeping a journal if you don't already. Keep in there every time that the casual ahead of you refuses. And why he gets to refuse and you don't?? because your sup lets him. You can't worry about that. It will drive you crazy. Just keep doing the right thing.

First of all, I did not say that management does not care about anything other than themselves. They do have a business to run and when one of the FT drivers has the day off they fully expect one of the casuals to take their place for the day. We were all cover drivers and we all knew the drill. I had a side job when I was a cover driver but they knew at the side job that UPS was my first priority.

You want him to state that he had a prior job obligation with another employer on his grievance? I would love to hear the discussion on that one.

I do agree that the casual with more seniority being allowed to refuse while you catch hell for doing the same is not fair.

 

[menotyou]

In my haste to respond to an issue that has been a sore spot with me I mistakenly read from another post that said management doesn't care about anything but themselves. I apologize for the wrong credit, even though it is true that they don't care. He has to explain why he was unable to work at a moments notice. Which is not what he is contractually obligated to. Why should another business bow to UPS' whims? They have a business to run, also. They had a perfectly good casual in the guy who refused before him. In his post it says it was his first time refusing. We have a contract for a reason. It is management's job to staff, not ours.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Let me see if I got this right---you are a cover driver who is trying to get a FT job and you refused to drive because you had previous obligations with your second (job)? And you wonder why your sup is upset with you? You will be lucky if all you get is a warning letter out of this.

Here, covers are FT drivers just like route drivers, same seniority list pool etc etc. Of course working all of your years in that tiny center gives you the all-knowingness to be an expert in all areas.

 

[over9five]

I am the lowest cover driver on the seniority list and I get to drive maybe 2 or 3 times a week.The guy who is above me on the list has always declines to drive so it bumps down to me.I refused to drive one day because i had previous obligations with my second.My supervisor threaten me with disqualification from cover driving and I am expecting a warning letter.What are my options? Why does the guy above of me get to decline, but i cant?

Ask from the top down, force from the bottom up. He has seniority over you, get used to it.

 

[menotyou]

Ask from the top down, force from the bottom up. He has seniority over you, get used to it.

I was wrong.

 

[menotyou]

I was wrong.

In retrospect, they both could be nailed for refusing work or worse...

 

[grizzlies1]

Thanks everyone for your help.I did receive a warning letter yesterday and I am planning on filing a grievance.The wording they used in the letter read like "continued unrealiabilty and continued refusal to drive".Both descriptions are untrue, since this was first time occurence.I think the descriptions fit the guy ahead of me better.

 

[UPSGUY72]

Here, covers are FT drivers just like route drivers, same seniority list pool etc etc. Of course working all of your years in that tiny center gives you the all-knowingness to be an expert in all areas.

Samething in my building we are all FT drivers just not set route. We have all the same rights as all the other drivers. I know 12 routes in the building I'm in right now and 8 in the building I got bumped out of last bid.

 

[SWORDFISH]

I think the rules in his area are different than mine as well because some of the stuff Im reading in this post doesnt quite add up.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

If he /she was not fired for refusing to work, chances are mgmt has no contractual ground to stand on, because that is one they'd jump all over.

 

[menotyou]

Thanks everyone for your help.I did receive a warning letter yesterday and I am planning on filing a grievance.The wording they used in the letter read like "continued unrealiabilty and continued refusal to drive".Both descriptions are untrue, since this was first time occurence.I think the descriptions fit the guy ahead of me better.

Did you file your rebuttal, yet?