Driver Lunch Break

[brownIEman]

The magical October suspensions.
It's no BS

It’s so true. Happens here every year.

That just sounds weird to me. Suspending drivers to help with training peak drivers just makes zero sence.

I could see a reluctance to have drivers serving suspension during the summer if your center does not have the staffing depth to handle vacations. Or if your center manager is a wuss who would cave to sob stories and allow more than 10% out in a week. In that case I could see a slight uptick in October.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

That just sounds weird to me. Suspending drivers to help with training peak drivers just makes zero sence.

I could see a reluctance to have drivers serving suspension during the summer if your center does not have the staffing depth to handle vacations. Or if your center manager is a wuss who would cave to sob stories and allow more than 10% out in a week. In that case I could see a slight uptick in October.

I've noticed a trench the last couple of years.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

That just sounds weird to me. Suspending drivers to help with training peak drivers just makes zero sense.

That's because it doesn't happen.

 

[MyTripisCut]

That's because it doesn't happen.

How’s that? The work isn’t here yet, but we staffed early. Easiest way to make room and keep fear and intimidation going is to make an example of a driver or two while you have extra staffing. Happens all the time here.

 

[brownIEman]

How’s that? The work isn’t here yet, but we staffed early. Easiest way to make room and keep fear and intimidation going is to make an example of a driver or two while you have extra staffing. Happens all the time here.

You are assigning motivations for actions that I don't think you understand. Your theory makes no sense what so ever. When creating peak routes and training drivers on them it is better if I have the most knowledgeable drivers working so there are fewer issues.
How many hourlies have you suspended in your career? How many peak route plans have you created in DPS? How many peak drivers have you done the 3 day training ride with? If the answer to any or all of these is 0, then I speak from greater experience.

 

[burrheadd]

You are assigning motivations for actions that I don't think you understand. Your theory makes no sense what so ever. When creating peak routes and training drivers on them it is better if I have the most knowledgeable drivers working so there are fewer issues.
How many hourlies have you suspended in your career? How many peak route plans have you created in DPS? How many peak drivers have you done the 3 day training ride with? If the answer to any or all of these is 0, then I speak from greater experience.

 

[Faceplanted]

That just sounds weird to me. Suspending drivers to help with training peak drivers just makes zero sence.

I could see a reluctance to have drivers serving suspension during the summer if your center does not have the staffing depth to handle vacations. Or if your center manager is a wuss who would cave to sob stories and allow more than 10% out in a week. In that case I could see a slight uptick in October.

You know nothing

1. All drivers are back from summer vacations.

2. We are hiring more for peak.

3. Most feeder cover guys are back in package

This all happens in October. This leaves the center with too many drivers, and if most of them demand their 8, now you have a over staffing issue.

Simple solution, suspend/discharge a couple in the center.... like magic no more over staffing.

It's simple brah. You obviously never worked in a center.

I have actually seen my center offer whole weeks off in October to people who wanted them. Dead days of course.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I have and we have never done this.

The way we handle it is to offer dead days from the top down.

 

[Faceplanted]

I have and we have never done this.

The way we handle it is to offer dead days from the top down.

There are times when the center is chronically over staffed and come October, people's savings are getting a little dry and they start demanding their 8. Not every center is the bog.

 

[MyTripisCut]

You are assigning motivations for actions that I don't think you understand. Your theory makes no sense what so ever. When creating peak routes and training drivers on them it is better if I have the most knowledgeable drivers working so there are fewer issues.
How many hourlies have you suspended in your career? How many peak route plans have you created in DPS? How many peak drivers have you done the 3 day training ride with? If the answer to any or all of these is 0, then I speak from greater experience.

How many packages or stops have you done in your career? Gtf out of here saying I have zero experience. How many days have you been out in 95+ heat, or rain so cold you wanna quit, and can only think of your kids and family to get through the day? If the answer is zero, then you are a POS that thinks if you fire me, you’ll still be able to chew your food in ten years. You guys crack me up. They suspend them in October ya maroon, with the intention of making an example and having them back in time for peak. Typical management, can’t listen because you know every thing ever. Now please stfu. Thanks.

 

[brownIEman]

How many packages or stops have you done in your career? Gtf out of here saying I have zero experience. How many days have you been out in 95+ heat, or rain so cold you wanna quit, and can only think of your kids and family to get through the day? If the answer is zero, then you are a POS that thinks if you fire me, you’ll still be able to chew your food in ten years. You guys crack me up. They suspend them in October ya maroon, with the intention of making an example and having them back in time for peak. Typical management, can’t listen because you know every thing ever. Now please stfu. Thanks.

Well, good to know I am not a POS. Because the answer to none of those questions is zero. I am not in any way saying I think I have more experience than you in that realm, but I have run routes in 115 degree heat and run a bricked with 300 stops no power anything P10 in 2.5 feet of snow. I am sure you have delivered far more days than I have, and many many orders of magnitude more packages. I have no doubt you have more knowledge and experience behind the wheel of a package car so I will not pretend to understand everything about the motivations of yourself or your fellow drivers.

But I do have experience taking drivers that have messed up through the discipline process, and making peak plans, and training peak drivers. And yet, even though I have more experience with what actually motivates management to suspend drivers, you who have no direct experience think you know everything about managements motivation and it is all some evil master plan to intimidate drivers who have a union and a rock solid contract and should be immune to intimidation tactics if they have even an ounce of intestinal fortitude. So, ok, you know everything about Mgt and won't listen to me at all, but you accuse me of that very thing. You are being hypocritical. So you please STFU. OR, go get your steward so I can suspend you, it's October and I need to train peak hires

SMH

 

[brownIEman]

... Gtf out of here saying I have zero experience.

I never said you had zero expedience. I asked if you have ever suspended any hourlies (and a couple other management tasks).
You either misunderstood or are just lying about what I said in order to act righteously indignant.

 

[brownIEman]

You know nothing

1. All drivers are back from summer vacations.

2. We are hiring more for peak.

3. Most feeder cover guys are back in package

This all happens in October. This leaves the center with too many drivers, and if most of them demand their 8, now you have a over staffing issue.

Simple solution, suspend/discharge a couple in the center.... like magic no more over staffing.

It's simple brah. You obviously never worked in a center.

I have actually seen my center offer whole weeks off in October to people who wanted them. Dead days of course.

I'm guessing you work in a smaller center? In my center we hired about 25 peak hires and ran around 110-115 routes. Suspending "a couple" drivers would not have put a dent in our over staff issues in the run up and if I had suggested we suspend a couple drivers in order to fix the over staff issue and scare drivers into showing up through peak the other members of my management team would have looked at me like I was a freakin maroon.

But hey, I guess you guys are the experts in management motivations. I love it. You do realize you sound just like the 30 day wonders who think they know everything about everything concerning delivering when you pretend to be super experts about why management teams do things that they do?

 

[MyTripisCut]

Well, good to know I am not a POS. Because the answer to none of those questions is zero. I am not in any way saying I think I have more experience than you in that realm, but I have run routes in 115 degree heat and run a bricked with 300 stops no power anything P10 in 2.5 feet of snow. I am sure you have delivered far more days than I have, and many many orders of magnitude more packages. I have no doubt you have more knowledge and experience behind the wheel of a package car so I will not pretend to understand everything about the motivations of yourself or your fellow drivers.

But I do have experience taking drivers that have messed up through the discipline process, and making peak plans, and training peak drivers. And yet, even though I have more experience with what actually motivates management to suspend drivers, you who have no direct experience think you know everything about managements motivation and it is all some evil master plan to intimidate drivers who have a union and a rock solid contract and should be immune to intimidation tactics if they have even an ounce of intestinal fortitude. So, ok, you know everything about Mgt and won't listen to me at all, but you accuse me of that very thing. You are being hypocritical. So you please STFU. OR, go get your steward so I can suspend you, it's October and I need to train peak hires

SMH

I never said you had zero expedience. I asked if you have ever suspended any hourlies (and a couple other management tasks).
You either misunderstood or are just lying about what I said in order to act righteously indignant.

You’re right! I made the whole thing up to look cool in front of strangers on the internet......

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

Well, good to know I am not a POS. Because the answer to none of those questions is zero. I am not in any way saying I think I have more experience than you in that realm, but I have run routes in 115 degree heat and run a bricked with 300 stops no power anything P10 in 2.5 feet of snow. I am sure you have delivered far more days than I have, and many many orders of magnitude more packages. I have no doubt you have more knowledge and experience behind the wheel of a package car so I will not pretend to understand everything about the motivations of yourself or your fellow drivers.

But I do have experience taking drivers that have messed up through the discipline process, and making peak plans, and training peak drivers. And yet, even though I have more experience with what actually motivates management to suspend drivers, you who have no direct experience think you know everything about managements motivation and it is all some evil master plan to intimidate drivers who have a union and a rock solid contract and should be immune to intimidation tactics if they have even an ounce of intestinal fortitude. So, ok, you know everything about Mgt and won't listen to me at all, but you accuse me of that very thing. You are being hypocritical. So you please STFU. OR, go get your steward so I can suspend you, it's October and I need to train peak hires

SMH

I never said you had zero expedience. I asked if you have ever suspended any hourlies (and a couple other management tasks).
You either misunderstood or are just lying about what I said in order to act righteously indignant.

I'm guessing you work in a smaller center? In my center we hired about 25 peak hires and ran around 110-115 routes. Suspending "a couple" drivers would not have put a dent in our over staff issues in the run up and if I had suggested we suspend a couple drivers in order to fix the over staff issue and scare drivers into showing up through peak the other members of my management team would have looked at me like I was a freakin maroon.

But hey, I guess you guys are the experts in management motivations. I love it. You do realize you sound just like the 30 day wonders who think they know everything about everything concerning delivering when you pretend to be super experts about why management teams do things that they do?

Tldr

 

[brownIEman]

You’re right! I made the whole thing up to look cool in front of strangers on the internet......

I never suggested you are posting this to look cool to anyone. I never assigned any motivation for your behavior. I am not pretending to be an expert on the motivations of someone who's shoes I have never been in. That is what you are doing when you assume to know exactly why your management team appears to give more suspension in October.
Do you really not understand that?

 

[PCM]

So, let me get this straight you have a master in mental health counseling education

and your a pkg driver

Money well spent Your parents must be proud


SMH!!!

Was on scholarship for basketball so no money spent and I actually make more money doing this than I would with that and they are very proud of me thank u

 

[barnyard]

Our area allows 20 minutes of break (paid) and 10 minutes of meal (unpaid) in package. A list is hung in January or February and you have to sign if you are taking a short meal.
The 1st year that we did it, about half the building signed. The next year, the center manager called anyone that did not sign into the office to show the 'economic benefit' of a shorter meal.
I have signed the list in the past and I am ready to go back to 1 hour total again. Having that time to relax is pretty important.

 

[35years]

Our area allows 20 minutes of break (paid) and 10 minutes of meal (unpaid) in package. A list is hung in January or February and you have to sign if you are taking a short meal.
The 1st year that we did it, about half the building signed. The next year, the center manager called anyone that did not sign into the office to show the 'economic benefit' of a shorter meal.
I have signed the list in the past and I am ready to go back to 1 hour total again. Having that time to relax is pretty important.

Sign that you are taking the short meal. Then take a long meal whenever you feel like it. Or just don't sign anything and take a short meal or a long meal whenever you feel like it.

If every driver does not opt for the short lunch, I can't see how they could discipline you for taking however much meal break you feel like taking on any particular day.

My guess is a long meal is guaranteed by the regional supplement but UPS lets you take a short lunch because they think it will benefit them.

Is this policy consistent for all buildings in you District? Are there any bonus centers, and do they have to abide by the same rules? Has anyone actually been disciplined for not abiding by their "choice" in January...not just rumors or threats of discipline? I would just do what I want and call their bluff.

 

[MynameisNeigan]

I know i am recently trained driver so i may change my thoughts on this as time goes on but...

With the abundance of work/OT and limited time with our families I feel as though an option of 30 minute or an hour long lunch should be an option without having to have pay subtracted from our pay. Even better would be we get paid for the work we do and not the break we get paid for where we could hace a flex break option.

There are some days where i want to take my whole hour but there are other dats where i would like to shorten my break so i get home to be woth my family and that comes with sacrifice obviously.

Tip of the day : take your break everyday. If you want less hours use your 8 hour requests. Or get on the 9.5 list. While on break do not sort your truck. Sit down and enjoy the AC somewhere.