Extended Breaks/ Code 43 Time

[FedEx2000]

It's not like we have a lot of options. I didn't vote for it, but others were very unhappy with freight coming in 2 hrs late one day and we were still expected to get at least a half hr break in. So when mgr suggested we vote for the two options most wanted to start at normal time. We often have fog problems at our ramp during winter, so getting break out of the way would be best, I just feel that I'm getting cheated if we take it before an hour has been worked. But unlike younger workers I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. So putting up with crap for 6 years. Question is, why do you always dodge having the Teamsters having a national vote? Are you under instructions to downplay that from headquarters?

Like you mentioned, a break in the first or last hour is considered a break violation........but so is not taking at least half an hour when working over 5 or 6 hours, depending on the state you are in. That being said, it's your responsibility to let your manager know if you will not be able to do so, and their responsibility to make sure that you are able to get it in. i.e get you help.

Personally, when i was a courier i preferred the call in method. I just rolled over, called the number and went back to sleep if we had late freight. Plus it saved my hours during long weeks like this so that I could actually do something productive, like deliver, rather than cleaning out my truck or putting away supplies.

 

[MrFedEx]

Like you mentioned, a break in the first or last hour is considered a break violation........but so is not taking at least half an hour when working over 5 or 6 hours, depending on the state you are in. That being said, it's your responsibility to let your manager know if you will not be able to do so, and their responsibility to make sure that you are able to get it in. i.e get you help.

Personally, when i was a courier i preferred the call in method. I just rolled over, called the number and went back to sleep if we had late freight. Plus it saved my hours during long weeks like this so that I could actually do something productive, like deliver, rather than cleaning out my truck or putting away supplies.

Admit it. This is just another scheme that saves FedEx big money. You'd never get away with this kind of crap at UPS. Please see my most recent post about break abuse at the ramp and try to explain that one away, OK? I smell a lawsuit in the wind.

 

[FedEx2000]

Admit it. This is just another scheme that saves FedEx big money. You'd never get away with this kind of crap at UPS. Please see my most recent post about break abuse at the ramp and try to explain that one away, OK? I smell a lawsuit in the wind.

Admit what? All I said was that I personally preferred the call in method......has nothing to do with FedEx, you, or a lawsuit.......just my opinion. UPS doesn't have the same issue b/c they have plenty of ground freight sitting around that they can work until the air freight arrives. You feel like you are getting a raw deal b/c you want a 9-5 job.....that's just not how it works here. Some people prefer to have the option to come in later so they can spend time with their kids in the morning or drop them off at school.....get some errands done.....sleep in...etc.

Also, your beloved UPS used to pull this at my old ramp that fed our station: Their flight arrived about 20 minutes before ours (since they had less air freight), after they landed they would call the tower and claim low visibility......the tower would then call off our flight and we would be diverted to another airport 2-hours drive time away. Mind you, this was BS....and it took a not so nice call from someone well above myself to kindly ask UPS to knock it off. Please explain to me how you, as a manager, would handle that situation? The flight departs on time and is expected in on time until right before they begin final approach.....now the freight will be 4 hours late (Extra flight time, download/mini-sort, drive time). I'm sure your answer will be something like "Not my problem/I'm not a manager." Just one example of something that you cannot plan for and no matter what you do, you will upset someone. You can't please everyone all the time.

 

[MrFedEx]

Admit what? All I said was that I personally preferred the call in method......has nothing to do with FedEx, you, or a lawsuit.......just my opinion. UPS doesn't have the same issue b/c they have plenty of ground freight sitting around that they can work until the air freight arrives. You feel like you are getting a raw deal b/c you want a 9-5 job.....that's just not how it works here. Some people prefer to have the option to come in later so they can spend time with their kids in the morning or drop them off at school.....get some errands done.....sleep in...etc.

Also, your beloved UPS used to pull this at my old ramp that fed our station: Their flight arrived about 20 minutes before ours (since they had less air freight), after they landed they would call the tower and claim low visibility......the tower would then call off our flight and we would be diverted to another airport 2-hours drive time away. Mind you, this was BS....and it took a not so nice call from someone well above myself to kindly ask UPS to knock it off. Please explain to me how you, as a manager, would handle that situation? The flight departs on time and is expected in on time until right before they begin final approach.....now the freight will be 4 hours late (Extra flight time, download/mini-sort, drive time). I'm sure your answer will be something like "Not my problem/I'm not a manager." Just one example of something that you cannot plan for and no matter what you do, you will upset someone. You can't please everyone all the time.

Pilots don't generally screw around when it comes to safety. If they say "low visibility", they'd better mean it or their license would be in jeopardy. Besides, pilots don't decide what visibility levels are...the FAA and weather people do. Needless to say, your anecdote sounds bogus. I've never heard of a pilot for a major airline deciding to put fellow pilots at risk. That isn't how it works. If the weather condition didn't actually exist, both The FAA and FedEx would be all over UPS in a heartbeat.

On the Code 43 issue; I never expected 9 to 5 hours, and screwing employees out of hours has nothing to do with that aspect of the job. If I'm at work, I need to be paid...that's it. As a good management suck-up, you would certainly view this issue differently.

 

[vantexan]

Like you mentioned, a break in the first or last hour is considered a break violation........but so is not taking at least half an hour when working over 5 or 6 hours, depending on the state you are in. That being said, it's your responsibility to let your manager know if you will not be able to do so, and their responsibility to make sure that you are able to get it in. i.e get you help.

Oh I'm aware of the 30 min rule after 6 hrs. Supposed to be 1 hr break if going over 8 hrs but magically when we are up against the wall they tell us a half hr is ok. Could it be that a hr break isn't required when working 8 hrs? Could the company be trying to keep costs down by pushing us to squeeze an extra half hr in most days?

I may be wrong but thought I heard somewhere that most of UPS's pilots are contract workers, not employees. If so I doubt they'd risk their license to make false reports on behalf of UPS.

 

[MrFedEx]

Oh I'm aware of the 30 min rule after 6 hrs. Supposed to be 1 hr break if going over 8 hrs but magically when we are up against the wall they tell us a half hr is ok. Could it be that a hr break isn't required when working 8 hrs? Could the company be trying to keep costs down by pushing us to squeeze an extra half hr in most days?

I may be wrong but thought I heard somewhere that most of UPS's pilots are contract workers, not employees. If so I doubt they'd risk their license to make false reports on behalf of UPS.

UPS pilots used to be contract employees, but now they're the real deal and have been for some time.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

UPS pilots used to be contract employees, but now they're the real deal and have been for some time.

Employees or not pilots are professionals and I highly doubt that they would falsely report visibility issues just to hamper FedEx operations.

 

[FedEx2000]

Well, this was coming directly from the local ramp manager...no reason for him to lie to me about it, but who knows. It didn't happen often, but it was more than 1 occasion. Also, I agree that if you are working you should be paid....no argument there. I've never forced anyone to go on break, definitely not in the 1st hour. I have had people take one in the last hour though, I would rather that than they not take one at all.....not often though. Lol...I'm hardly a suck-up, I just do whatever it takes to get it done without having to be told to do so.....and I think my courier's would agree with me on that.

 

[MrFedEx]

Employees or not pilots are professionals and I highly doubt that they would falsely report visibility issues just to hamper FedEx operations.

Exactly. Pilots don't take chances and/or subject fellow airmen to potential danger.

 

[FedEx2000]

Exactly. Pilots don't take chances and/or subject fellow airmen to potential danger.

They weren't subjecting anyone to danger, we were just forced to land elsewhere....further away.

 

[MrFedEx]

They weren't subjecting anyone to danger, we were just forced to land elsewhere....further away.

Forcing another aircraft to land at an alternate field would be very likely be determined to subjecting the crew to danger. Having jumpseated many times, and being a private pilot as well, I can assure you that the FedEx crew would have not taken this lightly. Plus, almost our entire fleet is either CAT II or CAT III equipped, making reduced visibilty landings a non-issue. I do believe that a CAT III aircraft can land in 0/0 (zero/zero) conditions.

 

[FedEx2000]

I see your point, but I don't think there was any intent of putting anyone else in danger. No one took it lightly, that is why a call was placed to UPS to tell them to knock it off.....at least from what I was told.
I believe you are correct there, our plane there was a CAT II, UPS's was a CAT III if I remember correctly.