Got a warning letter. Should I grieve it or try to talk with management first?

freehoodies

Well-Known Member
So I had 2 late air stops last week, one due to using pre-rec to see what the other hin numbers at the stop were. (30 package stop, 6 air and 24 ground, the 6 air were in the 1000's and the 24 ground were in the 4000's. In a bricked out rental of course.)

Even with that it was going to be impossible to get all the air off in time. 5 10:30 commit time stops when the route is a 30 min drive away, I dont get out of the center until 9:40 because of late air and having to get gas because the rentals are never filled, and im not going to drive out and hope they send someone with a gas card to me later.

So its my first time having late air, and in the meeting I explain what happened and the steward was there. Seemed like it went okay, I thought I made the first late air stop in question in time (I thought that air time was when I scanned the first package, not when I stopcomplete. Apparently that is how it works unless I hit Pre-rec). The second was definitely late but It was definitely out of my control, even if I drove the 30 mins with the gas light on. The amount of time digging around in the rental to find all the packages made it impossible.

Checked mail when I got home and see a warning letter about not following methods and procedures leading to 7 service failures.

Im definitely fighting it, 1. This was my first "offense". Im supposed to have a verbal warning first. 2. I was not given the tools to do the job. The vehicle I was in was overloaded, and not fueled. 3. I did not cost the company a penny. We stopped guaranteeing our service times on NDA back in march. If the company won't hold itself to the standard they shouldn't try to hold me to that standard.

Question is, is this some automatic thing that gets sent out? If so maybe I should just ask my center manager about clearing it? Or should I grab my steward and file a grievance first?
 
Well, you can't grieve a WL, so don't worry about that. I'll assume that the center is getting grief for late air (which I don't think any of us ever want to have) and in this case, you were the scapegoat. Just consider it a learning opportunity...don't use Pre-record (unless you're doing left-ats), it creates problems like you just experienced. I'm not sure how long you have been driving, but if this is your 1st offense, you will end up being just fine. Pretty impressive that you are concerned enough to ask about it. Your sup should have talked with you the 1st time it occurred and then if you continue to have issues with late air, then a WL should be issued, but I always tell people that if it is explainable, you're probably OK. If you are running straight air and have it late, you did all you could. If you are trying to get ground delivered 1st, before committed pkgs, well, then that will be tough to explain. I think you'll be just fine...we need more people that care, and you seem to be one of them. Remain positive, and you will never have any long term issues. There could be others that are having a real problem with late air and then we have to treat all the same, so you may just be caught in the crossfire. Do the best you can and continue to do so, the customers are counting on us.
 

freehoodies

Well-Known Member
The main reason im wanting to get this off my record is theres a rumor going around that management feels they hired too many new drivers and they dont want to be stuck with all of them.

Im not trying to volunteer for the chopping block. I dont want any history of disciplinary action on my record, especially when its not my fault. Late air, unfuelled truck, rental with a dense load, no training on pre-rec, literally another driver told me to use it anytime i need to check something mid order like hin number or if there are other packages for the stop that got put into a different “stop” for the same location. Nothing in the diad made simple book from my packet days either.
 

WTFm8

Well-Known Member
File a harassment grievance regardless.

Also report it to the ethics report line to create a bigger paper trail.
 

JustDeliverIt

Well-Known Member
So I had 2 late air stops last week, one due to using pre-rec to see what the other hin numbers at the stop were. (30 package stop, 6 air and 24 ground, the 6 air were in the 1000's and the 24 ground were in the 4000's. In a bricked out rental of course.)

Even with that it was going to be impossible to get all the air off in time. 5 10:30 commit time stops when the route is a 30 min drive away, I dont get out of the center until 9:40 because of late air and having to get gas because the rentals are never filled, and im not going to drive out and hope they send someone with a gas card to me later.

So its my first time having late air, and in the meeting I explain what happened and the steward was there. Seemed like it went okay, I thought I made the first late air stop in question in time (I thought that air time was when I scanned the first package, not when I stopcomplete. Apparently that is how it works unless I hit Pre-rec). The second was definitely late but It was definitely out of my control, even if I drove the 30 mins with the gas light on. The amount of time digging around in the rental to find all the packages made it impossible.

Checked mail when I got home and see a warning letter about not following methods and procedures leading to 7 service failures.

Im definitely fighting it, 1. This was my first "offense". Im supposed to have a verbal warning first. 2. I was not given the tools to do the job. The vehicle I was in was overloaded, and not fueled. 3. I did not cost the company a penny. We stopped guaranteeing our service times on NDA back in march. If the company won't hold itself to the standard they shouldn't try to hold me to that standard.

Question is, is this some automatic thing that gets sent out? If so maybe I should just ask my center manager about clearing it? Or should I grab my steward and file a grievance first?

First of all, you can and should grieve all discipline including warning letters. I was a steward when I worked the preload and grieved every letter handed out.

As for the truck conditions, just about every truck goes out packed every day. The volume is not going to be an excuse, so don't lean on that. The way to avoid discipline for this in the future is simple. Once you are on the clock and at your truck, find all your air and make sure you have what your supposed to. If you are missing something, let your oncar know before you leave the building. If your in a rental and it needs gas, get gas. Not your fault that they parked a vehicle that wasn't full. Then drive to your area and deliver straight air, not one ground package. Even if you have ground for the same stop as your air stop. Deliver air only. They cannot discipline you for making sure you have gas and then delivered straight air and had some late.

As a side note, never pre record stops. It will always bite you in the ass like your air situation or when you do it for a business and then forget it is there until 5:01. Record as you go and you'll never have that issue.
 

Wally

BrownCafe Innovator & King of Puns
So I had 2 late air stops last week, one due to using pre-rec to see what the other hin numbers at the stop were. (30 package stop, 6 air and 24 ground, the 6 air were in the 1000's and the 24 ground were in the 4000's. In a bricked out rental of course.)

Even with that it was going to be impossible to get all the air off in time. 5 10:30 commit time stops when the route is a 30 min drive away, I dont get out of the center until 9:40 because of late air and having to get gas because the rentals are never filled, and im not going to drive out and hope they send someone with a gas card to me later.

So its my first time having late air, and in the meeting I explain what happened and the steward was there. Seemed like it went okay, I thought I made the first late air stop in question in time (I thought that air time was when I scanned the first package, not when I stopcomplete. Apparently that is how it works unless I hit Pre-rec). The second was definitely late but It was definitely out of my control, even if I drove the 30 mins with the gas light on. The amount of time digging around in the rental to find all the packages made it impossible.

Checked mail when I got home and see a warning letter about not following methods and procedures leading to 7 service failures.

Im definitely fighting it, 1. This was my first "offense". Im supposed to have a verbal warning first. 2. I was not given the tools to do the job. The vehicle I was in was overloaded, and not fueled. 3. I did not cost the company a penny. We stopped guaranteeing our service times on NDA back in march. If the company won't hold itself to the standard they shouldn't try to hold me to that standard.

Question is, is this some automatic thing that gets sent out? If so maybe I should just ask my center manager about clearing it? Or should I grab my steward and file a grievance first?
CYA always. ALWAYS! Do the air first if there is any chance of being late and measage them the minute you can't find any air. If stuff is late, who cares? Not your problem. Do this any you can never get in trouble.
 

MyTripisCut

Never bought my own handtruck
Ask your Steward or BA to protest the warning letter. Also try and get them to list what exact methods and procedures you didn’t follow on all warning letters. This way they can’t mix and match at a later date for more severe discipline. Finally if you had issues with load quality and no fuel let them know this with a steward present if possible, that you’re going to have trouble making commits on time. Always put the ball back in their court anytime you can.
 

barnyard

KTM rider
If you are going to be cutting it close, deliver air only. We routinely leave the building late and I routinely have late air. I have not gotten a warning letter because I do not deliver ground with air.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
Well, you can't grieve a WL, so don't worry about that. I'll assume that the center is getting grief for late air (which I don't think any of us ever want to have) and in this case, you were the scapegoat. Just consider it a learning opportunity...don't use Pre-record (unless you're doing left-ats), it creates problems like you just experienced. I'm not sure how long you have been driving, but if this is your 1st offense, you will end up being just fine. Pretty impressive that you are concerned enough to ask about it. Your sup should have talked with you the 1st time it occurred and then if you continue to have issues with late air, then a WL should be issued, but I always tell people that if it is explainable, you're probably OK. If you are running straight air and have it late, you did all you could. If you are trying to get ground delivered 1st, before committed pkgs, well, then that will be tough to explain. I think you'll be just fine...we need more people that care, and you seem to be one of them. Remain positive, and you will never have any long term issues. There could be others that are having a real problem with late air and then we have to treat all the same, so you may just be caught in the crossfire. Do the best you can and continue to do so, the customers are counting on us.
Can’t grieve a warning letter? Where did you get that bad info?
 

Boston25

Well-Known Member
Well, you can't grieve a WL, so don't worry about that. I'll assume that the center is getting grief for late air (which I don't think any of us ever want to have) and in this case, you were the scapegoat. Just consider it a learning opportunity...don't use Pre-record (unless you're doing left-ats), it creates problems like you just experienced. I'm not sure how long you have been driving, but if this is your 1st offense, you will end up being just fine. Pretty impressive that you are concerned enough to ask about it. Your sup should have talked with you the 1st time it occurred and then if you continue to have issues with late air, then a WL should be issued, but I always tell people that if it is explainable, you're probably OK. If you are running straight air and have it late, you did all you could. If you are trying to get ground delivered 1st, before committed pkgs, well, then that will be tough to explain. I think you'll be just fine...we need more people that care, and you seem to be one of them. Remain positive, and you will never have any long term issues. There could be others that are having a real problem with late air and then we have to treat all the same, so you may just be caught in the crossfire. Do the best you can and continue to do so, the customers are counting on us.
Why can’t you grieve a warning letter? Absolutely he can. Did they follow progressive discipline? Did they tell him in the meeting he was receiving a warning letter? Because if they had a meeting with him and never told him in the meeting he was getting a warning letter then absolutely he should grieve it.
 

Boston25

Well-Known Member
The main reason im wanting to get this off my record is theres a rumor going around that management feels they hired too many new drivers and they dont want to be stuck with all of them.

Im not trying to volunteer for the chopping block. I dont want any history of disciplinary action on my record, especially when its not my fault. Late air, unfuelled truck, rental with a dense load, no training on pre-rec, literally another driver told me to use it anytime i need to check something mid order like hin number or if there are other packages for the stop that got put into a different “stop” for the same location. Nothing in the diad made simple book from my packet days either.
I take it you have made seniority? When you had the meeting with your steward and manager did the company tell you that you were receiving a warning letter or no?
 

freehoodies

Well-Known Member
You don't need to hit prerecord to see the other hin numbers. It shows it in details before you scan the first package.
Before I start scanning it just shows one hin number (the 1000s hin for the air). If im not aware there are going to be two different hins and/or I just scan the first package now there is no way to check what the other hin is. I asked another driver about this and he showed me to hit pre-rec to save my place in the order instead of voiding everything out.

Now I know that pre-rec can cause issues but prior to this there was no warning. I double checked my “diad made simple” book to be sure.
 

freehoodies

Well-Known Member
CYA always. ALWAYS! Do the air first if there is any chance of being late and measage them the minute you can't find any air. If stuff is late, who cares? Not your problem. Do this any you can never get in trouble.
I did do straight air and messaged using diad when I could not find air quickly (turned out to be mixed in with my 8k shelf smalls in a tote).
 
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