HELP Job Abandonment

[acblessing]

Two Fridays ago at work I was picking off (usually I am loading).
the belt was getting hammered and my supervisor said to call him if the Dothan truck was backing up,15 min before break boxes were piling up all the way down to the "L" where I was picking off, I kept calling my supervisor before and after the fact,finally he appears and says "ANDREW! Why the didn't you call me" and then preceded to insult me etc. I said that I had called him 5 or 6 times. He denied that happening and said "You know what, I dont want you picking off for me ,after break grab a damn scanner and get in Dothan,and you better not let it get backed up". When break came around, I climbed down and went outside to talk to my boss (well he is the head of my side of the building) and I said "Br** I need you to move me to a different belt" (tensions had been building up for a while now) and he said smirking "How are you gonna tell me what to do? People gotta do stuff everyday they dont like" then my belt supervisor came outside and started bitching at me to go get into Dothan and saying dont let it get backed up and shouting. I stood there for a minute shocked my boss wouldn't defend me and walked out and went home. Yes it can be considered job abandonment, but weeks before a coworker got angry at me (were cool now) and threatened me in the parking lot I didnt say a word or antagonize him but I still got sent home from work because of it. That was my reasoning for leaving, the situation would have definitely escalated if I would have stayed and we could have gotten into a fight. I know the difference between yelling at work and being malicious. The next day I came in trying to get moved to a different belt,and I didn't want to have to file a grievance because Id rather take the high road. There was no human resource people there and I was recommended to talk to my boss from the night before, I said I tried already, but they insisted. So we found him and he said "whats to talk about your fired" so I said "Well I need to talk to my union rep"
Me the union rep and supervisor and boss sit down.
They said that they found out I was telling the truth about calling my supervisor. But none of that mattered because I left.

I brought out articles saying that a supervisor always has to treat and employee with respect etc.
they dismissed it and said none of that counts once you leave work and to give them my time card. The union rep who is longtime friends with my boss hardly stood up for me or took my side he just nodded along with my boss and said he wished he could of had this talk last night. I said my supervisor was too angry and we couldnt have and things would have escalated and that I got sent home before for just arguing so I didn't want to risk it. My boss shouted over me the WHOLE meeting and didnt let me get in a word edge wise. They said they were going to fire me and if I needed to file any grievances to do it soon but I shouldn't I should just quit but I could do work till termination. The meeting ended and I said I needed to talk to my union rep and my boss said not on my time. (the rep didnt wait for me after work)I worked that night and my supervisor apologized and said I could still work for him and from then till last night everything was cool. I worked about two weeks and my bosses were being super nice to me and asking if I wanted to do United Way this year (I took that as I wasn't fired because why would the ask a question about me giving money for a whole year) anyway I got a letter today saying I was fired for walking off the belt. I texted my supervisor and boss and said should I come in and they said yes. Then I mentioned the letter and they said "ooooo I guess not Im sorry how everything went down"

what should I do?

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Call your BA or go down your union hall. I don't care how pissed you were....you never walk out and go home unless instructed. If you needed a minute...tell them you need to use the bathroom. If you feel you are being harassed or not treated with respect during your shift...ask for your steward and continue working.

And your boss was right...you don't get to pick and choose which morons you work with. The high volume sorter on my line is a fat, lazy slob who refuses to break jams and causes me to climb up slides and walk belts way more than I should have to. Some days I'd like to pelt him with bars of soap....but I still don't walk out.

 

[BrownTexas]

I would think if you worked 2 weeks after the incident they cannot fire you. They have 10 business days to discipline you. If they didn't in that time period you shouldn't be fired. File a grievance for unjust termination, talk to your BA and wait to get your job back.

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

1st, Go to the union hall and stay there until you talk to the BA.
2nd, If you get your job back, for future reference you should have immediately asked for the steward as soon as the sup told you that you weren't going to be picking off for him anymore.

For all Newbs that read this thread. You don't need to talk to your sups boss, you don't need to talk to Hr, you don't need to talk to your pt sup about a discipline situation. As soon as a discipline situation starts, immediately ask for a steward and say that you will not continue the conversation until a steward is presence. Him telling you that you weren't not picking off due to what had happened with a trailer makes it a discipline conversation. You can request a steward on discipline conversations, and they either have to get a steward or completely drop the conversation and the discipline. This is not only in the contract, BUT IS A RULING BY THE US SUPREME COURT. Below is some additional things to know.
1.) Never walk out. This is a cardinal sin and is an automatic firing regardless of the reason.
2.) If they refuse your right to talk to a steward, keep calm. Work as directed until break or the end of the night. Then find the steward. Refusal to let you speak to a steward is a major thing. Don't worry, you own their ass.
3.)Always work as directed until you speak with a steward.
4.)Witnesses are a wonderful thing. If possible try to have conversations in front of other people as long as they are not friends with the sup.
5.)This one I have heard depends on where you are at and who you are dealing with. I don't recommend leaving your area to find a steward as this is technically not working as directed as well as job abandonment. I have never heard of anyone fired over this but there has been some "issues" over it.
6.)If you are picking off and a sup tells you they will do it because they need you loading, ask for a steward. In emergency situations where all options have been tried, they are supposed to work the low man job. Notice I said emergency situations, not every damn night. If they are working every damn night file a grievance, because they need to hire more people or bring more into your area.
7.)Don't say anything you don't have to until you speak with a steward.
8.)Don't escalate the situation before talking to a steward, let management do it. You will own there ass.

TD;LR - NEVER WALK OUT, ALWAYS WORK AS DIRECTED UNTIL YOU SPEAK WITH A STEWARD. DON'T LISTEN TO MANAGEMENT ABOUT BOTHERING STEWARDS. THEY ARE THERE FOR A REASON. USE THEM. MANAGEMENT CANNOT RETALIATE FOR YOU ASKING OR TALKING TO A STEWARD OR IF THEY DO JUST FILE A HARASSMENT GRIEVANCE AND START SAVING FOR A DOWN PAYMENT ON A HOUSE/CAR/ETC.

 

[Brownslave688]

This is why all new employees should get to know their stewards and go to meetings.

You are under no obligation to call your sup. If he can't handle his job that's tough. You can't just walk out of work its that simple really.

Why would you ever discus stuff with a sup while on break? I would of went and done the job he told me to do and it would of backed up like he'd never seen before.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

This is why all new employees should get to know their stewards and go to meetings.

You are under no obligation to call your sup. If he can't handle his job that's tough. You can't just walk out of work its that simple really.

Why would you ever discus stuff with a sup while on break? I would of went and done the job he told me to do and it would of backed up like he'd never seen before.

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

This is why all new employees should get to know their stewards and go to meetings.

You are under no obligation to call your sup. If he can't handle his job that's tough. You can't just walk out of work its that simple really.

Why would you ever discus stuff with a sup while on break? I would of went and done the job he told me to do and it would of backed up like he'd never seen before.

Not only this (great btw), but since he took my break talking about company business, when he was done I would have said I still needed to take my break and if their is an issue with it, I want to talk to steward.

 

[TooTechie]

Bottom line if you can't hold your together and work as instructed without abadoning your job then you're not cut out to be one of us.

When they yell at you or swear at you...smile. When they assign you to something, do it. When they complain you're not going fast enough or say that your work is backing up, tell them you're doing the best you can and then shut up.

Sent from my 28 year old brown truck

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

All Newbies read and understand this:

taken from local 25's website

Weingarten RightsEMPLOYEE'S RIGHT TO UNION REPRESENTATION
The rights of employees to have present a union representative during investigatory interviews were announced by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1975 case (NLRB vs. Weingarten, Inc. 420 U.S. 251, 88 LRRM 2689). These rights have become known as the Weingarten rights.
Employees have Weingarten during investigatory interviews. An investigatory interview occurs when a supervisor questions an employee to obtain information which could be used as a basis for discipline or asks an employee to defend his or her conduct.
If an employee has a reasonable belief that discipline or other adverse consequences may result from what he or she says, the employee has the right to request union representation. Management is not required to inform the employee of his/her Weingarten rights; it is the employee's responsibility to know and request.
When the employee makes the request for a union representative to be present management has three options:
(1) it can stop questioning until the representative arrives.
(2) it can call off the interview or,
(3) it can tell the employee that it will call off the interview unless the employee voluntarily gives up his/her rights to a union representative (an option the employee should always refuse.)
Some Contracts requires such refusal of a Shop Steward to be in writing and copied to the Union.
Employers will often assert that the only role of a union representative in an investigatory interview is to observe the discussion. The Supreme Court, however, clearly acknowledges a representative's right to assist and counsel workers during the interview.
The Supreme Court has also ruled that during an investigatory interview management must inform the union representative of the subject of the interrogation. The representative must also be allowed to speak privately with the employee before the interview. During the questioning, the representative can interrupt to clarify a question or to object to confusing or intimidating tactics.
While the interview is in progress the representative can not tell the employee what to say but he may advise them on how to answer a question. At the end of the interview the union representative can add information to support the employee's case.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Or maybe,apply for management??

 

[Brownslave688]

Bottom line if you can't hold your together and work as instructed without abadoning your job then you're not cut out to be one of us.

When they yell at you or swear at you...smile. When they assign you to something, do it. When they complain you're not going fast enough or say that your work is backing up, tell them you're doing the best you can and then shut up.

Sent from my 28 year old brown truck

Nothing pisses them off more than chewing you a new one and then you just smiling back and sayin ok.

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

Moving you from one job to another due to perceived performance issues can be classified as being disciplined

 

[RolloTony Brown Town]

1st, Go to the union hall and stay there until you talk to the BA.
2nd, If you get your job back, for future reference you should have immediately asked for the steward as soon as the sup told you that you weren't going to be picking off for him anymore.

For all Newbs that read this thread. You don't need to talk to your sups boss, you don't need to talk to Hr, you don't need to talk to your pt sup about a discipline situation. As soon as a discipline situation starts, immediately ask for a steward and say that you will not continue the conversation until a steward is presence. Him telling you that you weren't not picking off due to what had happened with a trailer makes it a discipline conversation. You can request a steward on discipline conversations, and they either have to get a steward or completely drop the conversation and the discipline. This is not only in the contract, BUT IS A RULING BY THE US SUPREME COURT. Below is some additional things to know.
1.) Never walk out. This is a cardinal sin and is an automatic firing regardless of the reason.
2.) If they refuse your right to talk to a steward, keep calm. Work as directed until break or the end of the night. Then find the steward. Refusal to let you speak to a steward is a major thing. Don't worry, you own their ass.
3.)Always work as directed until you speak with a steward.
4.)Witnesses are a wonderful thing. If possible try to have conversations in front of other people as long as they are not friends with the sup.
5.)This one I have heard depends on where you are at and who you are dealing with. I don't recommend leaving your area to find a steward as this is technically not working as directed as well as job abandonment. I have never heard of anyone fired over this but there has been some "issues" over it.
6.)If you are picking off and a sup tells you they will do it because they need you loading, ask for a steward. In emergency situations where all options have been tried, they are supposed to work the low man job. Notice I said emergency situations, not every damn night. If they are working every damn night file a grievance, because they need to hire more people or bring more into your area.
7.)Don't say anything you don't have to until you speak with a steward.
8.)Don't escalate the situation before talking to a steward, let management do it. You will own there ass.

TD;LR - NEVER WALK OUT, ALWAYS WORK AS DIRECTED UNTIL YOU SPEAK WITH A STEWARD. DON'T LISTEN TO MANAGEMENT ABOUT BOTHERING STEWARDS. THEY ARE THERE FOR A REASON. USE THEM. MANAGEMENT CANNOT RETALIATE FOR YOU ASKING OR TALKING TO A STEWARD OR IF THEY DO JUST FILE A HARASSMENT GRIEVANCE AND START SAVING FOR A DOWN PAYMENT ON A HOUSE/CAR/ETC.

I agreed with everything you say here except if a supervisor instructs you to move to a different job or work area (skilled or unskilled). If a supervisor tells you to do something, then work as directed. Work now, grieve later. Now I understand the supervisor was becoming hostile which can be construed as discipline and at which point is understandable. The point is, work as directed.

Still very good advice. It's always good to have a good relationship with your steward and to keep him informed on the day to day happenings in your work area.

Speaking as a supervisor myself, I would also recommend to not shy away from speaking my mind, so long as your continue to work as directed.


Sent using BrownCafe App

 

[AndUPSER]

My old pt sup, who eventually lost his job for other reasons, got in trouble because I was "smiling to much, having a good time and being to happy" on my old sort. I was smiling because i was making overtime because of management mistakes that happened every single night. Apparently the sort manager didn't like that I enjoyed watching sups panic every night .

My pt sup gave me the word not to smile or look happy because the manager thinks that it shows disrespect to management when they get messed up, which was often. He reminded me that i must work as directed.

So I reminded him that I was number 1 at loading the most packages, highest pph and no misloads for 6 months straight. I also told him that I would gladly stop being happy but my production numbers may not be that great.

That was end of discussion and I smiled the whole night.

 

[BrownBrokeDown]

I agreed with everything you say here except if a supervisor instructs you to move to a different job or work area (skilled or unskilled). If a supervisor tells you to do something, then work as directed. Work now, grieve later. Now I understand the supervisor was becoming hostile which can be construed as discipline and at which point is understandable. The point is, work as directed.

Still very good advice. It's always good to have a good relationship with your steward and to keep him informed on the day to day happenings in your work area.

Speaking as a supervisor myself, I would also recommend to not shy away from speaking my mind, so long as your continue to work as directed.


Sent using BrownCafe App

I don't think you understood exactly what i was saying there, or I didn't make it plain enough. What I meant was for him to say You're moving me, Fine, I want to talk to a Union steward, and while he waiting for the steward to work as directed. No need to wait until the end of the night to request one. Request then, work as directed, and if they don't bring a steward over, then you have them for violating your rights to speak with a steward as well. Double the grievances.

 

[acblessing]

I been here 3 years, Im not new, it might be different for yall, but we only had 1 union rep in the building that night and he was best friends with my boss so it didn't help, and the whole smiling routine only works or so long, when someone is chest to chest with you screaming at you with spit flying out, it was either knock his ass out or leave, in my building anytime ive filed a grievance it never gets filed, anytime you file anything they take sides

 

[acblessing]

I had been on this belt 3 years taking , anytime fights almost break out at work they move you to a different belt that the only reason I asked, it wasnt a "im offended you cursed at me" it was a fist fight situation

 

[CHALLY9TX]

I been here 3 years, Im not new, it might be different for yall, but we only had 1 union rep in the building that night and he was best friends with my boss so it didn't help, and the whole smiling routine only works or so long, when someone is chest to chest with you screaming at you with spit flying out, it was either knock his ass out or leave, in my building anytime ive filed a grievance it never gets filed, anytime you file anything they take sides

If he's chest to chest with you then back away. No excuse to leave. Just back away. If he keeps coming at you then that's an easy grievance. Don't like your steward? Then go talk to the BA after you're done working. If you've been there 3 years then you should have your BAs number.


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[BrownBrokeDown]

I had been on this belt 3 years taking , anytime fights almost break out at work they move you to a different belt that the only reason I asked, it wasnt a "im offended you cursed at me" it was a fist fight situation

I am not being ty when i say the following: Either you have to learn to temparily take it to win the fight (their money going into your pocket for what they did), or you might not be able to keep working here. I will be the first to admit, I have a hell of a temper. I cuss and scream at UPS sometimes. You cannot let it force you to leave. That is when you took away all of your leverage. Once you walk, it doesn't matter what they did. By their way of thinking, you did something worse by walking out. Job abandonment is extremely difficult to fight for the union. This is going to sound trite, but be the better man, because in the end you will either get what you want, or you will get their money, or you will get both. I understand, and am not being an to you. there was one night about 18 months in where i was standing at the timeclock with my card in my hand. Just think what i had to think. "I am not going to let them get away with this. I am not going to make it this easy for them."

 

[AndUPSER]

Don't ever hit or even touch a sup in that situation, it will just escalate things and you will lose your job for workplace violence. You do not have to leave. Just take the yelling and contact your BA, like the poster above said, along with HR and an ethics line if you think it's serious.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

I am not being ty when i say the following: Either you have to learn to temparily take it to win the fight (their money going into your pocket for what they did), or you might not be able to keep working here. I will be the first to admit, I have a hell of a temper. I cuss and scream at UPS sometimes. You cannot let it force you to leave. That is when you took away all of your leverage. Once you walk, it doesn't matter what they did. By their way of thinking, you did something worse by walking out. Job abandonment is extremely difficult to fight for the union. This is going to sound trite, but be the better man, because in the end you will either get what you want, or you will get their money, or you will get both. I understand, and am not being an to you. there was one night about 18 months in where i was standing at the timeclock with my card in my hand. Just think what i had to think. "I am not going to let them get away with this. I am not going to make it this easy for them."

I totally agree...Ups brings out my friggin temper....and my filthy mouth. And there have been days where I just wanna slam a stack of boxes down...say friend it and walk out. But I have too much time in....not worth it to walk away now.