How hard is it to change a feeder route?

HFolb23

Well-Known Member
The Hub nearest my center is about 40miles away. They are unable to fill their feeder dept staffing, and are/will be hiring FT Feeder drivers off the street.

My center has 3 FT PC drivers with Class A CDLs, Double/Triple endorsements, have submitted letters of intent, and two have said they’d be willing to commute to the Hub to work Feeders.

Business Agent swore up and down there were 3 Feeder jobs coming to our center. I spoke with the Feeder Manager in the Hub and he had never heard of 2/3 of the FT PC drivers in my center, despite their letters of intent being submitted almost a year ago. He also said that there was no thought or ideas at all about moving that Feeder work to our center, or away from their Hub, like our business agent had said. Rewriting the routes to come out of our center would cause jobs to be lost in the Hub, however if they’re hiring off the street the only people losing a job are the teamsters that want that position. Communication has been difficult with this situation and trying to get some input from the people here.

Is there anything we can do to get these jobs dispersed to other centers in the area? We’re obviously hoping to bring work to our center but hiring off the street seems foolish when you have good employees willing to commute to you.

Our Division manager is aware of the situation and looking into it by talking to our head of labor. While we wait for that I’m hoping I can get some input from you all here and give these guys some words of encouragement tomorrow morning. Two of these guys are actively applying to other jobs and id hate to lose good employees due to a lack of action or communication if there’s really a way for us to get them into a Feeder position. They’re both lower seniority full time drivers, but high enough that if the work came to our center they would win the bids, no one else in our center seems to want to do feeder work either.
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
You can't force the company to move feeder jobs from a hub to an outlying center, if that's what you're asking. Your best bet would be to see if you can transfer to the hub. In my local whenever they have openings in feeder at the hub bid lists get hung in all the outlying centers.
 

olroadbeech

Happy Verified UPSer
I guess you and the union can plead a case but ultimately it's up to the company since it's a business decision.If they can save money or make more money they will probably do it. It's called a "change of operations" and there is language in the contract for that.

they did that to us when they closed a feeder satelite hub and dispersed all the feeder drivers into actual hubs. 17 of us were moved to 5 different hubs in a change of operations. The company had to pay for our moving expenses. ( about 7k for my family ) because it was over 100 miles. can't remember if it was 100 miles or 150 miles. I could not commute from the old hub to new one.
 

HFolb23

Well-Known Member
Thank you all for your input so far.

We are in the same local union as the Hub, just over 40 miles drive from our center to their hub. Hell, their feeder drivers cover our feeder routes when our feeder drivers are on vacation we’re so close. They bobtail up from the Hub just to drag a set of doubles back down there...

I didn’t think we could stop the company from hiring off the street, but both our division manager and head of labor seem interested in keeping those jobs for teamsters and not new hires so here’s to hoping something comes out of this mess.

Ultimately the company is going to do whatever it wants, but I’m hoping we can make a case to push this up the chain. The stewards in our building and the chief steward for feeders in the Hub are working to keep these jobs for teamsters, at this point I’m wondering if it’s even possible before we push too much further.
 

olroadbeech

Happy Verified UPSer
Thank you all for your input so far.

We are in the same local union as the Hub, just over 40 miles drive from our center to their hub. Hell, their feeder drivers cover our feeder routes when our feeder drivers are on vacation we’re so close. They bobtail up from the Hub just to drag a set of doubles back down there...

I didn’t think we could stop the company from hiring off the street, but both our division manager and head of labor seem interested in keeping those jobs for teamsters and not new hires so here’s to hoping something comes out of this mess.

Ultimately the company is going to do whatever it wants, but I’m hoping we can make a case to push this up the chain. The stewards in our building and the chief steward for feeders in the Hub are working to keep these jobs for teamsters, at this point I’m wondering if it’s even possible before we push too much further.

of course do everything possible to protect your jobs.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
I wouldnt believe for a second the division manager wants to keep those jobs for Teamsters. Theres nothing feeder management loves more then a couple of low paying for 4 years, off the street drivers that barely need any training. Here they hate when package drivers transfer in. They want cheap labor for 4 years or whatever it is now and they are ready made feeder drivers.

Here they constantly hire out of order and then all the package drivers get their seniority dates adjusted. Mine got fixed about 6 months after i got to feeders. Got pushed up 18 months because they hired out of order.
 

quad decade guy

Well-Known Member
I wouldnt believe for a second the division manager wants to keep those jobs for Teamsters. Theres nothing feeder management loves more then a couple of low paying for 4 years, off the street drivers that barely need any training. Here they hate when package drivers transfer in. They want cheap labor for 4 years or whatever it is now and they are ready made feeder drivers.

Here they constantly hire out of order and then all the package drivers get their seniority dates adjusted. Mine got fixed about 6 months after i got to feeders. Got pushed up 18 months because they hired out of order.



Don't believe for a second that mgt. gives one small crap about you or anything except good numbers.

If they can hire a feeder off the street with a CDL, that saves them time and money. Could care less

where he came from or what kind of training he had. They will hire/promote ANYBODY.

Truth is-The Company and Union are hamstrung with the contract, both ways. the company would

like to move staffing around but can't because of rules/language. Union same way. Solution?

hire off the street. Bites each side in the butt.
 

HFolb23

Well-Known Member
That’s disappointing to hear, however not surprising. As I said before, we know the company is going to do what they want to do.

If that’s really the case about it being a money decision, I might make the argument that they’re both only in their second year of progression. I don’t think either one of them made it to cover top rate before going full-time, I know for a fact one of them makes less than $24/hr.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
17 of us were moved to 5 different hubs in a change of operations. The company had to pay for our moving expenses. ( about 7k for my family ) because it was over 100 miles. can't remember if it was 100 miles or 150 miles. I could not commute from the old hub to new one.
There is no way they would pay for that.
 

BigUnionGuy

Got the T-Shirt
There is no way they would pay for that.


On a legitimate change of operations.... the contract covers it.

Section 2.

"As a result of the Employer moving an operation more than seventy-five (75) miles, all full-time employees in accordance with classification seniority who choose to move, will have their moving expenses paid.

The expense shall include the reasonable cost of packing and the moving of household goods or house-trailer including dismounting and mounting. The employee(s) who transfer will have one (1) year from the date of the change to move."


I have no idea of what moving company's charge, but $7000 might be "reasonable" ?


https://teamster.org/sites/default/files/ups18nationalmaster.pdf


You can't force the company to move feeder jobs from a hub to an outlying center, if that's what you're asking.


Yep.

If your supplement or Local rider doesn't specifically address it....

the answer would be "no contract violation". Doesn't mean you can't try.



-Bug-
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
On a legitimate change of operations.... the contract covers it.

Section 2.

"As a result of the Employer moving an operation more than seventy-five (75) miles, all full-time employees in accordance with classification seniority who choose to move, will have their moving expenses paid.

The expense shall include the reasonable cost of packing and the moving of household goods or house-trailer including dismounting and mounting. The employee(s) who transfer will have one (1) year from the date of the change to move."


I have no idea of what moving company's charge, but $7000 might be "reasonable" ?


https://teamster.org/sites/default/files/ups18nationalmaster.pdf








-Bug-
That's what I was saying $7000???? plus the other 17 families?
 

olroadbeech

Happy Verified UPSer
On a legitimate change of operations.... the contract covers it.

Section 2.

"As a result of the Employer moving an operation more than seventy-five (75) miles, all full-time employees in accordance with classification seniority who choose to move, will have their moving expenses paid.

The expense shall include the reasonable cost of packing and the moving of household goods or house-trailer including dismounting and mounting. The employee(s) who transfer will have one (1) year from the date of the change to move."


I have no idea of what moving company's charge, but $7000 might be "reasonable" ?


https://teamster.org/sites/default/files/ups18nationalmaster.pdf





Yep.

If your supplement or Local rider doesn't specifically address it....

the answer would be "no contract violation". Doesn't mean you can't try.



-Bug-
Then according to the OP's post a change of operations would NOT apply here. But I believe they still may have grounds for grievances ? The company still could claim that they are running a business and can hire off the street for this operation?

When we were in that satelite operation we could cover for other feeders in other similar operations but never in an actual HUB. The reason they closed all these outlying feeder satelite yards ( not a hub ) was because at one time they were considering allowing triples on the I5 corridor in California. Once that was nixed UPS dismantled these yards.

Some of the drivers fell inside the mileage away from their new hub so did not qualify for moving expenses. some were transferred to Sacramento , some were to Cordelia , CA. one to Medford OR, and a couple retired. can not remember where rest went to.It was all determined by seniority.

At first UPS wanted to let us all go. The BA in Redding saved our jobs. Do not know the actual contractural language he used but thank god he did.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Don't believe for a second that mgt. gives one small crap about you or anything except good numbers.

If they can hire a feeder off the street with a CDL, that saves them time and money. Could care less

where he came from or what kind of training he had. They will hire/promote ANYBODY.

Truth is-The Company and Union are hamstrung with the contract, both ways. the company would

like to move staffing around but can't because of rules/language. Union same way. Solution?

hire off the street. Bites each side in the butt.
Exactly. Just what i said. Hiring a feeder off the street saves them time and money
 

Rick Ross

I'm into distribution!!
That's what I was saying $7000???? plus the other 17 families?

$7,000 could be reasonable if they were doing the packing, even for a shorter move.

We had one large move of 450 miles and our discounted rate was almost $7k through my wife's employer. That was with us doing all packing, all they did was load, haul and unload in the room we designated. We had to reassemble beds and things like that.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
$7,000 could be reasonable if they were doing the packing, even for a shorter move.

We had one large move of 450 miles and our discounted rate was almost $7k through my wife's employer. That was with us doing all packing, all they did was load, haul and unload in the room we designated. We had to reassemble beds and things like that.
I guess, I just don't see UPS paying something like that. Contract or not.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Don't believe for a second that mgt. gives one small crap about you or anything except good numbers.

If they can hire a feeder off the street with a CDL, that saves them time and money. Could care less

where he came from or what kind of training he had. They will hire/promote ANYBODY.

Truth is-The Company and Union are hamstrung with the contract, both ways. the company would

like to move staffing around but can't because of rules/language. Union same way. Solution?

hire off the street. Bites each side in the butt.
Putting in 2 weeks mid-packet.

Lolol. DQed from package trying ti tell people how feeders worked. People like you shouldnt even be allowed to post in threads like this.
 

quad decade guy

Well-Known Member
Putting in 2 weeks mid-packet.

Lolol. DQed from package trying ti tell people how feeders worked. People like you shouldnt even be allowed to post in threads like this.


I guess you are talking to me? 15 years pkg, 15 years feeder-39 total....Full time. Yeah I have an idea.

I just don't know how I'm going to get through another 10....

And as I watch street hires pour in, pt'ers losing out on $100k jobs.

And sonny, back in the day-you know paper time cards(no gps), mgt. could and would pencil whip

any record. If they didn't want to qualify....you didn't. I would say after 39 years, I feel vindicated.

BTW-the mgr. that dq'd me, died an early death in his late 40's to early 50's. What goes around surely

comes around. Got to get those numbers at all costs...he did.

And you really don't think after 39 years, I don't know how UPS works? Really?
 

HFolb23

Well-Known Member
And as I watch street hires pour in, pt'ers losing out on $100k jobs.

This right here is exactly what we’re trying to prevent.

Our center had 6-7 feeder routes at one point, now we’re down to 3. Our previous center manager refused to move PC drivers into feeders, and therefore when a feeder driver retired, it was left unfilled until the Hub would absorb it into their feeder system.

Now the tables have turned, the Hub can’t staff the feeder jobs they have, and we’re fighting to get those jobs back to our center before they’re filled by off the street hires.

After talking to people today, it seems like our DM is going to bat for us with Labor, and is willing to take it to the Head of the District to get those jobs back to our center. Our new center manager is a big proponent of promoting from within and has already given his blessing to move these drivers if the work comes here.

At this point it seems like a no-brainer to move the work back to our center, and because it makes too much sense I fear UPS won’t allow it. Trying to stay patient and positive here.
 

olroadbeech

Happy Verified UPSer
This right here is exactly what we’re trying to prevent.

Our center had 6-7 feeder routes at one point, now we’re down to 3. Our previous center manager refused to move PC drivers into feeders, and therefore when a feeder driver retired, it was left unfilled until the Hub would absorb it into their feeder system.

Now the tables have turned, the Hub can’t staff the feeder jobs they have, and we’re fighting to get those jobs back to our center before they’re filled by off the street hires.

After talking to people today, it seems like our DM is going to bat for us with Labor, and is willing to take it to the Head of the District to get those jobs back to our center. Our new center manager is a big proponent of promoting from within and has already given his blessing to move these drivers if the work comes here.

At this point it seems like a no-brainer to move the work back to our center, and because it makes too much sense I fear UPS won’t allow it. Trying to stay patient and positive here.


Many years ago when most feeder drivers were only working 45-50 hours a week I had a conversation with our DM about the future. She said that the goal was to have every feeder driver working as close to 60 hours as possible as it was cost efficient to have 2 drivers working 60 hours a week rather than 3 drivers working 40 hours a week. Workman's comp expenses among other expenses for every employee.
This bled over to package . So keep this in mind that UPS and their bean counters make decisions on the almighty dollar. It makes sense to me. If your people can figure out an angle that it makes good financial sense to promote from within and how creating more jobs is to their benefit then they may go for it.

New hires off the street may have more accidents than in house UPS trained drivers. That cost money in the long run. Enough drivers help for long term growth. That helps the company save and make more money. The train where we are at and subcontractors are unreliable and that costs the company in the long run.

They are always telling us to get the big picture. They should do the same. The higher up management is the more they look down the road. Not like center manager and regular managers who are just looking at the next quarter.

good luck.
 
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