I believe I'm screwed here; what do I do? (IF I can do anything)

[RitchieDavies]

Oh man, so where do I begin? Well, as some of you may well be aware, when the summer hits, things become slow and UPS starts laying off (sending home for the day) its bottom half, aka those with less seniority (or so they say). But other things have been happening to make me believe I'm being singled out. One of them are, if I'm a Preloader that got hired on after season, and a couple other people were as well, why am I the one who has to wait on the bench? While those people who were hired on have the same senoirity as me because everything during season doesn't count, rarely get the bench? Meanwhile, drivers are taking our spots making 2, 3 times what we make doing the same job because they're being screwed too. But why take away from those who make 10.50 an hour for a 17, 20 hour week, and more than likely has a 2nd job to make ends meet? I really don't like this and fear that I and a few others are going to get the shaft - should I worry about my job or not sweat it?

P.s. One more thing: one person got hired in March, which means I have more seniority over them and another JUST got hired on and don't get this treatment. Seniority really does suck when you're just starting out. *sigh*

 

[nystripe96]

A lot of it depends on where you work and the demand for your services. Just deal with it. Everyone goes through it. Once you make book you'll be sittin' pretty. Don't give in just keep showing up & eventually you'll be ok

 

[jibbs]

I've found myself in similar situations before. It took me a few months to figure out that management was asking if I wanted to go home in a very... strange, a very authoritarian kind of way. It made me feel like I was being told to get the friend*.

Talked to one of the supervisors I'm more friendly with and he got it across to me that it's an offer to go home and not even a request... if I say no then it's just on to the next.

This may seem kind of condescending but are you sure that you're explicitly being told to leave and not inferring that your supervisors want you to leave when they're really trying to figure out whether or not you feel like staying? (In my center and the way I've been told it's supposed to be done,) once they go through their people seeing if anyone wants to head home and still find themselves with extra heads, that's when the "official" seniority list'll come out and the lowest rungs on the ladder'll be sent home if there's not enough work.



As a sidenote, I'm pretty happy I don't have to worry about this anymore. My biggest stress walking into work is deciding whether or not I'll stay when asked if I want to leave out. Haven't done that in a while, though... miss a single day and it feels like half my paycheck is missing next Friday.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Oh man, so where do I begin? Well, as some of you may well be aware, when the summer hits, things become slow and UPS starts laying off (sending home for the day) its bottom half, aka those with less seniority (or so they say). But other things have been happening to make me believe I'm being singled out. One of them are, if I'm a Preloader that got hired on after season, and a couple other people were as well, why am I the one who has to wait on the bench? While those people who were hired on have the same senoirity as me because everything during season doesn't count, rarely get the bench? Meanwhile, drivers are taking our spots making 2, 3 times what we make doing the same job because they're being screwed too. But why take away from those who make 10.50 an hour for a 17, 20 hour week, and more than likely has a 2nd job to make ends meet? I really don't like this and fear that I and a few others are going to get the shaft - should I worry about my job or not sweat it?

P.s. One more thing: one person got hired in March, which means I have more seniority over them and another JUST got hired on and don't get this treatment. Seniority really does suck when you're just starting out. *sigh*

This is how it works:

If you report to work on time, you are guaranteed your 3.5 hours as a part-timer if you have seniority. If you're actually reporting to work on time and still getting "laid off", I would be grieving for my daily gurantee. If the company is going to lay-off employees, notice should have been sent to your local.

Laid off drivers can bump pre-loaders, but the bumped pre-loaders have seniority amongst themselves. If less senior pre-loaders are getting to work ahead of you, that should also be grieved.

You need to be talking to your steward or calling your union hall to see how it's been handled in the past.

 

[RitchieDavies]

@Jibbs, "that's when the 'official' seniority list'll come out and the lowest rungs on the ladder'll be sent home if there's not enough work." Well, that's how it's been working down here in FL. They go from the seniority list, asking everyone higher up if they want to go home. In the event none of those people asked wish to go home, that's when they'll send (out of a group of two or three at least) one of all of us home.

"though... miss a single day and it feels like half my paycheck is missing next Friday." That's exactly my problem. This week however they've been doing things a tad bit differently: Sunday night, I got a text saying "Call in to see if you're working 1 hour before start time". Monday morning, sure enough, I call in and they tell me that I'm not working that day. Which is fine, I mean; one day missed? That's not too bad. I can handle that. BUT Monday night... *argh!!!!* I get a text sayin-- Well, I think you get the picture by now.

So... I've missed two days now, and even though my check NEXT week won't be much, I'm hoping I don't miss a third. I called in and asked what's going on and they said none of the cover drivers were taking a vacation so you know what that means, right? Just great. At this rate I'm probably gonna miss a third day and I have bills to pay, you know.

@PiedmontSteward - I'm thinking about it. But I don't want to be too hasty and get screwed further. I've heard some stories...

 

[Ghost in the Darkness]

If your sup asks you to go home, say as long as there are no less senior employees staying on the clock. Then they will have to confirm they are not or tell you he/she is only asking. Be assertive and they will get the point if they are lying you will get paid anyway because you will check up on who stayed and who left below you.

Besides that, correct me if I'm wrong but once you show up you are guaranteed your hours. You are supposed to be notified before showing up that they wont need you.

 

[UPSGUY72]

They either lay you off and you collect or you work... You need to speak up and stand up for your rights. They will push you around as long as you let them so stop letting them.

 

[RitchieDavies]

@Jibbs, "that's when the 'official' seniority list'll come out and the lowest rungs on the ladder'll be sent home if there's not enough work." Well, that's how it's been working down here in FL. They go from the seniority list, asking everyone higher up if they want to go home. In the event none of those people asked wish to go home, that's when they'll send (out of a group of two or three at least) one of all of us home.

"though... miss a single day and it feels like half my paycheck is missing next Friday." That's exactly my problem. This week however they've been doing things a tad bit differently: Sunday night, I got a text saying "Call in to see if you're working 1 hour before start time". Monday morning, sure enough, I call in and they tell me that I'm not working that day. Which is fine, I mean; one day missed? That's not too bad. I can handle that. BUT Monday night... *argh!!!!* I get a text sayin-- Well, I think you get the picture by now.

So... I've missed two days now, and even though my check NEXT week won't be much, I'm hoping I don't miss a third. I called in and asked what's going on and they said none of the cover drivers were taking a vacation so you know what that means, right? Just great. At this rate I'm probably gonna miss a third day and I have bills to pay, you know.

@PiedmontSteward - I'm thinking about it. But I don't want to be too hasty and get screwed further. I've heard some stories...

 

[mixyo]

When does an employee attain "seniority"?

 

[jibbs]

When does an employee attain "seniority"?

After working 30 days following their start date.

You have to actually work for 30 days, though. Work for 29 and call out on the 30th? Still got a day of work to go to attain seniority.



This may vary from one supplement/region to the next.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

When does an employee attain "seniority"?

This varies by supplement, but usually after having 30 "working days" (not calendar days) in a 90 day period not including classroom or orientation time. It's often harder for pre-loaders to attain seniority because they are usually laid off half of the time when they report before they attain seniority.

Side note: We had a problem with a preferred area classification being over-staffed after the mini-peak bump and even throughout peak at the beginning of January. The FT supervisor would very carefully tell employees, "I don't have any work for you," and have them ask if they needed to go home. He wouldn't order employees to clock out but they'd fill in the blanks themselves -- he knew they were owed their 3.5 hour gurantee, even if it wasn't in their bid classification.

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book that management uses to circumvent our contract. As Upsguy said earlier, if you have seniority, make them go through the actual lay-off procedure so you can at least collect unemployment.

 

[jibbs]

This varies by supplement, but usually after having 30 "working days" (not calendar days) in a 90 day period not including classroom or orientation time. It's often harder for pre-loaders to attain seniority because they are usually laid off half of the time when they report before they attain seniority.

Side note: We had a problem with a preferred area classification being over-staffed after the mini-peak bump and even throughout peak at the beginning of January. The FT supervisor would very carefully tell employees, "I don't have any work for you," and have them ask if they needed to go home. He wouldn't order employees to clock out but they'd fill in the blanks themselves -- he knew they were owed their 3.5 hour gurantee, even if it wasn't in their bid classification.

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book that management uses to circumvent our contract. As Upsguy said earlier, if you have seniority, make them go through the actual lay-off procedure so you can at least collect unemployment.

I was under the impression that the days a new employee shows up and clocks in will count toward their seniority even if they're sent home early in the shift. Is there any truth to that?

 

[PiedmontSteward]

It depends and this also varies from supplement to supplement. As long as they're not being coded as a lay-off and actually work at least some amount of time, I would assume that day would count towards their seniority.

 

[RitchieDavies]

No, this week they've been sending in text messages sunday and monday saying to call in to ask if you're working the next day. I've missed yesterday and today because of the "cover drivers not taking the week off" as I was told. I don't like where this is going. And I think I've mentioned already that they just hired someone new for the preload. I go there everyday ON time and do as I'm told. There's no reasoning for a layoff if they're hiring new preloaders. I don't get or like it.

 

[jibbs]

Two options here: turn your phone off before bed or simply don't answer text messages or phone calls.

If you show up at your reported start time, you're guaranteed 3.5hrs. If there's no work and they send you home, you're able to grieve for your 3.5hrs pay.


This scenario only doesn't hold true when management gives you 24 or more hours notice of a change in start time. Less than 24 hours? "Sorry, I don't recall seeing any text message on my way out this morning."

 

[Bagels]

No, this week they've been sending in text messages sunday and monday saying to call in to ask if you're working the next day. I've missed yesterday and today because of the "cover drivers not taking the week off" as I was told. I don't like where this is going. And I think I've mentioned already that they just hired someone new for the preload. I go there everyday ON time and do as I'm told. There's no reasoning for a layoff if they're hiring new preloaders. I don't get or like it.

- You receive show up pay (3.5) when you show up to work as scheduled. If you're asked to call-in, you do not receive the guarantee.
- FT employees triumph PT; this means a FT driver with one day's seniority can "bump" the lowest seniority PTer, regardless of the PTer's seniority. In my local, cover drivers are still classified as PT, and when they're not driving, they're expected to work their respective PT sort (with their respective PT seniority).
- You need to approach your union steward and inquire why persons with less seniority are working over you. But I suggest you initially talk to management on your own, because once you involve the union (your steward) they won't look kindly toward you.
- If nothing else... file, file, file, add to the pile!

 

[RitchieDavies]

@Jibbs, Hahahahaha! Yeah, I think I'll try it. I need the work and drivers that make 30-40 a hour shouldn't be able to come in and take the jobs from people who make 9-10. I'm union btw, and well beyond the seniority date. I just wonder if I grieve, can someone higher up retaliate?

 

[RitchieDavies]

Hmmm... okay, I'll wait one more day and then try things out. I just have a feeling that this will be an ongoing thing... damn...

 

[jibbs]

Hmmm... okay, I'll wait one more day and then try things out. I just have a feeling that this will be an ongoing thing... damn...

If it were me, I'd try something new my very next shift. The more you allow management to break contract, the harder it'll be to speak up for yourself or your co-workers in the long run.



"Give an inch and they take a mile." - Random Guy

 

[Jackofalltrades]

,

This is how it works:

If you report to work on time, you are guaranteed your 3.5 hours as a part-timer if you have seniority. If you're actually reporting to work on time and still getting "laid off", I would be grieving for my daily gurantee. If the company is going to lay-off employees, notice should have been sent to your local.


Laid off drivers can bump pre-loaders, but the bumped pre-loaders have seniority amongst themselves. If less senior pre-loaders are getting to work ahead of you, that should also be grieved.

You need to be talking to your steward or calling your union hall to see how it's been handled in the past.

Also under most supplements if a driver bumps you, you can bump the least senior part-timer on another shift