I think our Preloaders are being unfairly worked, looking for some guidance

[notonmycharts]

Not necessarily. It depends on when the trailers get there.

The drivers have already started. UPS will never let them just stand around and do nothing on the clock. And these drivers can get their cars wrapped up and leave far quicker than you can that late into the morning.

Those are all very valid and fair points. I appreciate the insight

 

[Catatonic]

You could make the argument that drivers are working outside of their classification.

Is that grievable?

 

[PT Car Washer]

Is that grievable?

You can try. A lot depends on how hard your Business Agent pushed it. Might also depend on if it is an everyday occurrence or just when late loads come in.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Is that grievable?

Only if he/she did not get their 3.5 before being sent home.

 

[By The Book]

Hi there!

I have a few concerns/questions about things going on in the facility where I work, and if they're acceptable or not. But first, some information!

I work in early morning Preload in Canada, and haven't been with UPS too long, started in June 2016. When I started I was told I would get a minimum of 25 hours a week, making start time around 3:15am +/- 15 minutes. Volume would be between 6,500 - 9,000 pieces. Now, we are running closer to 7,300 - 9,000 starting at 4:15am +/- 15 minutes, and getting maybe 18 - 20 hours a week. I understand there is a certain PPH we need to hit, however, our facility is still using the older crayon and charts method with a belt. We are still expected to keep with the rest of Canada's PPH, which puts the flow rate around 2,000 - 2,800 packages an hour because of our later start times. It forces us to stack and not be able to maintain proper egress. Even with that flow rate, we are still there at, and past, driver PCM.

It is a common occurrence at this facility for Preload Sups to load package cars, either because a Preloader has called in sick, or a Sup has deemed that a Preloader "needs help"; they will also split the belt and cart up the blow-bys from the end of the belt throughout the day. Sups have also been known to pull Preloaders from their cars to help with the retain for the first hour so, forcing their neighbour to deal with the additional cars. The unload Sup is not much better, they're often found emptying bags or working in the trailers, so unload can work at finger-blistering speed. We used to have a roamer who covered these things, but they were recently promoted to supervisor unbeknownst to essentially everyone until the PCM after the fact.

Lots of this doesn't seem exactly right to me, but I could be 100% wrong as I'm newer to the UPS family and the communication at this facility isn't the best. I understand being in Canada somethings might be, and are, different, but a lot of this feels like management is completely walking over us so they get their gold star at the end of the day.

So, what I'm wondering is:

Are there any guidelines/rules for determining the flow rate/unload speed, or is it however many packages an hour they deem necessary?

Should Preload still be there at/past driver PCM?

How much/little of the above should the Sups be doing?

Are there any courses of action I should be taking at this time?

Thank you for your input!

Get yourself a contract book. Read the section on supervisors working. They will do as much of the work you mention as long as no one files a grievance and puts a stop to it. It is common for the preload to work alongside the drivers who just punched in, they're being paid. Request your guaranteed hours every day and keep your eyes peeled. Take note of when the supervisors are doing bargaining unit work...that isn't justified. They can do work when training an employee, covering for a bathroom break, and when someone is late or a no show. They should call the preloaders who are on layoff off someone is a no show. The shouldn't just work the shift and not make an effort to call a union employee in. Supervisors shouldn't do work at all, except in these few instances.

 

[notonmycharts]

Get yourself a contract book. Read the section on supervisors working. They will do as much of the work you mention as long as no one files a grievance and puts a stop to it. It is common for the preload to work alongside the drivers who just punched in, they're being paid. Request your guaranteed hours every day and keep your eyes peeled. Take note of when the supervisors are doing bargaining unit work...that isn't justified. They can do work when training an employee, covering for a bathroom break, and when someone is late or a no show. They should call the preloaders who are on layoff off someone is a no show. The shouldn't just work the shift and not make an effort to call a union employee in. Supervisors shouldn't do work at all, except in these few instances.

No one at my center wants to grieve because they're afraid of the target that may, or may not , be painted on their back. I'm personally getting tired of watching sups do our work, work we can definitely do, just with an additional 15 minutes, however we don't get that time and instead get sups that do our work. I'll be talking with a Shop Steward tomorrow about all this, I've asked for some clarification on some of the sections in the Collective Agreement.

Thank you for your response!

 

[By The Book]

No one at my center wants to grieve because they're afraid of the target that may, or may not , be painted on their back. I'm personally getting tired of watching sups do our work, work we can definitely do, just with an additional 15 minutes, however we don't get that time and instead get sups that do our work. I'll be talking with a Shop Steward tomorrow about all this, I've asked for some clarification on some of the sections in the Collective Agreement.

Thank you for your response!

Sure, looks like you'll be the only one being paid grievance money then, if your the only one that files. Don't worry about a target on your back... if you are a permanent employee and do your job well, you'll be in the drivers seat. There's also language about harassment and over supervising an employee. So if they are harassing you after you file your grievance...file a grievance on that as well.

 

[Heinrich]

There is never proper egress. SUPs always work, they will call it 'training.'

We have been perpetually understaffed and over supervised for as I have been an employee.

 

[TearsInRain]

No one at my center wants to grieve because they're afraid of the target that may, or may not , be painted on their back. I'm personally getting tired of watching sups do our work, work we can definitely do, just with an additional 15 minutes, however we don't get that time and instead get sups that do our work. I'll be talking with a Shop Steward tomorrow about all this, I've asked for some clarification on some of the sections in the Collective Agreement.

Thank you for your response!

grieve them and if they come and complain to you about it, tell them you're trying to do them a favor by getting them out of handling and back to managing

the pt sups will secretly, or openly, thank you

 

[notonmycharts]

There is never proper egress. SUPs always work, they will call it 'training.'

We have been perpetually understaffed and over supervised for as I have been an employee.

Sounds like a common UPS "standard". Wonderful...

 

[notonmycharts]

grieve them and if they come and complain to you about it, tell them you're trying to do them a favor by getting them out of handling and back to managing

the pt sups will secretly, or openly, thank you

Good to know, thank you!

 

[notonmycharts]

Sure, looks like you'll be the only one being paid grievance money then, if your the only one that files. Don't worry about a target on your back... if you are a permanent employee and do your job well, you'll be in the drivers seat. There's also language about harassment and over supervising an employee. So if they are harassing you after you file your grievance...file a grievance on that as well.

Excellent response, thank you! Good to know tidbit on the harassment language.

 

[lulzups]

I'm preload from so cal. We start the rest of the week at 4:45-4:55 and they want me done with 1000+ pieces by 8:15. I have a cool PT sup who's wasted 10 years of his life so he doesn't give a and we don't get much harassment from him. But I would definitely say our pre load manager has a couple screws loose. We are so short staffed to were my PT can help and load faster than half the other loaders so I don't mind his help. I understand sups are not supposed to touch but I'd rather have him than the kids helping me who are most the time high as a kite and misload the out of my trucks and make more work for me at the end of the day.

 

[542thruNthru]

I'm preload from so cal. We start the rest of the week at 4:45-4:55 and they want me done with 1000+ pieces by 8:15. I have a cool PT sup who's wasted 10 years of his life so he doesn't give a and we don't get much harassment from him. But I would definitely say our pre load manager has a couple screws loose. We are so short staffed to were my PT can help and load faster than half the other loaders so I don't mind his help. I understand sups are not supposed to touch but I'd rather have him than the kids helping me who are most the time high as a kite and misload the out of my trucks and make more work for me at the end of the day.

Yet because you constantly let your supe load and help you catch up they will never fix the problem. Why spend money to fix a problem with you're helping them ignore it.