Interesting scenario

tourists24

Well-Known Member
We had something interesting happen this morning in our center and was hoping to get some input/opinions. The company decided to have its evacuation drill before driver start times; but close enough to start time where the early birds were there and others was just coming in.

There was a lot of problems when some drivers did not enter the building and started either heading back to their cars or heading to our meet point without using designated walk paths. The safety people were going nuts demanding they enter the building and then exit again using the correct walk path. I simply told them I was heading to my car and if there was a problem, talk to me on the clock. My question is, I know it is their property but how does an employee handle this? They dont own me til I clock in and I will not acknowledge their commands til I am on the clock.
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
We had something interesting happen this morning in our center and was hoping to get some input/opinions. The company decided to have its evacuation drill before driver start times; but close enough to start time where the early birds were there and others was just coming in.

There was a lot of problems when some drivers did not enter the building and started either heading back to their cars or heading to our meet point without using designated walk paths. The safety people were going nuts demanding they enter the building and then exit again using the correct walk path. I simply told them I was heading to my car and if there was a problem, talk to me on the clock. My question is, I know it is their property but how does an employee handle this? They dont own me til I clock in and I will not acknowledge their commands til I am on the clock.

Nice try on their part. LOL
I guess it is a viable drill to ensure the safety of the people before their start time.
Interesting question though.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
We had the same drill yesterday. It happened when one Center just started and 15 minutes before mine started. I just went out the pedestrian door to the meet point. Somebody asked during our PCM if our start time was changed, the center manager just laughed it off.
 

TearsInRain

IE boogeyman
evacuation drill
enter the building
negative ghostrider

those safety people have their heads up their a**es

I know it is their property but how does an employee handle this? They dont own me til I clock in and I will not acknowledge their commands til I am on the clock.

if you're not on the clock and you refuse to obey their instructions, the most they can ask you to do is leave
on the clock of course would be totally different
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
negative ghostrider

those safety people have their heads up their a**es



if you're not on the clock and you refuse to obey their instructions, the most they can ask you to do is leave
on the clock of course would be totally different

File this one under "Advice Not to Follow"

Emergencies rarely occur as scheduled. If you are on company property you are obligated to participate in the drill.
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
When the evacuation alarm is ringing, why would you re-enter the building the alarm is ringing for? I don't care who gives the order. You can't be made to work unsafe, remember?
 

dannyboy

From the promised LAND
File this one under "Advice Not to Follow"

Emergencies rarely occur as scheduled. If you are on company property you are obligated to participate in the drill.
Let me add, regardless of on or off the clock. A customer would have the same resposibility, as would a contractor on property.

d
 

tourists24

Well-Known Member
File this one under "Advice Not to Follow"

Emergencies rarely occur as scheduled. If you are on company property you are obligated to participate in the drill.

I would agree if they agreed to pay me for the time. I am not obligated to do anything for them if I am not on the clock. Thats why I went back to my car. If they wanted me to leave the premises, I would have done so til my start time.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
I would agree if they agreed to pay me for the time. I am not obligated to do anything for them if I am not on the clock. Thats why I went back to my car. If they wanted me to leave the premises, I would have done so til my start time.

I was going to ask if any of the drivers simply sat in their cars until the drill was over.
 

tourists24

Well-Known Member
Again, why would he re-enter the building just to exit? No customer or contractor would be made to do that.
This was because they wanted employees to use the proper walk areas. I thought it was hilarious they way they were behaving. It wasnt a problem for people who were already in the building, but for the ones just arriving it was. They were heading from the parking lot to the building. But once they heard the evacuation alarm they were not entering the building; they were simply heading to the rally point.
 

tourists24

Well-Known Member
I was going to ask if any of the drivers simply sat in their cars until the drill was over.

That's what I did. If they had told me to leave I would have and returned at my start time. It was only 15 minutes before start time so it wasnt a big deal to me. They simply wanted to do the drill before start time so they didnt have to do it on the clock. We have always done it at PCM time until this time
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
This was because they wanted employees to use the proper walk areas. I thought it was hilarious they way they were behaving. It wasnt a problem for people who were already in the building, but for the ones just arriving it was. They were heading from the parking lot to the building. But once they heard the evacuation alarm they were not entering the building; they were simply heading to the rally point.

I get the point, I just don't follow along like a lemming, anymore. I would have added the time to my start time in my diad. I do not work off the clock, period. It was a drill; therefore, should be done on the clock. NO MATTER WHAT.
 

tourists24

Well-Known Member
I get the point, I just don't follow along like a lemming, anymore. I would have added the time to my start time in my diad. I do not work off the clock, period. It was a drill; therefore, should be done on the clock. NO MATTER WHAT.
Exactly; they were simply trying to do the drill and assume people would do it off the clock
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
I agree. Union should be doing something about it. Your steward should be pissed. Why do I think nothing will come of it?
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
Exactly; they were simply trying to do the drill and assume people would do it off the clock

Call the ethics hotline. mention gross negligence by forcing employees who are off the clock to enter the building into a potentially dangerous situation (unknown to you or other employees just arriving, aside the alarms), coercing/harrassing employees to work/participate off the clock in activities that shuold be paid time, etc. Easy.



*don't take this too seriously
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
Call the ethics hotline. mention gross negligence by forcing employees who are off the clock to enter the building into a potentially dangerous situation (unknown to you or other employees just arriving, aside the alarms), coercing/harrassing employees to work/participate off the clock in activities that shuold be paid time, etc. Easy.
Sounds like a stunt I would pull just to teach a few people a lesson. LOL!!


*don't take this too seriously
 
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menotyou

bella amicizia

I tried to say that sleeve put forward an action/stunt I would probably pull in order to teach my management team a lesson. LOL!!
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
I tried to say that sleeve put forward an action/stunt I would probably pull in order to teach my management team a lesson. LOL!!


Imagine the building were TRULY on fire or there was an imminent disaster - do you think managers would be hustling people from the parking lot or walk path entrance INTO THE BUILDING, still?

This is a great little reason why UPS is truly an unethical company (assuming the story goes as-is)

there is NO REASON for any management to harrass off the clock employees regarding an emergency evac drill, especially when it is KNOWN that it was a drill in the first place.
 
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