MRA (Market Rate Adjustment) Raise Exceptions

R. Mutt

"You're not my supervisor!"
Our hub (in Central States region) recently established an MRA raise of about $6.50/hour over minimum rate to $21/hour for our part time workers in order to attract staffing.

I work in Revenue Recovery at said hub and did not receive the MRA Raise because "we are employees of the center rather than the hub."

Of course this is wholly BS since the distinction is ridiculous and arbitrary. We work from the same seniority list for extra work and when we finish with our shifts we perform hub work to keep the extra work list exhausted so that supervisors can continue to work. Additionally, as I'm head steward for the sort, I spend a fair amount of time engaged in union related activity, almost always relating to or on behalf of hub employees--a detail that, I think, adds to the absurdity of the distinction. The only real meaningful difference is the SLIC number on our paychecks.

Obviously, I plan on grieving this, but there are some complications. When I called up our business agent to discuss the issue her comment on it was that "It's an MRA raise; the company can do whatever they want with it" and her recommendation was for us to just transfer out of our positions and back to the hub to get the raise. I could do that, but I don't want to throw away the seniority I have for job preference just to be thrown into the sort aisle or unload rather than fight a pretty open and shut case of workplace discrimination or possibly even retaliation for union activity. From my BAs comments and from personal experience I have pretty solid reason to believe that if my grievance is deadlocked in my negotiation with our finance manager then I shouldn't expect any amount of effort from our local in a hearing, so, I'm trying to do my homework well before I hand off my grievance to an eventual shrug and apology for having lost.

Has anyone had any experience with something similar, even tangentially? I'm looking for any kind of precedent I can point to in negotiations or something so blaring that even our local can't overlook it--or something concise that I can put directly into the grievance to ensure it is brought up in any hearing.

Any advice is appreciated, happy to answer any related questions.
 

...

Nah
Has anyone had any experience with something similar, even tangentially?
This is about as tangential as you can get, but when I was working in a big hub they did this. Raised it from $10.20 to $15.00 at the beginning of 2018. I was a car washer at the time, and the raise was for "package handlers." There was some concern car washers would not get the raise as a result, but we did. Also central region.

Probably not very helpful, but felt like sharing it anyway.
 

R. Mutt

"You're not my supervisor!"
How many people work in Revenue Recovery?

I mean is it just you or several employees?
There's 3 of us on Day sort and 3 on twilight. 5 out of 6 are being affected as the 6th is already making more than 21 an hour. All 5 of us are filing on it and the 3 of us on day sort have all threatened to transfer out of the department if the situation isn't resolved favorably by next Monday, but, obviously we would prefer not to have to do that.
 

R. Mutt

"You're not my supervisor!"
This is about as tangential as you can get, but when I was working in a big hub they did this. Raised it from $10.20 to $15.00 at the beginning of 2018. I was a car washer at the time, and the raise was for "package handlers." There was some concern car washers would not get the raise as a result, but we did. Also central region.

Probably not very helpful, but felt like sharing it anyway.
That's actually helpful, especially considering you're in Central States. I talked to my BA about it earlier today and she's come around to our side of the fight so I'm feeling a bit more heartened overall, especially now that it has become a multi-grievant grievance.

On top of that, I plan on making payroll's life miserable by tracking the amount of time I spend doing hub work and union work and grieving to have those hours paid at the higher rate. Hopefully it will just be enough of a headache they they cave.

Appreciate the replies, all.
 

Jlandry

Well-Known Member
They are doing that all over the country. I inquired about this and was shown several arbitration decisions from around the country and the union lost every one of them. The company can do that because of the language “this shall be minimums”. Good luck. This has been going on for years all over the country.
 

Maple Grove MN Driver

Cocaine Mang!
There's 3 of us on Day sort and 3 on twilight. 5 out of 6 are being affected as the 6th is already making more than 21 an hour. All 5 of us are filing on it and the 3 of us on day sort have all threatened to transfer out of the department if the situation isn't resolved favorably by next Monday, but, obviously we would prefer not to have to do that.
You won't be transferring out of your department.
I guarantee you that.
 

R. Mutt

"You're not my supervisor!"
They are doing that all over the country. I inquired about this and was shown several arbitration decisions from around the country and the union lost every one of them. The company can do that because of the language “this shall be minimums”. Good luck. This has been going on for years all over the country.
That's awful. I hate to hear it.

It's looking like my grievance has been successful. They settled. I haven't been paid yet, but it's settled.
 

nWo

Well-Known Member
FB_IMG_1620881541245.jpg
 

R. Mutt

"You're not my supervisor!"
Dang, we only got $22/hr for preload. Lucky ducks. I guess the cost of living is probably a bit higher out by CACH tho.
 

cachmeifucan

Well-Known Member
How nice it it for the guy been there 18 years who makes 22$ a hour now making the same as a new hire. Full time combo 32.89× 40 ==1,315. New hire make 27 on night 24 on sunrise 22 on day sort. So 27 $ a hour×25 hours equals $675. 15 hours overtime at 40.50 is $607. So thats 1,282. So now a full time 22.3 with over 30 years is making 33 dollars more a week. For 40 hours. I know the union is happy because now they get more dues money. Im pro union but the company offers more so remind me how thats fair.
 

MyTripisCut

Never bought my own handtruck
Anyone else feel that this diminishes driver rate as well? I mean, now a part timer will make more per hour than a newly hired 22.4 driver? The ripple effect of this is not gonna be good, we have MRA adjustment waiting at our hub as well for $19.75 for pre load only.
 
Anyone else feel that this diminishes driver rate as well? I mean, now a part timer will make more per hour than a newly hired 22.4 driver? The ripple effect of this is not gonna be good, we have MRA adjustment waiting at our hub as well for $19.75 for pre load only.
Starting UPS delivery driver wage is still higher than Amazon delivery driver rate.
 
Top