My bid route is cut, what now?

[idrivethetruck]

I got bumped off of the route I had for 2 years in January so of course I bid on another one. Problem is, that route has been cut now for about a month. They didn't move me off my old route until the first week in April when I was on vacation. When I came back, they had me run the route I ran 2 years ago. The next week, the guy who took my old route was on vacation so I just ran that one. This week, they have been jerking me around, sticking me on a different route every day. I have been told that they will be eliminating my bid route permanently and at that time I will be able to bid on another route but what do I do in the mean time?
I read in the contract that when a driver's route is eliminated (cut), then he can bump any junior driver, but management isn't wanting to comply. I even punched in on another driver's diad this morning and told them I was running his route but they threatened disciplinary action if I didn't run what they wanted me to run. I called my local, but the business agent hasn't returned my call yet. Don't I have the right to bump another driver in this situation? Suggestions?

 

[speeddemon]

You can bump anyone in your loop that you have seniority over. Or, you can bump anyone on a training route that you have seniority over.

 

[dilligaf]

Generally speaking, yes, you have the right to bump a less senior driver. This is why the contract says seniority shall prevail. I would file a grievance for each violation.

And you also have the right to follow the majority (51%) of your rte (if you have more seniority than the driver that got it).

 

[JonFrum]

Seniority rights differ somewhat from one regional Supplement to another. If you say what Supplement you are under, maybe someone from that area can help you.

Sounds like you may need to file a grievance to have your route declared "officially" cut, and force a move to another permanent route.

 

[helenofcalifornia]

Will your route return to action when the volume returns?

 

[DorkHead]

In our center if there is 40 bid routes and they are running 44, you would get to choose any 1 of the 4 extra in that day. If they are running 40 then you can bump the lowest seniority driver

 

[idrivethetruck]

Well, they didn't have anything planned for me to do today so I chose to come home instead of having to run something I didn't know. Anyway, I just got off the phone with the business agent from my local union and he says that until my bid route is cut permanently, then the only seniority I have is with the cover drivers. Ain't that a b*t%h!! 19 years and I'm stuck running coverage!

 

[QKRSTKR]

Well you must have a bad suppelment. Here if your bid rte is cut you can follow 51% of your work if you have more senoirity. If there is more than a 2 way split, you can follow which ever portion you choose provided you have more senority. Once your rte has been eliminated you can bump any junior driver with a rte. The procedure goes 3 times with the 4th move being assigned.

 

[idrivethetruck]

I don't think it's a bad suppliment, I'm sure it's a weak local. The union here is a joke and for the 19 years I have been with the company they seem to have been in UPS's back pocket.

 

[GUTHREE]

they bust out my car alot also. i just bid on it too. i was told from hearsay union people.
a. go home. use my personal days for pay, or
b. ask other drivers if they want day off, and run their routes (only because they used to mine, or that i know them very well), or
c. bump, any junior driver on any UN-ASSIGNED route. use your seniority and bump one of these drivers. we have alot of routes that drivers go back and forth to feeders. run these when yours is busted. learn it. most of them, are not bad, since a senior driver bid on them. i was just told that you just can't bump anyone with less seniority than you, and that they have to be running a UN-ASSIGNED route.

so far, it's kinda cool. i run one route every chance i get when mine is busted. i do know that our dispatcher does ASK

 

[GUTHREE]

that's just from what i know, and so far our whole center has gone along with it.....for now....

 

[ups1990]

Generally speaking, yes, you have the right to bump a less senior driver. This is why the contract says seniority shall prevail. I would file a grievance for each violation.

And you also have the right to follow the majority (51%) of your rte (if you have more seniority than the driver that got it).

We had a senior driver here in So. Cal. who filed on this same point and won. His route was on the low end of the alphabet loop and was getting cut almost everyday. More than %50 of His route was being put on a driver with less seniority, so He filed and won. Now the other driver is back running cover. Too bad for this person, but seniority is what should always be in view.

 

[tourists24]

I don't think it's a bad suppliment, I'm sure it's a weak local. The union here is a joke and for the 19 years I have been with the company they seem to have been in UPS's back pocket.

which supplement do you fall under?.... it would really help if we could see the actual language that applies

 

[dilligaf]

We had a senior driver here in So. Cal. who filed on this same point and won. His route was on the low end of the alphabet loop and was getting cut almost everyday. More than %50 of His route was being put on a driver with less seniority, so He filed and won. Now the other driver is back running cover. Too bad for this person, but seniority is what should always be in view.

I'm glad to hear that this point was won. With all the lay-offs and cutting of rtes I'm guessing there will be more of these types of grievances.

 

[idrivethetruck]

If it was this cut and dried, I wouldn't have much of a problem. The problem is that my bid route is split between 5 or 6 drivers and there is no 50% to follow.
I spoke with my manager about this on Friday and he told me that my bid route has officially been eliminated and that I need to start thinking about whose route to take. I guess someone is getting bumped.

 

[ups1990]

If it was this cut and dried, I wouldn't have much of a problem. The problem is that my bid route is split between 5 or 6 drivers and there is no 50% to follow.
I spoke with my manager about this on Friday and he told me that my bid route has officially been eliminated and that I need to start thinking about whose route to take. I guess someone is getting bumped.

PAS, combined with the slow economy, has given alot of drivers headache's

 

[QKRSTKR]

If it was this cut and dried, I wouldn't have much of a problem. The problem is that my bid route is split between 5 or 6 drivers and there is no 50% to follow.
I spoke with my manager about this on Friday and he told me that my bid route has officially been eliminated and that I need to start thinking about whose route to take. I guess someone is getting bumped.

Take what ever rte you can and don't feel bad. Senority is just that. You have a right to have a rte, not your fault they cut yours.

 

[GUTHREE]

i just heard from our building manager here that when your route is busted, you can run someone else's route with less seniority than you. it doesn't have to be a "un-assigned" route, but they said you have to have "area knowledge?" ***...........

 

[trplnkl]

i just heard from our building manager here that when your route is busted, you can run someone else's route with less seniority than you. it doesn't have to be a "un-assigned" route, but they said you have to have "area knowledge?" ***...........

That's why we have a contract, the proper procedure is lined out for this, but can be different from one area of the country to another. Get with your union steward and/or business agent to find out what is SUPPOSED to happen. Managers are notorious for passing by the contract to do what is easier for them, sometimes the manger has no idea what the contract even says.