need advice....

bashmore52

Member
You are 100% correct in that the cutting of routes is killing us drivers. This is why I have mixed feelings about the 8 hour request. If you need to get out early for an event than that's great. If you do it every other friday because you don't wan't to be over-dispatched, then I might have a problem with you.

Where do you think that work goes? Is it suddenly evaporated by the package Fairy? Obviously not. It goes to your fellow drivers. Now, we get a split from your route on Friday because you don't want to work late on Friday. The 8 hour request only screws the drivers and I think its a bad addition to the contract.

Either you want to come to work at UPS for the day or you don't. There should be no getting out early at the expense on another driver staying late. How is that fair? I'm working until 830 on Friday because you want to punch out at 530 because the contract says you can twice every month.

I don't like it. If you need to get out early then you should be forced to take the entire day.

When you put this notice in do you ever think about the other 3 drivers in your loop? Maybe they wanted to finish by 7? Now they are working until 8 because YOU are sick of working until 8 on fridays. It just seams like a selfish clause in the contract and if we are a group of teamsters meant to stick together then we shouldn't request 8 hours for the sole purpose of finishing early on a friday. It forces 3 other drivers to work late for 1 selfish driver's reason.

How is this fair?

If you are having a repetitive problem with this, remind your management team that 8 hour requests can not show a pattern. That protects the mid and lower seniority drivers so the same higher seniority drivers can't take 8 hours every, or every other friday. Of course, do it in the presence of your steward.
 
Brownie, I understand your point of view but ..................... I have to agree with Ovah on this one. We have drivers that come in under 8 hrs every day, while others are still out at 9 and 10 hrs. THAT is what is not fair. Of course it's the R & G ones that are coming in early. They are the ones that screw everyone else. I take my 8 hr requests when I can get them but I have to wade through 10 or 12 drivers that are over me to get them. If my getting my 8 hr requests forces a runner to work a little longer then, as far as I am concerned, OH friend WELL.
+1 load them up
 
Brownie, I understand your point of view but ..................... I have to agree with Ovah on this one. We have drivers that come in under 8 hrs every day, while others are still out at 9 and 10 hrs. THAT is what is not fair. Of course it's the R & G ones that are coming in early. They are the ones that screw everyone else. I take my 8 hr requests when I can get them but I have to wade through 10 or 12 drivers that are over me to get them. If my getting my 8 hr requests forces a runner to work a little longer then, as far as I am concerned, OH friend WELL.

I believe this is the real behind the scenes battle at UPS right now in most locals. The OT guys vs the bonus guys -- it's going to be a battle to the death. Unfortunately, for myself and others I believe the winner will be the bonus boys. The company won't even discipline these people for major infractions as long as they can keep it from getting outside the building. Meanwhile the OT guys get browbeat for everything under the sun and lettered up for minor issues. The union has to do something about the discipline process at this point because for many years now the company has used it as a tool of intimidation and retaliation to get what they want -- FREE WORK. I really wish someone from the IRS would investigate UPS for tax evasion, it has to be 100% illegal to literally instruct people to work off the clock. This is money that the government is losing because UPS has no integrity, the company is living a perpetual lie.
 

Richard Harrow

Deplorable.
The problem with the requesting an 8-hour day is what really is 8 hours? It's not what you think is a fair amount of work to complete in 8 hours, it's what they think is fair.

Salvation is always a phone call away. If you absolutely need to be out of work for something important in the late afternoon, the best bet is to dial those magical numbers and tell them you can't make it in.
 

screamin chicken

Well-Known Member
Chicken That Screams, 8-hour requests are processed by your Steward (and the Center Manager.) Are you saying even with the Steward involved, you are not getting your signed approval/disapproval notice by the end of the following workday? And not getting your 2-hour penalty pay either?
I am not getting anything..... This is all good onfo but again this has nothing really to do about the 8 hr request, I just put it up because I am tired was doing the extra work eveyday of my life because they want to cut routes. I will have 30-45 more stops then anyone, example fri I had 183 stops with a helper fro 2.5 hrs, the other routes ranged (metro routes) 135-150 if they are going to cut routes even the work out and stop dispatching me and dispatching the actual routes. I am just tired of doing that much more work then all the other drivers. I will work all the OT that they want me to, but make it fair. I am not scared of the extra money in fact my goal is to make as much as I can......
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
The problem with the requesting an 8-hour day is what really is 8 hours? It's not what you think is a fair amount of work to complete in 8 hours, it's what they think is fair.

Salvation is always a phone call away. If you absolutely need to be out of work for something important in the late afternoon, the best bet is to dial those magical numbers and tell them you can't make it in.

Does dialing those magic numbers make the work magically deliver itself?
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
I am not getting anything..... This is all good onfo but again this has nothing really to do about the 8 hr request, I just put it up because I am tired was doing the extra work eveyday of my life because they want to cut routes. I will have 30-45 more stops then anyone, example fri I had 183 stops with a helper fro 2.5 hrs, the other routes ranged (metro routes) 135-150 if they are going to cut routes even the work out and stop dispatching me and dispatching the actual routes. I am just tired of doing that much more work then all the other drivers. I will work all the OT that they want me to, but make it fair. I am not scared of the extra money in fact my goal is to make as much as I can......


I asked this in another thread but will do so again here--aren't you the guy who used to a proud runner/gunner? To be blunt you have brought this upon yourself.
 

tourists24

Well-Known Member
If you are having a repetitive problem with this, remind your management team that 8 hour requests can not show a pattern. That protects the mid and lower seniority drivers so the same higher seniority drivers can't take 8 hours every, or every other friday. Of course, do it in the presence of your steward.
What in the world are you talking about? Pattern? where in the contract does it state there cant be a pattern?
 

tourists24

Well-Known Member
It may not be in the contract but he does bring up a valid point in that certain drivers should not always get the preferred days (Fridays) for their 8 hour requests.

I understand it doesnt seem fair but it is a seniority issue. If driver A is an old timer and has seniority over drivers B,C and D he/she can take any day they please. I know it sucks to be the low man on the totem pole, but how do you fairly get to decide when they are allowed to take it?
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
I understand it doesnt seem fair but it is a seniority issue. If driver A is an old timer and has seniority over drivers B,C and D he/she can take any day they please. I know it sucks to be the low man on the totem pole, but how do you fairly get to decide when they are allowed to take it?
+1
Seniority might not seem fair if you're a junior driver, but ultimately it's the only really fair way to do it. Any other method, no matter how well intentioned, eventually just turns into the boss taking care of his boys.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
I understand it doesnt seem fair but it is a seniority issue. If driver A is an old timer and has seniority over drivers B,C and D he/she can take any day they please. I know it sucks to be the low man on the totem pole, but how do you fairly get to decide when they are allowed to take it?

I tried finding the contract language associated with this but was unable to. I was most curious to see if it was by seniority or by date of request.
 

tourists24

Well-Known Member
I'd agree that a more senior man shouldn't be able to bump if he didn't make the request on time.

I tried finding the contract language associated with this but was unable to. I was most curious to see if it was by seniority or by date of request.
There is a time requirement in order to be approved (I think it is 5 calendar days prior). If you dont meet that then all bets are off; but as long as you do, its based entirely on seniority. Now there is a loop requirement also, but thats a different story in itself.
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
I tried finding the contract language associated with this but was unable to. I was most curious to see if it was by seniority or by date of request.
Article 37. Requests have to be in 5 calendar days in advance of the day you want to be relieved of OT. As long as the requests are made on time they are granted in seniority order.
 
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