No tolerance accident policy in feeders

[STLFeeder]

Here in Earth City our wonderful management has informed the union that they have decided to change the current accident policy to a no tolerance policy. I am sure the regular policy is the same at most hubs and centers. 3 at fault accidents in a year and you are fired. Now they have decided that if we have one then we are gone. Although they seem to use it on case by case basis. Our local has basically told us to not have any accidents. They decided to make an example out of a 22 year driver, 20 of those being safe driving. He forgot to set his brake and his tractor rolled into another truck. We all know that a roll away is one of the biggest cardinal sins at this company. Well he was fired and somehow they made it stick. He never got his job back.

To make a long story short, they have got everyone here so nervous about doing something wrong that they are screwing up. Drivers have said that they will not be coming in this winter when it snows because of what may happen if they have an accident. We had a driver just get his job back after getting fired for hitting another tractor in the yard, and going thorugh a month or so of hearings and other things to get his job back. He started work on day and was ready to take off, when he dropped his pen. He bent over to get it and let his foot off the brake accidently and rolled into the tractor parked in front of him. They fired him and charged him with a roll away even though he was in the tractor. They finally changed their decision and classified it as a runaway. Anytime you have an acident because you are not in control of your vehicle you will be charged with a runaway. We asked if that means when it snows this winter and someone loses control on slick roads if they will be charged with a runaway and lose their job. They said yes.

Transportation manager called up an extended center driver because he has hit 3 dear in the last year or so. He is basically blaming him for it. He travels a dark US highway everynight. He has told him to quit using his cruise control because it slows your reaction. This guy should just go back to the air department where he came from.

 

[trickpony1]

STLFeeder-
"...decided to change the current accident policy....", would that be a unilateral change to the contract language or an extracontractual agreement? Both could be considered suspect as well as possibly illegal.

Anyway, some of these "policies" that management claim are "nationwide" aren't really "nationwide".

I find it curious that we just had a driver flip his back trailer recently. Don't know the specifics of the accident but he was off one day.

Your manager has just screwed himself. When the weather gets bad I guess he'll just have to contract all those loads. As feeder drivers what choice do we have?

-get a warning letter for attendance because we called in sick or;
-have an accident and get fired.

hmmmmm.....tough decision

How does using your cruise control slow one's reaction time? That's got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard!

 

[over9five]

I don't believe it. No way they could get away with that.

 

[STLFeeder]

We know it isn't going on nationwide. We talk to other feeder drivers from other hubs and they are as surprised as we are about this. I am not sure how they can get away with it either. We were just told by our local that mgmnt had contacted them and told them no tolerance anymore. Then our local told us to not have anymore accidents.

We had a feeder driver get fired for flipping his back box when he was trying to avoid a vehicle that was going very slow on the highway. He was off for a month also before he got his job back.

When the feeder driver that dropped his pen and his tractor rolled into another came back, one of our full time Sups came out, congratulated him and said he was sorry. He said he use to love coming to work, but with the way it is getting here now, he can't wait to go home at the end of the day.

None of our road sups even agree that this is right. I just can't see how it is productive to threaten us with our jobs if we have an accident. It is to the point where when anyone has an accident we all start asking eachother whether they got walked out or not.

 

[trickpony1]

STLFeeder-
In the interest of safety and to minimize the chance of a rollaway perhaps you should pull the trailer valve also when parking.
When the brake shoes freeze to the drums, oh well.........call a mechanic.

Have you thought about calling the corporate hotline to report the actions and attitudes of this new manager?

The number is 1-800-220-4126 (put this number in your cell phone speed dial)
If you wish to remain "ANON", press *67, then dial the 1-800 number. I think this jams their caller ID.

 

[Deuce]

wow... thats pretty bad

 

[Just Lurking]

STLFeeder-
In the interest of safety and to minimize the chance of a rollaway perhaps you should pull the trailer valve also when parking.
When the brake shoes freeze to the drums, oh well.........call a mechanic.

Have you thought about calling the corporate hotline to report the actions and attitudes of this new manager?

The number is 1-800-220-4126 (put this number in your cell phone speed dial)
If you wish to remain "ANON", press *67, then dial the 1-800 number. I think this jams their caller ID.

Trick - You cannot "ANON" a toll free number. The owner of the toll free number will get print out of all incoming numbers for billing purposes. Better to use a public phone if you want to increase your chances of "ANON".

 

[Just Lurking]

I don't believe it. No way they could get away with that.

It's true. Unfortunately, the Missouri district is leading the nation in accidents. If you are to beleive our local management, we have almost double any other districts frequency.

I did not help this past week either.

 

[webterractive]

Well I love the union that we have, they share our point of view and not the companies. One fault accident policy is good because we underpaid UPSers should be perfect like management. This will make me purchase some stock and put in more hours then I need to, like work on weekends and stuff.

 

[STLFeeder]

Yeah that is what they are telling us also. The accident rate really started going up when they started this no tolerance policy. Everyone is trying so hard not to have an accident, that they are putting more and more pressure on themselves to be perfect. This only leads to one thing. If you can't do you job relaxed, you will eventually screw up. Nobody wants to have an accident, but they happen. Most guys are upset enough about the accident to have to start wondering if they are going to have a job the next day.

 

[trickpony1]

Let me guess.........
The same managers that are hanging the zero tolerance policy around your neck are also the same managers that are ragging on you about:
-late pull times
-late arrivals
-"you took three minutes too long on this leg but never mind that you made up five minutes on this leg"
-start time too long
-finish work too long
-on road turnaround too long ( like you can control when the meet guy gets there).
I would suggest that everyone do a complete pre-trip as well as post-trip, if there is even a hint of an unsafe situation (small air leak), punch BOP and go to the shop and, most important, follow their safe work method of "get out and look" (if you're not sure about something like), did I disconnect my air lines and light cord and are my legs down on my rear trailer before I disconnect my dolly?
Safety First.

 

[over9five]

I agree with Trick. You guys have to give it back to them HARD.
File as many grievances as possible, and make your department look like sh** to the upper management. Send them a message.

Remember, they started it. If that's the way they want to treat their employees, well, we can be that way too.

 

[Deuce]

over9 has the right idea. they don't seem to be leaving you many options so you just have to "play their game"

do EVERYTHING by the book.... file any grievance you can etc..

 

[tieguy]

STLFeeder-
In the interest of safety and to minimize the chance of a rollaway perhaps you should pull the trailer valve also when parking.
When the brake shoes freeze to the drums, oh well.........call a mechanic.

Have you thought about calling the corporate hotline to report the actions and attitudes of this new manager?

The number is 1-800-220-4126 (put this number in your cell phone speed dial)
If you wish to remain "ANON", press *67, then dial the 1-800 number. I think this jams their caller ID.

Your solution appears to be to respond to one act of hysteria with another. The zero tolerance policy will clearly not fly. Its meant to send a message but it tends to send the wrong message. The company in this case has taken a position it can not win and which will end up costing lots of money in litigation. The best thing the drivers can do in this case is to take the high ground and ride it out.

 

[trickpony1]

Tie-

"The company......has taken a position it can not win......."

Does the company care?

(no sarcasm intended)

 

[705red]

A roll away is a cardinal infraction,very hard to win.As to changing the contact to a no tolerance policy,wont happen no side agreements should happen.Are you under the national contract or a seperate local contract?Nail them to the wall with grievances,feeder guys usually are the best at sticking together,start with name tags they love that 1.

 

[STLFeeder]

We do have a local agreemnet to go along with the master. But we had always been told that the accident policy was 3 at fault accidents within a 12 month period and you lose your job. Now we are all worried about having one. They haven't really done anything to guys that have had your normal little yard mistake accidents. They have been going after anyone that has an at fault accident on the road though. Thinking back since they started this whole no tolerance deal, they seem to be picking and choosing on when they want to enforce it. They have just got everyone nervous and scared to make a mistake though.

 

[Anonymous 101]

here in nyc if you are charged with 3 accidents you get 1 day suspension

 

[tieguy]

Tie-

"The company......has taken a position it can not win......."

Does the company care?

(no sarcasm intended)

I'm not sure depends on whether they decide to talk zero tolerance policy or do more and actually try to enforce one. I've been in management for over twenty years and most management I have seen think and act in rational lets get the job done terms. However I do have to admit that occasionally we get a couple together who take a drink from the poisoned cool-aid and the rest is history.

If they take a position where they fire when they can't contractually fire then you and I know they will end up paying through expensive panel losses and back pay.

The zero tolerance policy is announced because some management person is frustrated with all the accidents in MO. Wrong solution obviously but they feel they can't reach the drivers and convince them to be carefull so now we will scare the hell out of everyone.

Take the high ground. Be extra carefull when driving. Don't let it bother you.

 

[twnjrspc]

I'm not sure depends on whether they decide to talk zero tolerance policy or do more and actually try to enforce one. I've been in management for over twenty years and most management I have seen think and act in rational lets get the job done terms. However I do have to admit that occasionally we get a couple together who take a drink from the poisoned cool-aid and the rest is history.

If they take a position where they fire when they can't contractually fire then you and I know they will end up paying through expensive panel losses and back pay.

The zero tolerance policy is announced because some management person is frustrated with all the accidents in MO. Wrong solution obviously but they feel they can't reach the drivers and convince them to be carefull so now we will scare the hell out of everyone.

Take the high ground. Be extra carefull when driving. Don't let it bother you.

Tieguy, let me first commend you for your open minded thought process. It's been many years since i've heard someone from management speak with such honesty and integrity, and i've got thirty years to reflect on. however, this is typical UPS. Lets get the whip out, and show'em who's boss. If everyone would slow down to a normal safe pace, and work according to all the methods set forth by UPS, in a safe manner , dot all your I"s, cross all your T"s, etc. etc. etc., then we'd be called into the office and fired for humping the pooch. We'd all be over company standard. That is where this problem is, company standards. They are unrealistic time allotments that we are expected to perfrorm to. You're right, the best defense for any of this is safety. If management asks why you take to long, or why you drive, or walk to slow, your answer...SAFETY!