Part timers

[Integrity]

These are some pretty young kids we r talking about. I came to preload so drunk one time I passed out while sorting (mostly just fear of calling in). Usually anyone with a serious drug or alcohol problem will soon be fired for attendance issues. The rest of us grow out of it.

Brownslave688,

Your coming to work drunk put yourself and others at risk of injury or death. This was an irresponsible act.

I know this kind of irresponsibility often comes with drunkeness.

Have you grown out of getting drunk?

Sincerely,
I

 

[LongTimeComing]

Nobody is punishing anybody for what they do at home. All we'd be doing is telling them that they can't work here. This isn't punishment, it's prohibition.

Look, I'm not grouping everyone together. There are plenty of potheads that work just fine. But, just like football coach says...It only takes one to ruin it for everyone. In general..(as in, not everyone).....people abusing illegal substances are more likely to injure themselves or others at he workplace, have attendance problems, under-perform, and just generally be of a lower quality. Not all, but most.

Interaction with the customer....how does that matter at all in the context of this conversation? We are talking about upping the pay....and therefor upping the quality.....of our inside building part timers. We aren't talking about the sales department. Lets trust some stoned, rolling, high, tweaked group of people to handle our packages properly, move them accurately, or give a crap about the company or customer? Because we can trust them to not be tempted to steal when they do God-knows-what to procure their drugs at home? I usually find agreement in your Bubble of Goodness....but maybe that just went 'up in smoke'......

I don't intend to steer this conversation towards the politics and legalities of drug usage (weed)....I'm talking about overall quality of new hires in relation to upping the starting pay. Don't get it twisted, shawty.

 

[TxRoadDawg]

Sorry LongTimeComing but I've always told anyone working for me whats in the gate stays in the gate, whats outside stays outside. I don't care what anyone does off the clock as long as they come in and do whats needed on the clock. I've never used drugs with any of my emps but I have downed more than a few beers with the ones that crossed my path off the clock. my QPR is all performance based, not morality or legality based. long as thts the case I'd work Dahmer, Bundy, or Attila the Hunn if they could get me 3 more pph and no misloads...

 

[LongTimeComing]

Sorry LongTimeComing but I've always told anyone working for me whats in the gate stays in the gate, whats outside stays outside. I don't care what anyone does off the clock as long as they come in and do whats needed on the clock. I've never used drugs with any of my emps but I have downed more than a few beers with the ones that crossed my path off the clock. my QPR is all performance based, not morality or legality based. long as thts the case I'd work Dahmer, Bundy, or Attila the Hunn if they could get me 3 more pph and no misloads...

If this is a common perception, then why are there drug tests at all? Would you feel safe flying on a plane that a heroine addict who is a convicted felon load planned? Multiply that by 10,000 and you will find a whole lot more errors than a successfully screened load planner. I'm not directly disagreeing with what you are saying....I actually feel the same way. But when we try to look at it realistically on the scale that UPS has to deal with, and the numbers won't add up.

If any huge company found the need/cost ratio justifiable to implement a piss test, I can promise you it is to increase the quality of applicants more than any other reason. It's the nature of large numbers. I may not agree with it, along with you, in my particular situation but that's how things are. It's undeniable. There are reasons why poverty, drug usage, and crime all increase in tandem with one another. There are always exceptions....but, as with everything else, you plan for the norm.

 

[Brownslave688]

Brownslave688,

Your coming to work drunk put yourself and others at risk of injury or death. This was an irresponsible act.

I know this kind of irresponsibility often comes with drunkeness.

Have you grown out of getting drunk?

Sincerely,
I

Hence "the rest of us grow out of it".

 

[Nimnim]

...which is why I added the disclaimer of no customer contact...does it really matter that some kid in the unload smoked a joint before coming in that morning?

I would fully agree with you were the substances that flagged positive on a drug test not illegal. I currently enjoy the lack of grooming standards that I have because I don't deal with customers, but long hair and a beard is not something that a cop can arrest me for because it's not a crime. I also won't go into work if I'm sick and the medication I take says, "Don't operate machinery."

No customer contact just means regulations are easier relaxed, but it doesn't mean someone can still perform illegal activities and then show up to work. If I went to a bar and had a few drinks and then came into work I'd fully expect my management to tell me to go home, or attempt to fire me. Why should that be any different than showing up to work early, smoking a joint in the parking lot then walking into work stoned?

 

[Nimnim]

One more note, in my hub people aren't drug tested unless they're loading the air packages, FAA requirement for certification or something, or they're exhibiting strange behavior that multiple people witness that causes concern. If someone is doing some form of drug in their off time, but are always coming into work sober and never show signs of something strange they won't be tested and it's a non issue. Not saying it's right or wrong, but if those people are being "responsible" and not coming to work under the influence and not causing attendance issues it's not a problem for the company, but inevitably they will either come to work intoxicated or become and attendance issue and will either be found out or terminated for attendance.

 

[curiousbrain]

Do you mean the bunny boots?

Yup.

Google for `bunny boots` or `mickey boots`.

I have a pair, and use them when I go hiking on Mt. Washington in the winter; can't beat them.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

If this is a common perception, then why are there drug tests at all? Would you feel safe flying on a plane that a heroine addict who is a convicted felon load planned? Multiply that by 10,000 and you will find a whole lot more errors than a successfully screened load planner. I'm not directly disagreeing with what you are saying....I actually feel the same way. But when we try to look at it realistically on the scale that UPS has to deal with, and the numbers won't add up.

If any huge company found the need/cost ratio justifiable to implement a piss test, I can promise you it is to increase the quality of applicants more than any other reason. It's the nature of large numbers. I may not agree with it, along with you, in my particular situation but that's how things are. It's undeniable. There are reasons why poverty, drug usage, and crime all increase in tandem with one another. There are always exceptions....but, as with everything else, you plan for the norm.

The example you gave is why I actually like our contract language on drug use - I feel that it strikes a good balance between personal privacy and public safety. Drug tests occur after an accident or upon reasonable cause suspicion arising from two (2) supervisors trained in drug awareness observing suspicious behavior. The suspected employee is allowed to have a union rep present and can opt to give a blood sample at the same time as his urine sample; if the blood test is negative (meaning they weren't stoned at work) then the urine sample is tossed out. Should someone be allowed to smoke a joint and drive a package car or an irreg train? Absolutely not. Should they be punished for doing the same on the weekend when they don't have to report to the job? Again, absolutely not.

I don't care what my brain surgeon or my air plane pilot does on the weekend, as long as he's qualified and sober as a judge when he's on the job.

 

[PT Stewie]

upon reasonable cause suspicion arising from two (2) supervisors trained in drug awareness observing suspicious behavior. The suspected employee is allowed to have a union rep present

Good knowledge of the contract !!!!!! the key word is "trained"

 

[tardus]

Take my advice: never get into a car pool situation with fellow employees who like to drink and do drugs! I am lucky that the two guys in my car pool both lost their licenses for DUI's before we got killed. I will never make that mistake again!