Preferred Positions...

andrew99

Member
I read: http://www.browncafe.com/community/threads/22-4-paragraph-4-preferred-job-list.103221/ , which gives a decent listing of P/T preferred positions in the warehouse.

I had been on noon-day sort for 6 years, and as of the first week of january, I've been on the twilight shift. Last week was the first week in a new building, where 2/3rds of the small sort jobs are automated, and 40 of the 45 revenue recovery positions were "moved" to a different hub.

Since switching to this sort, I've been unloading package cars and handling bulk(irregs) as they accumulate. It's been a nice break from unloading trailers on my noon-day shift.

Starting with the new building, they've pretty much restricted me to unloading trailers. With the influx of displaced workers - package cars and bulk have been handled by the now-displaced FT/Combo workers who have more seniority. In some situations they ask joe-shmoe loader to come work docks in the unload and move irregs/bulk to the irreg belt. Twice they have staffed displaced (layoff) package car drivers, who have less seniority than I, in said position. In the situation of bringing in loaders and drivers to move irregs, I certainly have more seniority.

At the end of last week, I asked my PT and FT supervisors how long it would be before I could get in on the new package car unload lines or back to handling the bluk. Both supervisors have pretty much told me to fly a kite, stating that moving irregs in the unload is part of the unload, not part of irregs. When on day-sort, I would frequently cover for one of the two diggers when they were absent. My understanding is that the persons with the most seniority in unload, were given a choice to move irregs to the irreg belt. The folks doing irregs in the unload were then staffed to irregs, and not the unload, hence making the job an irreg position and not an unload position. This would parlay into making said job a preferred position. Please correct me if i'm wrong?

I assumed that the same staffing paradigm was in place on this sort... until last week.

So my question is, where does handling irregs fall in regards to preferred positions?? Is it considered to be classified as unload or irregs? When I'm not trumped by seniority, do I have a legitimate complaint towards their staffing of irreg diggers?
 

dillweed

Well-Known Member
As frustrating as it is I don't believe there's a thing you can do.

I'm AM preload in my building. They can tell me to do whatever they want as long as I'm qualified. I've been told "preload is preload" and that's been the case. If a non-premium pay employee does a premium pay job they must be paid higher rate.

hm..on the irregs. We have a guy who drives the bulk train around and drops bulk by the belts. Later, after the sort, unloaders put it up on the belts. Bulk train driver has to unload once in awhile, also has had to sort.

Seems they put us where we perform well. I've seen a few folks turn snail when assigned a job they didn't like. Soon they are taken off and put back where they were. :whiteflag:
 

andrew99

Member
http://www.teamster.org/sites/teams...06 09 Final UPS Master Agreemnt 2008-2013.pdf

Searching through this, the master defines preferred positions as:

Such preferred jobs shall include, but not be limited to: Preload, Sorter, Clerical, Irregular Train, Designated Responder, Carwasher, Loader and
Unloader. Employees do not have the right to select any specific

unit, load or workstation unless a prior past practice has been established.


Unfortunately for me, I think this pretty clearly says that handling irregs anywhere outside of the irregular train is NOT a preferred position. What about facilites whom don't use irreg trains?? Seems to me like the union missed the boat on how new P/T positions are filled, and thus are filled willy-nilly to whoever management wants. Almost seven years of union dues and dutiful grievences which I filed but really never affected me ... and all I have to show for it is the same crap job I started in. Thanks teamsters!
 

filthpig

Well-Known Member
I'm trying to figure this out. Do you really think that your supes have time to think about seniority when trying to staff a new building and volume is piling up? I'll bet they don't. give it time. It'll work out.
 

andrew99

Member
You're right... The management team at this hub is definately overwhelmed. All told, today's management had me staffed somewhere other than unload and it was great.

Perhaps I was spoiled with fair treatment on my other shift, they furnished your seniority date on the staffing next to your name. All things considered equal, much of the staffing was done with seniority in mind. If the master seniority list here was actually updated, I might at least get the feeling that someone at the hub was considering seniority in the staffing decisions. It is well over a year old.

At anyrate, I'm curious to know how other buildings handle sweepers/diggers (usually sweepers put irregs into the load lines, and diggers move irregs out of the unload). Are they classified as irregs / unload / load?
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
You're right... The management team at this hub is definately overwhelmed. All told, today's management had me staffed somewhere other than unload and it was great.

Perhaps I was spoiled with fair treatment on my other shift, they furnished your seniority date on the staffing next to your name. All things considered equal, much of the staffing was done with seniority in mind. If the master seniority list here was actually updated, I might at least get the feeling that someone at the hub was considering seniority in the staffing decisions. It is well over a year old.

At anyrate, I'm curious to know how other buildings handle sweepers/diggers (usually sweepers put irregs into the load lines, and diggers move irregs out of the unload). Are they classified as irregs / unload / load?

Man, there are so many types of operations that you will find many scenerios.

I have worked in 3 buildings and 8 centers. The two smaller buildings run the irregs/bulk directly from the primary. There are no "sweepers" (unless I am missing the definition of such person). The bulk is unloaded onto slides, the the blk drv comes by and picks them up and brings them to the outbounds or preload.

The hub is different. The bulk is unloaded onto slides, then marked for it's primary direct destination. The bulk goes onto a belt that brings it to be scanned and labeled leading up to the "middle bulk" area. They're put onto the bulk trains at that point.

The middle bulk is part of the 'hub' but I do nto believe they are preferred jobs, as there is a rotation of P/Ts and no set P/T ( its mostly friend/T but a few P/T). If they were preferred jobs they would be permanent fixtures there?
 

silenze

Lunch is the best part of the day
in my building the bulk operations have their own pt supervisor. i would express your desire to all other supervisors who run areas you want to transfer to.
Once you help out in another area they usually will call you back. They don't want to risk getting another guy who has no experience. And if they know you your name may pop into their head when they have to beg for help.
 

chopstic

Well-Known Member
I read: http://www.browncafe.com/community/threads/22-4-paragraph-4-preferred-job-list.103221/ , which gives a decent listing of P/T preferred positions in the warehouse.

I had been on noon-day sort for 6 years, and as of the first week of january, I've been on the twilight shift. Last week was the first week in a new building, where 2/3rds of the small sort jobs are automated, and 40 of the 45 revenue recovery positions were "moved" to a different hub.

Do you work in Portland, OR? at the Swann Island hub?
 
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