Question for Shop Stewards and (maybe) Management

[Solidarity413]

Red, I have absolutely no desire nor do my co-workers of me ever becoming a shop steward; in fact, there is a posting in my center now for a FT shop steward and I can just imagine the reaction if I were to sign it. That being said, I do appreciate all that you do for your members, as I am sure they do as well. My only point was if the steward has his ***** together as far as contract knowledge then there should be no reason for what Tie referred to as "grandstanding". Discussions can grow heated but yelling for the sake of putting on a show does little to resolve an issue. Dave.

I think you'd make a good steward, but what I really want to address is this issue of 'grandstanding'. If by grandstanding you mean standing on a soap box and yelling silly things then yes I feel that is useless. But around here grandstanding to our center manager and those likes means shutting the sort aisle down and not starting it until it's cleaned, when a sup is working you actually stop them, when you see a new hire being told about production rates for preloading or loading you have your own PCM before break is over and remind everyone it's a fair days work for fair days pay.

Around here they consider the above grandstanding. Why? Because anything that has to do with being a good Teamster and a good union member is grandstanding to them, they want you to come in their office and have a little one on one chat with them to 'figure it out'. But what that really means is don't educate your members on their rights and please don't follow the contract.

 

[Catatonic]

But around here grandstanding to our center manager and those likes means shutting the sort aisle down and not starting it until it's cleaned,
Anyone can hit the stop button if there is a safety concern ... mgt decides when to restart

when a sup is working you actually stop them,
How? ... you may file a grievance but you can't stop them

when you see a new hire being told about production rates for preloading or loading you have your own PCM before break is over and remind everyone it's a fair days work for fair days pay.
As long as the other employees want to listen to yoou on their own break time, that sounds reasonable

Around here they consider the above grandstanding. Why? Because anything that has to do with being a good Teamster and a good union member is grandstanding to them, they want you to come in their office and have a little one on one chat with them to 'figure it out'.
Like adults?

But what that really means is don't educate your members on their rights and please don't follow the contract.
Probably more indifferent than a conspiracy.

Somehow, I get the feeling you are a frustrated management wannabee.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Somehow, I get the feeling you are a frustrated management wannabee.

Good points.

 

[Solidarity413]

Somehow, I get the feeling you are a frustrated management wannabee.

Never that.

Since when did mgmt tell the sorters when to start the belt? This is definitely now what happens in our hub, when I was a sorter if you cut the belt for safety reasons YOU turned the belt back on when you felt it was safe which usually meant after all the boxes where cleaned up. There is nothing wrong with raising a concern to your center manager or management but there is something wrong with them wanting to keep it hush hush by inviting you in their office and not wanting you to alert other workers to what the concern is. That's what I was geting at sorry if I didn't articulate it.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

only lower management gets those, in the offices, trade off for working easy jobs

You totally missed the Dire Straights reference (money for nothing, chicks for free).

 

[Catatonic]

There is nothing wrong with raising a concern to your center manager or management but there is something wrong with them wanting to keep it hush hush by inviting you in their office and not wanting you to alert other workers to what the concern is. That's what I was geting at sorry if I didn't articulate it.

Gotcha.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

You totally missed the Dire Straights reference (money for nothing, chicks for free).

You totally missed that I didn't miss it. One of my fav bands, actually. It was an obvious one I thought, thats why I didn't comment.