Safety Committee Disbanded?

browniehound

Well-Known Member
That's the answer I'm going to give to any DOK question from now on. I already got the weird, thick southern accent down cold.

Jones, to be clear I wasn't saying a southern accent was weird, its just a southern accent. However, this guys accent was weird, it was like he was born on the southern part of Mars or something. I never heard anything like it before????
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
UPS is required by OSHA to have a Safety Commitee.

It is not a requirement, nor is it even desired, that the Committee ever accomplish anything.

Authentic safety improvements cost money, and the last thing that the company wants is an independent, employee-controlled organization within UPS that could potentially cost money.

So the best way to control that Committee...is to co-opt it. Put it "in charge" of safe, cheap, meaningless little things like audits and acronyms and word games. Keep it "busy" with activities that are easy to take credit for such as contests and barbecues. And, most importantly, give the "leaders" of the committee preferential treatment and special priveleges in exchange for their cooperation.

Done properly, the result is a "Safety Committee" that is completely under the control of the company.

In other words it just one big charade and everyone knows it. The company pays 5 hourlier at least 1 hour of OT each per week to carry on this charade but questions me because my break time didn't match the records by 2 minutes. I just don't get it.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
I mentioned this to another driver in my building who is the head of the are safety committee the other day and he had no clue he said where did you get your info. I said I just heard a rumor. Well I show up to work today and he tells me that are manger called him in early for a conference call the call was about the union wanting the safety committee gone.
 

paidover95

Well-Known Member
soberups,

Your appraisal of the committees being completely under the control of the company is accurate.

By their actions this appears to be the way the local union officials want it.

All Teamsters have a stake in tha safety committees.

Why do you think the local union officials are refusing to enforce the contract language pertaining to safety committees?

Disbanding safety committees is wrong. Enforcing the contract language is right.

Disbanding safety committees is simply showing, the company, OSHA, the world that unions are unreasonable.

This is a sign of imaturity on the leaderships part.

The local union officials have allowed this problem to get out of hand, it is up to them to take whatever steps they need to to make it right.

They should start by meticulously following the safety committee language in the National Agreement Article 18 Sec 20.4.

Sincerely,
I

I dont think they are disbanding the committes.I hear they are hold for the time being.I heard that part of the problem is,in some of the local the B.A.'s are getting , warning letters and hearings of termination,from information from "drivers" on the safety committee.I agree that COMMITTEE MEMBERS should follow the contract and not bring reproach on fellow teamsters.
 

QKRSTKR

Well-Known Member
Dispatcher chased me into a truck because I was clucking like a chicken. He wrote me up for causing "mayhem". (was thrown out, later) Nothing was done about him chasing me into truck and I wasn't allowed to file a grievance. 2 years later, a driver threatened to shove an add/cut sheet up the dispatchers ass and he was fired. Same building, same union local.

I love people like you. It's always someone's else fault. Never your own. Your were "clucking like a chicken" Why? cause you were doing something you didn't like. Did you ask a steward for a grievance form and fill it out? Was the company violating you in any way having you load this area? Who are you to ask who put you there? They are paying you to do a job you are obviously qualified for. No one can tell you your not allowed to file a grievance. Did you document all this and have witnesses? Artilce 37 is a hard one to prove. Supervisors have the right to supervise you when they are paying you to do a job. He probably chased you in a truck and told you to shut the hell up! Sounds to me rightfully so. Were you being dignifed and respectful as you were clucking like a chicken? Article 37 ....Employees will treat each other as well as the Employer with dignity & respect.
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
I love people like you. It's always someone's else fault. Never your own. You pick out clucking, but ignore the fact a supervisor stopped production to CHASE me into and out of anything. Other members of sort came to my rescue. Were they lemmings? Your were "clucking like a chicken" Why? cause you were doing something you didn't like. I have to ability to question my position on the sort when I am being told that I am NOT ALLOWED to work any other area, unlike my co-workers. Did you ask a steward for a grievance form and fill it out?I was the steward Was the company violating you in any way having you load this area? Who are you to ask who put you there?I will question anything I please They are paying you to do a job you are obviously qualified for.I was the AM Clerk when I left. I guess surgery dis-qualified me for that. No one can tell you your not allowed to file a grievance.They did. Did you document all this and have witnesses? Still have every notebook I filled out Artilce 37 is a hard one to prove. Supervisors have the right to supervise you when they are paying you to do a job. He probably chased you in a truck and told you to shut the hell up! Sounds to me rightfully so. Were you being dignifed and respectful as you were clucking like a chicken? Article 37 ....Employees will treat each other as well as the Employer with dignity & respect.
Was I being treated with dignity and respect while I was being chased? Did you beat your wife last night?
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
The clucking was dramatic. Yes. Did I deserve to chased? Does anyone? I suppose I deserved to be shoulder-checked while just splitting a belt. I react the way I do because of the insane crap I have been put through. I didn't ask to fired for doing nothing wrong. I did deserve to know why someone from Syracuse whose last name is something teachers do, would take time out of his day-yet again- to put a direct order on my head. How did I draw that attention? I got a payroll grievance paid double while he was Finance Manager. I wanted Psyco Susie to admit that is where the order came from. Hence, the clucking. I continued to perform my loading duties-without a misload- during this whole process. And considering the DM at the time-Deliboy-came up to the building and reamed the sups for their actions, and I got the mayhem write-up thrown out by myself, I guess Syracuse didn't see where I did to much wrong.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
The clucking was dramatic. Yes. Did I deserve to chased? Does anyone? I suppose I deserved to be shoulder-checked while just splitting a belt. I react the way I do because of the insane crap I have been put through. I didn't ask to fired for doing nothing wrong. I did deserve to know why someone from Syracuse whose last name is something teachers do, would take time out of his day-yet again- to put a direct order on my head. How did I draw that attention? I got a payroll grievance paid double while he was Finance Manager. I wanted Psyco Susie to admit that is where the order came from. Hence, the clucking. I continued to perform my loading duties-without a misload- during this whole process. And considering the DM at the time-Deliboy-came up to the building and reamed the sups for their actions, and I got the mayhem write-up thrown out by myself, I guess Syracuse didn't see where I did to much wrong.

Could all of this had been avoided had you come in and simply did your job?
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
That day, maybe. But, if you worked in my building, you would know that "scooter" get an itch every day. We call it "hair up the ass". He has to pick on someone every day to get that dang hair out. Then, you have Psycho Susie, as we affectionately named one of her three personalities that we can count.

The better question is, why wasn't I allowed to go back to the spot I was in before surgery? Why did Psycho tell a co-worker that Geo won't be happy when he gets back from a broken leg incident? He was made to load. He has top seniority. 3 weeks of that and the center manager came to the building at 4 am to tell her Geo was to scan. She turned as red as a beet. Why? Production was suffering because the buddy she had scanning was horrible. That didn't and doesn't matter to her. Her comfort matters more than production. Ask Brian about the red head at the Black Hole.
 
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Integrity

Binge Poster
When I came back from surgery, I was not allowed to do the job that I had been doing for 4.5 years, which was DA. I was loading the hardest and heaviest area that involves an army base. The loader from that area was moved to "accommodate" me. He was scanning. I was inquiring as to who gave the order that put me where I was. I was told it came from above. Who? No answer. So, as I continued to load, I started clucking like a chicken to "wacky"(sup who later shoulder-checked me) who was standing in my work area trying to explain why I couldn't do any job in belt except load. "scooter" came down the other side of the belt, almost jump the belt without turning it off(had to a take his foot of the moving belt to stop it) stopped the belt-and production- to jump across and chase me into a truck I was loading. I ran out the other side as a co-worker came running down the belt to stop "scooter" from attacking me. Ignoring Art 37 came from nothing being down about a supervisor chasing me out of my work space. Isn't that a form of workplace violence?

menotyou,

Was the surgery related to an on the job injury?

Was your job one of the part-time clerk jobs eliminated as part of the full-time clerk grievance that arose from the PAS implementation?

Sincerely,
I

Dispatcher chased me into a truck because I was clucking like a chicken. He wrote me up for causing "mayhem". (was thrown out, later) Nothing was done about him chasing me into truck and I wasn't allowed to file a grievance. 2 years later, a driver threatened to shove an add/cut sheet up the dispatchers ass and he was fired. Same building, same union local.

Yes and no.
menotyou,

What does DA stand for?

Please state precisely and in detail the steps you took to challenge your reassignment upon your return from your on the job injury.

Please just stick to the facts.

I know it is hard and your feeling appear to be raw, but innuendo and smart aleck responses will only hinder this discussion.

I understand your feelings, but please, put feelings aside for now.

Sincerely,
I
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
soberups,

Your appraisal of the committees being completely under the control of the company is accurate.

By their actions this appears to be the way the local union officials want it.

All Teamsters have a stake in tha safety committees.

Why do you think the local union officials are refusing to enforce the contract language pertaining to safety committees?

Disbanding safety committees is wrong. Enforcing the contract language is right.

Disbanding safety committees is simply showing, the company, OSHA, the world that unions are unreasonable.

This is a sign of imaturity on the leaderships part.

The local union officials have allowed this problem to get out of hand, it is up to them to take whatever steps they need to to make it right.

They should start by meticulously following the safety committee language in the National Agreement Article 18 Sec 20.4.

Sincerely,
I

I cant speak to what is going on in other areas, but in my Local the members of the "Safety Committee" have been informed by the union that they are not to document or participate in any activity that could be used to bring disciplinary action against a fellow member.

I dont think it is accurate to state that the Safety Committees are being "disbanded". It sounds to me like the Locals involved are simply instructing their members not to participate until certain issues are resolved.

One could make the case that we do not even have any Safety Committees at all; it would be more accurate to describe the groups we do have as "Keter audit compliance committees" or "acronym and commentary committees". Perhaps the solution would be to form seperate, authentic Safety Committees whose role it is to address and resolve safety issues within the workplace, and leave the Keter crap to the brown-nosers and management wannabes who are simply looking for the easy overtime.

In any case, I think this action is long overdue. By voluntarily participating in something, we validate it. I see no point in continuing to allow the company to pretend that it is addressing safety issues with its sham committees; perhaps by witholding our participation, we will be able to force the company to start taking safety concerns seriously instead of sweeping them under a pile of word games.
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
menotyou,

What does DA stand for?

Please state precisely and in detail the steps you took to challenge your reassignment upon your return from your on the job injury.
I questioned my center manager, who responded that he has no control over preload. I contacted my BA, who said we have no bid jobs. I was clocking in on code c70 when I left for surgery. When I returned, my code was changed to p60. What other recourses did I have? The contract clearly states the there are bid jobs on preload, but my BA refuses to listen. We, about 8 preloaders, went to the president (at the time) of the local, and he disagreed with the BA. But, he retired 3 months later. As far as the smart comments, I understand you, but, I was not the one who started these observations. They have occurred over a long period of time. 3 personalities, I swear.
Please just stick to the facts.

I know it is hard and your feeling appear to be raw, but innuendo and smart aleck responses will only hinder this discussion.

I understand your feelings, but please, put feelings aside for now.

Sincerely,
I
DA is Data Acquisition. But, I did other duties as well. Preparing next belt and truck for unload. Inbound and unload feeders in computers. Damages. Split. Cover load for bathroom breaks. Tons of little jobs that, according to center manager and co-workers, I was the most productive at because I am an independent worker. No matter what anyone has ever said about me, good, bad or ugly. Not one person could ever question my work ethic. I work my ass off.
 

Integrity

Binge Poster
I cant speak to what is going on in other areas, but in my Local the members of the "Safety Committee" have been informed by the union that they are not to document or participate in any activity that could be used to bring disciplinary action against a fellow member.

I dont think it is accurate to state that the Safety Committees are being "disbanded". It sounds to me like the Locals involved are simply instructing their members not to participate until certain issues are resolved.

One could make the case that we do not even have any Safety Committees at all; it would be more accurate to describe the groups we do have as "Keter audit compliance committees" or "acronym and commentary committees". Perhaps the solution would be to form seperate, authentic Safety Committees whose role it is to address and resolve safety issues within the workplace, and leave the Keter crap to the brown-nosers and management wannabes who are simply looking for the easy overtime.

In any case, I think this action is long overdue. By voluntarily participating in something, we validate it. I see no point in continuing to allow the company to pretend that it is addressing safety issues with its sham committees; perhaps by witholding our participation, we will be able to force the company to start taking safety concerns seriously instead of sweeping them under a pile of word games.
soberups,

I appreciate your contributions to the Brown Cafe.

The real and only comprehensive solution to the problems with the safety committees is quite simple.

All safety committees should operate by the National Master Agreement Article 18 Section 20.4.

The Local Union Officials should approve every member of the committees.

The hourly co-chairs should be voted on by the "approved" hourly members.

There is more, but if each Local Union started with these requirements, it would go a long way in stopping management control over the union committees.

The union contracted Employee Health and Saftey Committees are just a part of UPS CHSP.

UPS does control the CHSP but are not to control the EHSC.

UPS will try to control it if the local union officials will not enforce the contract.

Sincerely,
I
 

menotyou

bella amicizia
My surgery was to take out one of the disks in your neck at the base of your skull. Fuse it with a dead person's bone. The woman in Albany who oversees comp case for UPS is extremely impressed with how hard I worked in therapy. Case worker from Liberty complimented me on how hard I have worked. He had never seen anyone work as hard as me to get back to work. That is the kind of person I am.

My injury was caused because I was doing 3 jobs for an extended period of time.
 
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iowa boy

Well-Known Member
soberups,

I appreciate your contributions to the Brown Cafe.

The real and only comprehensive solution to the problems with the safety committees is quite simple.

All safety committees should operate by the National Master Agreement Article 18 Section 20.4.

The Local Union Officials should approve every member of the committees.

The hourly co-chairs should be voted on by the "approved" hourly members.

There is more, but if each Local Union started with these requirements, it would go a long way in stopping management control over the union committees.

The union contracted Employee Health and Saftey Committees are just a part of UPS CHSP.

UPS does control the CHSP but are not to control the EHSC.

UPS will try to control it if the local union officials will not enforce the contract.

Sincerely,
I

I,

Im not sure if you missed it or not in Sober's post, but UPS is using the bargaining unit members of the safety committee "to document or participate in any activity that could be used to bring disciplinary action against a fellow member", as quoted from Sober.

Now why should the union participate in the practice of using one union employee to gather information for disicplinary action on a fellow union employee? Why can't management do this on their own? Isn't this managements job?

Now Im all for a true safety committee that can effect change for the good of the employees and keep them safe, but how does using union employees to "rat" on other union employees effect change?

This is why I don't participate with the company safety committee. Safety is a farce within this company, (I stated this previously in another thread), unless someone gets hurt or Keter is rumored to be on the prowl in a distict. Then, oh my god, it becomes safety first!
 

Integrity

Binge Poster
I,

Im not sure if you missed it or not in Sober's post, but UPS is using the bargaining unit members of the safety committee "to document or participate in any activity that could be used to bring disciplinary action against a fellow member", as quoted from Sober.

Now why should the union participate in the practice of using one union employee to gather information for disicplinary action on a fellow union employee? Why can't management do this on their own? Isn't this managements job?

Now Im all for a true safety committee that can effect change for the good of the employees and keep them safe, but how does using union employees to "rat" on other union employees effect change?

This is why I don't participate with the company safety committee. Safety is a farce within this company, (I stated this previously in another thread), unless someone gets hurt or Keter is rumored to be on the prowl in a distict. Then, oh my god, it becomes safety first!
iowa boy,

I did not miss this nor do I endorse this.

Have you read Article 18 Sec 20.4 in the National Agreement?

These are the only activities that I endorses.

Please read this. This is what the local officials should enforce, nothing more, nothing less.

Sincerely,
I
 
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