I've been with the Company for 10 years. I've been driving for two. Ive always been a hard worker and brought that mindset into every situation in life weather that be work or wherever. When I first started and for the first year or so I scratched routes left and right thinking getting done the soonest was helping out the company and in return I'd gain respect and a nice reputation. Instead I just got more stops and more helping of other drivers. I've sinced learned that that was the wrong approach to going about it but it did get me my 30 days and now I'm locked in but I'm Worrired, very Worrired. I've slowed down considerably and being a cover driver filed for Excessive Overtime week after week for the last month. I've pouched out at 830 or later every night just about and management is fed up. So, I get called into the office yesterday to talk about my recent late punch outs and late ETAs. Manager starts off by saying You will be Fired! You will be ridden, you will be disciplined. Meanwhile I'm just sitting there smiling cuz it's just kind of funny how these prices of Crap try to intimidate people.
Someone should consider making a movie about it lol. Anyway he says you used to be a scratch driver, what happened? I said this and only this. "When the route, load/excessive condition, and traffic change drastically everyday it is impossible to produce consistent results". He looked back at me like I was crazy and said stop right there and continued on to talk about a particular day this week. He said it was dispatched at 7.2 hours and I should've been done at 5pm. In reality the first 90 of the 150 stops I'm out blind on but I realize they don't take that into consideration. I take lunch at 2-3pm everyday. I don't care if I have 10 stops done or where I am. So I get 90 stops done and go to luck from 2-3pm. My pickups started at 3:45 and end at 5:10 (time of last scheduled pickup) This is a split route with someone else's pickups btw. So he says why were your deliveries not done by the time you started your pickups? I said following the methods I was only able to get 90 done by 2pm and an additional 13 in those 45 mins before pickups. He says you should been back to the building by 5pm the latest. I said how is that possible when there is a 5:10pm pickup scheduled never mind 35+ stops left afterward in a town 4 miles away. He then stops me and says I'm issuing you a warning letter for failing to comply and retain a strong relationship with management and stealing time. I said the only number I care about is the number of accidents and injuries I get into everyday and that number is ZERO. He then says this and I quote. "I could care less about the Union and Saftey, I chew them up for Breakfast everyday and Spit them out" I said that doesn't sound right but ok. He says I will be ridden and will be fired.
My shop steward said he can't fire me but as a human being and a young person it does worry me a bit which p is why I've decided to post this. My question to my fellow teamsters is this. What action should I take against this *******. I've kept my cool in the office and never get mad or retaliate in an aggressive manner no matter what. Should I countine to file for excessive OT (I would file for 9.5 but I can't cuz I'm a aplit driver). Or what action if any should I take? Thanks guys any help or kind words is appreciated.
