705red
Browncafe Steward
I agree but maybe someone here might now your contract better.
Stewards insights!
- Thread starter Cole
- Start date
gandydancer
Well-Known Member
Yes, that's crap. The contract gives you and every other bargaining unit employee seniority rights in addition to your guarantee. But it is true that "your" grievance isn't really a grievance at all. The local is the entity with standing, so if your BA won't represent you need to convince, pressure, or replace him. Not easy. And he may get the opportunity to throw you to the wolves....
gandydancer
Well-Known Member
Interesting. Fredless is complaining in another thread that ALL the 22.3 openings are being taken by (low seniority) drivers...
705red
Browncafe Steward
Remember their several different contracts for ups depending on what part of the country your in. I would love to go 22.3 but right now i need the package car pay, maybe when my wife goes back to work ill be the fisrt to bid into 22.3. Also our labor guys fight us tooth and nail on every issue so it might be a dragged out process in arbitration.
Overpaid Union Thug
Well-Known Member
While so many people are complaining about too much OT others are commplaining about not getting enough. Meanwhile....I'm just praying that I can go full-time. What a strange company.
gandydancer
Well-Known Member
More hours than what is the issue. My BA's have seemed to conflate this with the "premium work" clause and think that it is only the less-senior employee's overtime hours that are grievable, whereas I think every minute past the guarantee is grievable. I think they're a bit foggy on this, looking at it from a driver's perspective where both guarantees are eight hours, and just need education (*GRIN*) to clarify their thinking...
705red
Browncafe Steward
The only time i have seen a driver grieve against another driver for hours is when his seniority wasnt honored and he got paid the paid day for the route he wanted.(and won).
I have yet to have a p-timer grieve for non overtime hours in 13 years as a steward. I would have to say that the higher senior employee is entitled to more hours even if its not overtime but over the guarantee. Im going to the membership meeting tomorrow and will ask my agent to clarify.
Cole
Well-Known Member
Everyone should know that when more than 1 steward is in the building it is the members choice who goes in the office with them. Usually management will try to find one who is more friendly towards their stance, so unless that particular individual is the only one in the building it is your choice. Obviousley if there's only 1 you have to use that one.
Another thing, if there is no steward, do not let them bring another employee to serve as a witness, that is unlawful, if there is no steward available, you do not have to answer any questions, and the meeting has to be postponed until a steward or ba is present, unless you sign a waiver waiving your rights to union representation, then you're on your own.
I am pretty sure if you answer questions without the steward or ba present they can use your answers against you later, so always have representation before answering questions that could possibly lead to discipline.
Another thing, if there is no steward, do not let them bring another employee to serve as a witness, that is unlawful, if there is no steward available, you do not have to answer any questions, and the meeting has to be postponed until a steward or ba is present, unless you sign a waiver waiving your rights to union representation, then you're on your own.
I am pretty sure if you answer questions without the steward or ba present they can use your answers against you later, so always have representation before answering questions that could possibly lead to discipline.
Fredless
APWA Hater
We got a new center manager last week. This guy hadn't even said hello to me until yesterday my name is blah blah.
An onroad had owed me 49 dollars because my rookie mistake (I've been air driving for a little over a year now) and the hub was out of diesel. They sent a message on saturday, 4-7-07 to fill up if you're going to be returning with less than 1/2 a tank. Well thats a given for me since I go as far north as our hub ranges to every saturday.
I respond to the message "with what money?"
I get no response. Then on my way back to the building, I see another message regarding the gas issue that its some other gas station and not the original one. I again state "WITH WHAT MONEY? ITS GOING TO BE HARD TO FLOAT THE COMPANY A LOAN WHEN JR DRIVERS START BEFORE ME!" (I was already pissed because I just bitched last week that my seniority was violated, and it was again this saturday - thats another issue), point is - I made it CLEAR I did not want to pay with my own money.
Well, I just went to a gas station that was on the way back to the hub - filled up with 49 worth of diesel. I figured, ok they must be handing out checks or something back at the hub. MY BAD HERE.
I get back, didn't see the on road that was running the saturday that week, just the OMS. I asked her where my money was and she goes "what? what are you talking about?" So I just wait till I see this guy the following tuesday (he has mondays off). He explains to me I was in the wrong, I remind him about the messages - he skirts around the fact that he was retarded and didn't see them either. He says he will pay me back by FRIDAY of that week.
Well after 3 weeks of broken promises and I'll pay you tomorrow's bullcrap, I finally filed on it - under article 17 because it was the only one even close to my issue. New center manager comes to me with a copy of the greivance all hurt and pissed off by it that I didn't use his "open door policy"
I said "you know what the first thing (on road in question) said to me sir? He accused me on no call-no show the FIRST conversation we had. Now you're down here, the FIRST time you make an attempt to meet me accusing me of not using your open door policy. I don't pay $5.00 a week to use that. YOU obviously did not READ the greivance."
I put in the greivance every detail of how I tried to resolve the matter before I filed.
he says to me, "I'm sorry Fred. my name is blah blah shakes my hand." he hands my 50 back, and I tell him I don't have any cash on me to give him his change..tells me to keep it as interest to floating the company a loan.
He rambles on in a very chastising matter that I need to use the open door policy from now on with any of his sub ordinates if I can't get my matter resolved. What a jerk, I put in remedy sought "FROM A COMPANY THAT PROFITS IN THE BILLIONS EVERY YEAR I JUST WANT MY $49.00 BACK AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!"
I didn't throw in I want 3 article 17's and time and a half blah blah...I just wanted my money back and he talks to me like a retarded child like that...what a way to meet your new employees. And screw your open door policy - it was obvious I TRIED that before I filed. Every center manager we have had has been a jerk, but i've only been with the company 3 years so I'll keep my hopes up.
Point of that story - I will NEVER fill up a truck with my own money again. If I run out of gas, screw them they can come get me and I will sit under a tree for hours waiting on the mechanics...and SCREW the open door policy. If I want that, I'll go to work for FedEx.
An onroad had owed me 49 dollars because my rookie mistake (I've been air driving for a little over a year now) and the hub was out of diesel. They sent a message on saturday, 4-7-07 to fill up if you're going to be returning with less than 1/2 a tank. Well thats a given for me since I go as far north as our hub ranges to every saturday.
I respond to the message "with what money?"
I get no response. Then on my way back to the building, I see another message regarding the gas issue that its some other gas station and not the original one. I again state "WITH WHAT MONEY? ITS GOING TO BE HARD TO FLOAT THE COMPANY A LOAN WHEN JR DRIVERS START BEFORE ME!" (I was already pissed because I just bitched last week that my seniority was violated, and it was again this saturday - thats another issue), point is - I made it CLEAR I did not want to pay with my own money.
Well, I just went to a gas station that was on the way back to the hub - filled up with 49 worth of diesel. I figured, ok they must be handing out checks or something back at the hub. MY BAD HERE.
I get back, didn't see the on road that was running the saturday that week, just the OMS. I asked her where my money was and she goes "what? what are you talking about?" So I just wait till I see this guy the following tuesday (he has mondays off). He explains to me I was in the wrong, I remind him about the messages - he skirts around the fact that he was retarded and didn't see them either. He says he will pay me back by FRIDAY of that week.
Well after 3 weeks of broken promises and I'll pay you tomorrow's bullcrap, I finally filed on it - under article 17 because it was the only one even close to my issue. New center manager comes to me with a copy of the greivance all hurt and pissed off by it that I didn't use his "open door policy"
I said "you know what the first thing (on road in question) said to me sir? He accused me on no call-no show the FIRST conversation we had. Now you're down here, the FIRST time you make an attempt to meet me accusing me of not using your open door policy. I don't pay $5.00 a week to use that. YOU obviously did not READ the greivance."
I put in the greivance every detail of how I tried to resolve the matter before I filed.
he says to me, "I'm sorry Fred. my name is blah blah shakes my hand." he hands my 50 back, and I tell him I don't have any cash on me to give him his change..tells me to keep it as interest to floating the company a loan.
He rambles on in a very chastising matter that I need to use the open door policy from now on with any of his sub ordinates if I can't get my matter resolved. What a jerk, I put in remedy sought "FROM A COMPANY THAT PROFITS IN THE BILLIONS EVERY YEAR I JUST WANT MY $49.00 BACK AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!"
I didn't throw in I want 3 article 17's and time and a half blah blah...I just wanted my money back and he talks to me like a retarded child like that...what a way to meet your new employees. And screw your open door policy - it was obvious I TRIED that before I filed. Every center manager we have had has been a jerk, but i've only been with the company 3 years so I'll keep my hopes up.
Point of that story - I will NEVER fill up a truck with my own money again. If I run out of gas, screw them they can come get me and I will sit under a tree for hours waiting on the mechanics...and SCREW the open door policy. If I want that, I'll go to work for FedEx.
Cole
Well-Known Member
He's just trying to act like he will take of everything, and grievances aren't necessary. Been there done that, and by and large, they'll put you off and delay over and over. Tell him you have a time limit and can't allow that to expire, and if he makes good you can tear up the grievance etc...
Cole
Well-Known Member
Here's some helpful links. The first is to a book that is quite helpful in understand your "legal rights as a Union Steward" and the NLRA(B) etc...
http://www.workrightspress.com/lrusch1.html
I have a couple of the books from there. Past Practices and legal rights of union stewards etc...
This is a PDF, and I haven't read it all yet, but it seems very good!
http://cupe.ca/updir/stewards_handbook.pdf
http://www.workrightspress.com/lrusch1.html
I have a couple of the books from there. Past Practices and legal rights of union stewards etc...
This is a PDF, and I haven't read it all yet, but it seems very good!
http://cupe.ca/updir/stewards_handbook.pdf
tieguy
Banned
rebel
Well-Known Member
Best defense is offense. Have parking lot meetings and get a good network going. Watch management just like they watch us. They violate the contract everyday. Stewards can file on a employees behalf to keep that employee from being retaliated against. Every building has a strong group of members, so rotate the grievances. A running joke was rebel is giving out money, who wants it? One of our managers used to get so mad and say he couldnt do his job for having all of this crap to deal with. It worked very well for us but you will get to the point where you have to wait for the company to cast the first stone. Always fight and stand up for the members in meetings, if they are wrong tell them after the meeting, but never in front of management.
M
MeOnMy
Guest
Cole
Well-Known Member
The pt sups are more likely to violate it. The only time they are supposed to work is when they are demonstrating how to to a new person, or something new etc...They are not supposed to open your start area, i.,e., open doors, or whatever, and they are not to send you home and them finish your job, or close out the work area, because the work is bargained/negotiated for you, and the other members, not management.
In response to the open door policy, there's nothing wrong with that if is is effective, but if it is used to stall and undermind the greivance process, or cause untimeliness then it can be a problem, but always give it a chance, because sometimes it is a sincere effort to resolve issues at the first step.
In response to the open door policy, there's nothing wrong with that if is is effective, but if it is used to stall and undermind the greivance process, or cause untimeliness then it can be a problem, but always give it a chance, because sometimes it is a sincere effort to resolve issues at the first step.
