Training a new hire by performing safe work methods and they watch,yes. Working with him/her while he is working at the same time no. That was what I called the 2 for 1 deal. The supe is paid salary and is paid regardless the new hire by hourly which means the less he is on the clock the less UPS pays him and everyone else because the job is being performed by 2 people not 1 and the full intent I felt was to get down faster. Having supervisors work does not allow them to properly watch over their work area, employees, do their paperwork, properly train new people, follow up with them, and to correct and adjust to problems that arise during the course of a shift. It allows UPS to take work away from other hourlies and to get people off the clock faster. In my area UPS still tries to get down in 3.5-4hrs even though our hub services some the fastest growing cities in the nation. They we're trying to accomplish this by having every supervisor in the preload work including full timers. A few of us stood together, pt and ft, and stopped this(at least stopped it from happening so regularly) by filing greivances on it consistently.
They have finally figured out here they need to hire more people I don't know if this directly from having to pay tens of thousands of dollars in grievance checks or the numbers finally proved themselves to IE. Just make sure to ask why they are working as HazMatMan had stated. Filing a grievance with out talking to your manager about it or letting him/her be aware of the problem only makes you look like somebody who hides behind the union. Talking with managers about a problem before filing a greivance led to some of the problems being fixed without a greivance being filed and a more professional and business relationship between us.(teamsters and management). Plus you've got to work with them also because things happen out of their control people no call no showing, going home sick or an egress problem. I know every building is different I just wanted say what worked for us here. Sorry for rambling, hope this helped.