UPS Lifer,
Since the jobs of managers and supervisors are not protected by a Union Contract, if they were being disciplined for their offenses, we would see a 100% turnover every week or so. Hourly employees can't help but see violations, big and small, and yet the same management personel return to their jobs day after day. Obviously they are not being fired. We don't have to be in the disciplinary meeting ( if there even was one) to know that they didn't get fired.
As to your point about discipline being none of my business. Actually the disciplinary process is part of the Contract that is voted on by myself and other Teamster members. We are all entitled to observe its workings and pass judgement thereon. Such concerted union activity is protected by Labor Law, and the subject of "discipline" is a mandatory subject of collective bargaining.
We are also entitled to evaluate whether the discipline process is fair, non-discriminatory, free of deal making, bribery, etc., to evaluate the effectiveness of our Union Representatives in the process, and to learn of the ruleings handed down.
I wonder how many people you disciplined for walking on unsecured belts during your career? I suspect almost every last instance of walking on a belt is a "victimless crime." Meaning there is no injury to anyone, and no measurable danger either. It's a "crime" largely because UPS says it's a crime. Let's face it, a person could be killed or injured walking on the sidewalk, or sitting in a chair, or sleeping in a bed, etc. But no one says that because there is a slight risk, therefor we must outlaw these and numerous other everyday activities. All activities involve a slight risk. It's unavoidable. Managers should be concentrating on truely reckless behavior. If they wrongfully fire someone for a trivial reason, they are the ones that should be disciplined.
