Ups bean counter joins picket line quits job

happyboy

Well-Known Member
Wow i thought this was interesting.
A ten year employee quits ups after joining a picket line outside of ups in Atlanta. This guy has a concious it was his job to find a way to cut hours and reduce jobs.

UPS engineer joins picketing, quits

GARY HUFFENBERGER
Staff Writer


When employees conduct informational picketing, they hope to raise public awareness of their workplace problems and send a message to the employer.

But a Thursday march involving about 50 ASTAR Air Cargo pilots outside UPS’s Atlanta headquarters reached different eyes: A UPS software engineer on lunch decided to join the protest and, after leaving the picket line, resigned on the spot when approached back at work by two security workers and two Human Resources staffers.

Tony Bordoli said by phone Friday he came upon the picketing while walking with a friend, and was touched when he saw a big sign on a vehicle that said the proposed UPS-DHL deal could devastate 10,000 families.

“It affected me and there was something I knew that I could do about it, so I did. And I took a stance against an unethical action by my company. It’s probably not going to change things. I know I’m one person but it may slow it down,” Bordoli mused.


Bordoli said his work was not related to the proposed contract, but that as a UPS software engineer in a financial office, he created programs that produced detailed analysis reports regarding which workers should have their hours cut.


“I just felt I was really being used as a tool to devastate families and communities, and it was just simple. I mean, how could I not put the two together? I’m not going to be used as a tool to devastate families and communities anymore. I can’t conscientiously be a part of that,” said the 36-year-old Bordoli, who had worked at UPS for 10-plus years.


“In a way, the picketing indirectly woke me up,” he feels.


He had been working on his current project for the past four months, said Bordoli, and had gotten to the “second plot point, if you will.”


“It’s a big burden off my mind and off my back,” he said Friday concerning his decision to quit UPS. “Because I was feeling very conflicted with this particular project to begin with.”


On Thursday evening, after joining the ranks of the unemployed, Bordoli did some research on the DHL-UPS deal and about the picketing ASTAR pilots in an attempt “to get more educated in what exactly I had chosen to do,” he chuckled.


“And that’s when I was reassured that I was making the right decision,” he said.


“This was by no means premeditated. I just went by my conscience when I saw the picketing, and the information of the families being devastated. It dawned on me that what I was doing by my actions, you know by my involvement, I wasn’t that far from that, you understand.”


Bordoli said it may sound like a rash act and he admitted he did “get a little harshness this morning from my father.”


“This time, I’ll pick a better company,” Bordoli said. “One that actually exercises proper social responsibility.”


When he joined the picketing with the pilots, all in their pilots uniform, the picketers started asking him who he worked for?


“I said UPS, and everyone, it was like a cheer moment,” he said.


Later he told Human Resources staff and security in the stairwell that he was tendering his resignation, and let fall his UPS identification badge to the floor in protest.


“I wish the cause well, because I have a family. You know, my family won’t be devastated from this because in the Atlanta area, I have marketable enough skills to quickly recover. So, I’m not worried about myself in particular. But I know things in our breadbasket up in Ohio, those guys are going through a lot more than I am. I’m actually fortunate,” said Bordoli.


UPS spokesman Norman Black said Friday it is company policy not to publicly discuss individual personnel matters.
 
C

Cach wants cash

Guest
What I find interesting about this story is the contrast it presents to the current Chicago labor situation.

These employees were picketing UPS to bring awareness that they realize that they value their jobs with DHL and they don't want lose them.

The Chicago teamsters are threatening to picket because they have decided that to use strongarm tactics during contract negtiations. If they actually do go on strike public message is that their existing high paying jobs aren't paying them enough. They are willing to disrupt their customer's business and inconvenience the public because they demand more money. That's going to be a tough sell in this economy.

Good luck 705. This picket line puts you all to shame.
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
What I find interesting about this story is the contrast it presents to the current Chicago labor situation.

These employees were picketing UPS to bring awareness that they realize that they value their jobs with DHL and they don't want lose them.

The Chicago teamsters are threatening to picket because they have decided that to use strongarm tactics during contract negtiations. If they actually do go on strike public message is that their existing high paying jobs aren't paying them enough. They are willing to disrupt their customer's business and inconvenience the public because they demand more money. That's going to be a tough sell in this economy.

Good luck 705. This picket line puts you all to shame.
Its obvious that you are on managements negotiating committee and dont have a clue. If you knuckleheads would negotiate we wouldnt have to threaten a strike, but its obvious by your proposals you think this is a game. Unless you pull your head out from between your legs and propose reasonable offers your pilots will be out wlaking with us and a majority of the country.

Your offers as presented are nothing more than a waste of paper and costing the union money by paying the salaries of the upsers that are on the committee. 2 days to wake up and get serious or get your browns out!
 

cheryl

I started this.
Staff member
This was sent to me by the previous unregistered poster to post here:

705red, there are more than 2 sides to this situation. I'm not in management and I'm not siding with the union or management. I'm siding with the workers and their families. The union only seems to be interested in grandstanding, making threats and promoting the union vs management mentality. That isn't in the best interest of the workers in this kind of economy. It's just the posturing that the union does to drum up anti management sentiment.
 

cheryl

I started this.
Staff member
It was part of a longer email which expressed their concern about being personally identified because of posting on this site.

He or she doesn't want to register or post anymore because they are concerned about retaliation.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
It was part of a longer email which expressed their concern about being personally identified because of posting on this site.

He or she doesn't want to register or post anymore because they are concerned about retaliation.

Hmm, I see. Actually, I think this is a good thread topic. I seem to remember touching on it in the past, but let's see what's happening now.
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
705red, there are more than 2 sides to this situation. I'm not in management and I'm not siding with the union or management. I'm siding with the workers and their families. The union only seems to be interested in grandstanding, making threats and promoting the union vs management mentality. That isn't in the best interest of the workers in this kind of economy. It's just the posturing that the union does to drum up anti management sentiment.

I will be the first one to admit that the company and the union dont get along and see eye to eye on alot. And this i am grateful for as many are. We are now represented according to the good book (contract). No favortism, just contract language, did he/she violate and deserve discipline. The company cant believe that the union will not make an example of someone. If the employee is wrong they are wrong i will agree but does it deserve termination, NO.

If ups would honor the contract we would not have the dislike that is present. Many of you would like to get along just to get along. How many people have you seen fired for something silly and then come to find out they lost at panel? That doesnt happen here.

How many of you have been wronged? File a grievance for senioirty and then find out it was deadlocked and wont be arbitrated because its only $60. We will arbitrate this because it was a contract violation, call it a gamble but a member was wronged and should be made whole.

Ups here in chicago will drag there feet on everything. All we the members want is a fair contract nothing more nothing less. Ups raised their rates in january by 3% but then offer us less than 1%, its insulting as a upser who services his customers to the bset of his ability everyday.

As a steward i have seen a driver get fired because a senior driver had a heart attack and blew through a stop sign and hit the ups driver. At panel ups labor manager pointed at him and said "you murdered that man". Then deadlocked his case to arbitration. This guy wasnt feeling bad enough? Only to wiggle his job in front of his face before arbitration without back pay. Of course he took his job back, but he should have held out and gotten back pay.


I have seen a driver get fired for wearing a cubs shirt on route during cubs/sox weekend. Was it stupid, yes is it a firing offense no. Hes back to work with all pay.

I have a sorter out now because he called an unloader a :censored2:. Again not the smartest of moves and does require progressive discipline not termination.

I had a woman driver fired because she said she couldnt wait to get into the hot tub when she got home at a dock stop. Took her 5 months to get her job back.


Had a 35 year driver get fired because he stopped at his house on route at the end of his day to eat dinner before he brought the truck back. 20 to 40 minutes a day, the company fired him for stealing time. Because he was not documenting his lunch. This case is still in arbitration. At this time we did not document our lunches, ups was deducting 1 hour out everyday for lunch, so it seems like ups owes this driver 20 to 40 minutes of pay because he never exceeded the 1 hour. How is really stealing from who here?

These are just a few cases to show you that ups does not honor the contract and the union will not allow the members to be punished unless the contract calls for it.

If ups would negotiate seriously none of this would be called for.
 

cheryl

I started this.
Staff member
I apologize for not representing the unregistered poster's concerns more clearly.

This person is concerned that by posting an opinion that doesn't support the current union standoff they will encounter hostility in their workplace from staunch union supporters.

It seems unlikely to me, but they do have a right to their own opinion.
 
A

Anonymous brownhead

Guest
red705 said:Ups raised their rates in january by 3% but then offer us less than 1%,

UPS downloads new rated every 2 days in line with fuel surcharge, more so ups is paying the rate of fuel 2 years ago as rate contract
Ups made 875 millions in the second quarters in line with expectations.
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
I apologize for not representing the unregistered poster's concerns more clearly.

This person is concerned that by posting an opinion that doesn't support the current union standoff they will encounter hostility in their workplace from staunch union supporters.

It seems unlikely to me, but they do have a right to their own opinion.
Im not much on conspiracy, but the poster registers as cach wants cash and then sends cheryl an email fearful of hostilty from the union in the workplace. We also have a new post in labor that basically is meant to piss off all of you in the national by throwing jabs at you. Both of these posts happened in the same timeframe by an unregistered user.

Take it as you see it.
 

tieguy

Banned
red705 said:Ups raised their rates in january by 3% but then offer us less than 1%,

UPS downloads new rated every 2 days in line with fuel surcharge, more so ups is paying the rate of fuel 2 years ago as rate contract
Ups made 875 millions in the second quarters in line with expectations.

In line with expectations that were significantly reduced due to the economy tanking. if you're going to present it then don't misrepresent it.
 

tieguy

Banned
Im not much on conspiracy, but the poster registers as cach wants cash and then sends cheryl an email fearful of hostilty from the union in the workplace. We also have a new post in labor that basically is meant to piss off all of you in the national by throwing jabs at you. Both of these posts happened in the same timeframe by an unregistered user.

Take it as you see it.

They probably saw your comment about using a baseball bat.
 

tieguy

Banned
705red, there are more than 2 sides to this situation. I'm not in management and I'm not siding with the union or management. I'm siding with the workers and their families. The union only seems to be interested in grandstanding, making threats and promoting the union vs management mentality. That isn't in the best interest of the workers in this kind of economy. It's just the posturing that the union does to drum up anti management sentiment.

I will be the first one to admit that the company and the union dont get along and see eye to eye on alot. And this i am grateful for as many are.
This unfortuately is one of the benifits of having an antagonistic union. More employees getting fired for a variety of reasons where a local that works with the company can often get these cases squashed before they go much further.

So the members are told that the union will hold management accountable. They then find the accountability from management is also greatly increased resulting in much more discipline and many more firings.

A less antagonistic union local reaps the benifits of having less of their employees held to strict accountability standards. Less discipline, less discharges, more teamwork between management and the union and a happier workforce.

 

Ptrunner

Well-Known Member
If UPS would follow their own contract and federal and state laws, we would have a happy workforce. But they don't and thus we fight and fight and fight. Some of those firings did not need to go to the panel. Like red said, progressive discipline needed to be handed out quickly. From personal experience I was a happy worker for my first 3 years on the job, then i get injured and then suddenly my management team is lying to higher up supervisors even to division managers, and I have to take UPS to court. I win but moral of the story if UPS didn't play their games, I would be the same employee I was the first 3 years but no, I have to question the integretiy of my supervisors on a daily basis. And they are still lying on a daily basis. If this company was morally rounded then the union wouldn't be asking for so much. This isn't union machoism or taking it to the company talk, its about ethics and when supervisors come to work its thrown out the window for more money.
 

Ptrunner

Well-Known Member
The guy who quit his job decided he no more will he leave his ethics at home when he comes to work. If the rest of management followed suit, wed see better production, more volume and less negotiations like this one going on now.
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
They probably saw your comment about using a baseball bat.
Really? And we would be able to figure out who this person is out of 6000 employees? I thought you were to good to respond to unregistered users tie? Every one is entitled to their opinion on any subject and welcomed here. The only retaliation would be if you crossed than you would be brought up on charges and some sort of penalty would have been handed down not violence.
705red, there are more than 2 sides to this situation. I'm not in management and I'm not siding with the union or management. I'm siding with the workers and their families. The union only seems to be interested in grandstanding, making threats and promoting the union vs management mentality. That isn't in the best interest of the workers in this kind of economy. It's just the posturing that the union does to drum up anti management sentiment.

I will be the first one to admit that the company and the union dont get along and see eye to eye on alot. And this i am grateful for as many are.
This unfortuately is one of the benifits of having an antagonistic union. More employees getting fired for a variety of reasons where a local that works with the company can often get these cases squashed before they go much further.

So the members are told that the union will hold management accountable. They then find the accountability from management is also greatly increased resulting in much more discipline and many more firings.

A less antagonistic union local reaps the benifits of having less of their employees held to strict accountability standards. Less discipline, less discharges, more teamwork between management and the union and a happier workforce.
The reason the union is antagonistic is because of the way ups operates. It was like this before they took power and is one of the main reasons they were voted in to stand up for us. See under the old regime they were in the companies pocket and these cases i just mentioned would have been upheld.

When you say teamwork between ups and the union are you talking about sleeping together? Cuddling in the spooning position? Patting each other on the back over a few shirley temples?
 
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