What trumps? Seniority or bid routes.

[JARHEAD]

Here's the story: Last year routes were up for bidding at our center. Three drivers senior to me chose not bid on an assigned route. They chose to bid unassigned. I made a bid for a route. Since January I've been bumped off my route so the senior unassigned drivers could work and run my route. This has forced me to work a four hour max reload shift. I haven't been able to get an eight hour day due to the fact our center dosen't have a preload. I've discussed this with my union steward but haven't made a complaint or filed a grievance. My steward has said that if bid routes are cut then senior drivers have the option to take my route. If all routes are in for that day I can't be bumped.

I've been recently informed by a former union steward from another center that I should file a grievence over this issue. He says that seniority doesn't matter. If I bid on a route; thats my route and I can't be bumped. He says that since these drivers chose not to bid on an assigned route prior to me bidding then thats thier option. If I have a bid route, I cannot be bumped regardless of seniority.

I am questioning whether or not this is worth a grievance. I've heard two stories as well as looked over the contract pretty good. I want to make damn sure I know what I'm talking about before I start the paperwork. All I want is at least an 8 hour day and to run my route without being screwed with.(only in a perfect world). Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Also FYI: Our center nomally runs 16 routes; I'm 18 in seniority, but have a route. Basically I work only if 2 drivers are out.

 

[govols019]

My steward has said that if bid routes are cut then senior drivers have the option to take my route.

Not true. The driver of the bid route that was cut can only bump unassigned drivers. He can not bump a bid driver off his route.

 

[satellitedriver]

You bid that route, they didn't, and you won it.
Seniority only works during the bid on a route.
At least, thats the way it works around here.
They chose to be cover drivers.
No open routes, then they go home.
Good Luck

 

[dilligaf]

I do not have a bidded route. There is a less senior driver that has a bidded route. I chose to not bid on that route when it opened up. I cannot bump that driver off that route. No matter what the circumstances are. File the grievance ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!! And file it for every single time you get bumped.

 

[stumpy]

I have a bid route when volume is down management starts tearing my route apart spreading my stops to other drivers so they plan they cut out the split car putting all stops on me and most of the time I end up running two trucks.....most all of my stops go to drivers with alot less seniority than me.....is this legal

 

[stumpy]

Do I have to do my route even though management ripped it apart and totally gave me stops I did not bid on.....management is treating my route as though it was a swing car....a split car

 

[dilligaf]

Our sup do this all the time. Even today we had a route split out and mgt gave the bidded driver the option of taking the day off or taking a different route. The driver opted to take the day off and it ended up biting mgt in the a**. Mgt forgot there was another driver off today, and that route was left sitting in the building this am. Anyway, you always work first grieve later. Failing to work as directed is grounds for (at the least) a warning letter or worst case scenario termination for insubordination.

 

[stumpy]

I feel like i am getting screwed because I think management should start tearing routes apart from the the drivers with less seniority than me

 

[dilligaf]

Ya and I'm sure our drivers would agree with you and I would to being on the recieving end of this. Basically, it boils down to this, until you win a grievance (probably at panel) you are going to have to deal with it. They will do what ever they what until they are forced to stop doing it.

 

[stumpy]

I think that is wrong I've been at ups since 1985 I did my swing time I bid a route it should be in every day ... if it has to be built up to plan it should take stops from lower seniority driver routes not the split car that goes all over town and does'nt make any rat poop sense

 

[dilligaf]

Then file the grievance. plain and simple

 

[stumpy]

Can we chat again soon I'm just looking for a friend to talk to and it does'nt have to be about BS that gets old.....anyways do I have the option to not run the messed up route which in reality should be my total bid route with addtional stops from lower seniority drivers...this message is messed up but do you understand what I'm trying to say

 

[stumpy]

Thanks for listening ... I just want my bid route in everyday and if it has to be built up to plan give me stops that are next to my area not from a route 20 miles away.....later days

 

[dilligaf]

I understand what you are trying to get at. We deal with this situation nearly every day. The only option you have is to work as directed. If you refuse to do it you are risking your job. You can always take your steward with you and talk to your mgt. It may or may not get you anywhere. If you feel you need to, file on it. Talk to your steward. Your steward should have some idea if you can win this battle or not. In my humble opinion you won't win it. Mgt can pretty much split routes up anyway they want to. Sure we can talk, anytime.

 

[stumpy]

I love my job I hate the way management manages and hearing the same BS conversations every flipping day from every single person....both management and hourlys included......it gets old......what should I do?

 

[stumpy]

Thanks for listening ... I just want my bid route in everyday and if it has to be built up to plan give me stops that are next to my area not from a route 20 miles away.....later days

 

[dilligaf]

No problem. I have to chuckle because I to would like to not have a split that was not 20 miles away. Sometimes I get it sometimes I don't. Look at it this way, you are getting payed well for the extra time it takes. Overtime after 8, yeah baby. LOL

 

[Mike Hawk]

In our center the lowest seniority bid driver doesn’t have his route cut if we are light on volume, its the newest route that have been put in because they are the most convenient to cut up because they were made out of pieces of other routes. It's really funny when they cut the 8c, its so bulky it gets put into 3 trucks, a p5 that gets filled to the roof with Costco/Home Depot, then whatever doesn’t fit in that goes into his p12 and he delivers that until after pickups then goes to a p1 with an outlet mall in it. Most of the time they fail to realize how many pieces it is and put Costco on shelf one of another truck, have fun unloading that at the Costco receiving dock.

 

[stringerman85]

I had a route like that last summer.. Where there was so much crap for one industrial stop that some of it would get loaded on a completely different truck... Man what a pain.. Monday morning, 9:00 AM and already hot as hell outside, Still stiff from the weekend, And having to scan and unload sometimes 200-300 large boxes with two different trucks.. By the time you're finished (20-30 minutes later) sweating your balls off and already exhausted after the first stop of the whole day, I liked that route but I have to admit I didn't miss that particular stop....

 

[Mike Hawk]

One route in our center has a stop that gets 30-40 70-140 pound boxes(Sometimes they ship the magnum size and they are up to 170 pounds). The driver has to come in early every day and go do that stop, sometimes he doesnt get help if no other drivers are there early. Its really bad when more comes down out of the last trailers after he has left, so he has to go back on his normal route.