yearly ride comittment letter

[soberups]

... Now I understand why you feel you can not meet UPS's expectations, it's because you interpert the contract to mean you don't have to follow UPS's instructions, and can do as you like and UPS is powerless to prevent you from following their instructions.

This helps me out with my understanding, thank you.

There is a fundamental difference between failing to follow managements instructions and failing to live up to managements expectations.

The instructions and methods we are told to follow are pretty clear-cut and straightforward. Unless they are unsafe, refusing to follow them is for the most part not an option.

The expectations that management chooses to place upon us, on the other hand, are quite frequently unrealistic to the point of being ridiculous.

We are required to follow our managements reasonable instructions and work methods for doing the job. We are not required to fullfill managements idiotic fantasies regarding overllowed, SPORH, PPH, or other work measurments that are based more upon wishful thinking than a realistic assesssment of the job at hand.

 

[westsideworma]

Well, 275 pieces an hour really isn't that much or unreasonable. I'm sure most management people that work in the operation could do that (probably not the ones that only work in admin/support roles). I've never loaded a package car, but I do feeders on a daily basis. If we actually get volume and there are call-ins, I have to work because our split requires chart knowledge...usually I'm going 350+ pph scanned along with my supervisor duties. Granted, I'm only 24, but I think if I'm able to do my job in addition to three loads, I think that an older / out of shape person could manage 275 PPH. If they can't, they should be sent to small sort or primary where their slowness can be hidden. People make Hub jobs sound harder than what they are. I don't know about the driver signatures on driving production, but I know that in the Hub you can not be fired for working slow, but you can be disqualified from a job if you do -- for example people have been DQed from a TWI/NIT combo job for not being able to keep up while loading. Which makes sense: why pay someone 24 dollars an hour to do a poor job. Another union employee takes the spot of the DQed employee, so it doesn't hurt them
at all. Like I said, I'm not sure how it works with drivers, but it wouldn't suprise me if it were similar to this.

Yeah it's a different ballgame when loading package cars. 275 is like superman loading package cars off of a boxline haha. I have never loaded feeders but I would guess after I was trained at it I would probably do well. I know the plan pph for our hub sorts to load a feeder is 300 or more. Preload package car pph plans in my building range from 205-225 an hour depending on the area. That is reasonable but as I stated earlier we are giving them an hour less than needed to complete the job by our calculated numbers...I don't find that reasonable at all.

 

[diesel96]

It's been called in our neck of the woods, an OJS ride, not a safety ride at all....anyway, call it what you want as long as your stops/hr are pretty consistent with or with out an "on road" soup in the jump seat. Overallow means nothing, just be consistent unless obvious delays occur, take note on a daily log. Anything I sign for UPS I also write "under protest" if I disagree, or get your shop steward to signoff under protest for you....

 

[Buffaloaf]

Yeah it's a different ballgame when loading package cars. 275 is like superman loading package cars off of a boxline haha. I have never loaded feeders but I would guess after I was trained at it I would probably do well. I know the plan pph for our hub sorts to load a feeder is 300 or more. Preload package car pph plans in my building range from 205-225 an hour depending on the area. That is reasonable but as I stated earlier we are giving them an hour less than needed to complete the job by our calculated numbers...I don't find that reasonable at all.

Okay, like I said, I havn't done pkg cars (we don't even have boxlines in my hub I don't think) so all I can relate it to is loading feeders and air containers. And I know it's pretty easy to load 300+ pph for those. My better employees and I can do it 350+ easy while moving between 2 or 3 loads (which slows your PPH because you are walking in and out of trailers and not being in one the whole time causes jams). I imagine the biggest challenge with pkg car is that you don't have a shoot flowing into your trailer (sort of like a container) but that it's harder to load than a container because label placement and load quality is more important...?

 

[some1else]

Why don't you edit the document to show how the conditions on the day of the ride are different than the norn. Write on the bottom that on the day of the ride, your load was perfect and you didn't have to sort it saving 30 minutes. Write that the door was closed and your AM time was reduced. Write that you had different splits than normal.

add in that this time was fair only with the exact work/traffic/customer delay/ etc. etc. etc.

i would definitely request a steward and a copy of that noted doc as well. or even easier just not sign it!

 

[westsideworma]

Okay, like I said, I havn't done pkg cars (we don't even have boxlines in my hub I don't think) so all I can relate it to is loading feeders and air containers. And I know it's pretty easy to load 300+ pph for those. My better employees and I can do it 350+ easy while moving between 2 or 3 loads (which slows your PPH because you are walking in and out of trailers and not being in one the whole time causes jams). I imagine the biggest challenge with pkg car is that you don't have a shoot flowing into your trailer (sort of like a container) but that it's harder to load than a container because label placement and load quality is more important...?

Same goes for me, I know little about loading feeders/containers haha. Yeah getting the work to the employees is a major challenge. It all depends on who is on the slide sorting the boxline. If we have a good sort team up there and the work gets down to us in a timely fashion we're in good shape.

However like I said the "games" we're playing with our actual cost plan pph and the amount of time we're giving them is our problem. I don't think its fair to give someone 5 hours worth of work and 4 hrs to do it. If its fair days work for a fair days pay then we need to at least follow our own "planned" numbers.

I have never had a problem wrapping a pick (a set of package cars, usually 4, sometimes 3 or 5) or even 2 depending on our staffing but that isn't an everyday thing. We also have to worry about label placement and not only that but the sequence they're loaded and the section they're loaded in the cars (sounds involving, but once you do it, its not bad).

Another problem we have is we'll have the cages clean and we'll be waiting on work...and when it arrives we get creamed bigtime, usually after break near the end of the day haha. This also skews our actual pph number.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

If you have your ride along and get back earlier than you usually do and you sign that letter,you may be comitting employment suicide.
There are way too many things that change day to day.
On your ride along day,don't even LOOK in the car till start time.Do a complete pre-trip.Check your oil,wipers,horn,sign the DVIR and concentrate on your 10:30 commits.Do not deliver air with ground unless you usually do,and dont hold any deliveries for your pickup stops.
Take your FULL breaks on area as well as your turn in procedure.
Follow the methods as close as you can to the way you were trained.
Have beans for dinner the night before

My safety rides are 2 or 3 hours long. Haven't had a supe on my area punch to punch in 16 years. Is this the new UPS or a case by case basis?

This is the new virus, where I'm at.

It's been called in our neck of the woods, an OJS ride, not a safety ride at all....anyway, call it what you want as long as your stops/hr are pretty consistent with or with out an "on road" soup in the jump seat. Overallow means nothing, just be consistent unless obvious delays occur, take note on a daily log. Anything I sign for UPS I also write "under protest" if I disagree, or get your shop steward to signoff under protest for you....

I had a one day OJS, followed by being asked to sign a paper stating that I would always run 18.5 stops per hour. I refused to sign and a coworker, not my steward, was called upon to sign and say that he saw this paper reviewed to me. Good grief, one day? LOL, I guess I'd better submit, NOT! 2 Days ago I ran 15.80 stops per hour and had a 947 day which came up as scratch. How do they figure these numbers?

As a side note, I have not mentioned anyone's name or title. I have stated facts that I myself know to be truth, though I admit, you only see my point of view. Just speaking "my" mind, as usual.

 

[bigtoe1111]

Has anyone had any retaliation for not signing a commitment letter after the yearly 3 day ride along with the supervisor.

lol. they retaliate for anything and everything. almost with subtlety.

 

[Hangingon]

I've had 2 2 day rides. My numbers drop so much doing everything by the book they always come up with an excuse to not finish the 3 day ride and lock me into a lower number then I currently do. It's surprising how long it takes to look under your car at every stop and actually do back door DR's.

 

[soberups]

lol. they retaliate for anything and everything. almost with subtlety.

Retaliate back.

Never forget that, in the long run, you can always make them more miserable than they can make you. You have more job security than they do and you are getting a raise this year. They arent. Feel free to remind them of that little fact. If they turn on the heat, you just turn it up even hotter. I have been thru 4 Division managers, 8 center managers, and at least 20 on-car sups in my career. I'm still here.

 

[DS]

Jon Frum,

Your post is exactly why there are people like me who need to explain it to people like you.

There is nothing contained, intended or implied in this sentence or article that relates to any standards. What you posted is clearly stating that its the EMPLOYEE who will act in the companys best interest.

This places the onis onto the employee to make decisions and determine the course of business during on the clock hours. In no way does this allow the company to dictate to the employee how to work, what speed to work, what level of production to work or how many standards they must meet.

Dont read anything into this article that doesnt exist. This section of article 37 was clearly written to PROTECT employees and NOT the company.

37 is a clear EMPLOYEE protection article and not an agreement with the company to determine standards.

I hope this helps you out with your understanding.

You can say what you want about article this or that,but the truth is buddy,that if they decide you are screwing them,regardless if you are or not,they can and will if they so desire,find a way to fire you.
Be it through overdispatching,following you every day,accusing you of not working as directed,nit picking,harassing and making you go away any way they can.You may well get your job back,but in some cases its long after your family has gone through some form of hell,and the particular center manager that hates you is either promoted,canned,or re-located.Oh yea and other than my rate of pay,the teamsters have done nothing for me ever,
except take my money.

 

[satellitedriver]

They ask/tell me to do it their way, I do it their way.
If their plan fails, it is not my fault.

 

[westsideworma]

they ride with you for 3 days here under the guise of safety but then ask you to sign a commitment that you'll perform to the SPORH that you do with the boss. I have never signed anything that they have ever given to me execpt for the DMV paperwork we have to provide re: driving infractions. I'm on direct deposit so I don't even sign that anymore...

Guise of safety is right....all we hear is numbers, numbers numbers and then at the end of that diatribe its oh yea lets have a safe day. Doesn't matter if you're making them or not, numbers is all that seems to matter now with safety sprinkled in here and there.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

numbers pph sporh blah blah

The point is, do your best within a reasonable cause. Take care of yourself and your job.

Don't be the slowest in your workgroup. Don't make the most misloads, misdeliveries, etc. Stay off the radar. Show you care. You don't have to act like an idiot to make a point.

I think actually demonstrating that you care is one of the most important things, even if you do not care.

 

[Omega man]

I have never had a 3 day ride, ( I wish they would) and have never seen a commitment letter.
I would sign it , if it was an accurate document.
I would not sign it, if it was a promise to meet false numbers.

You would be violating the contract even if you signed a document you agreed with. See Article 6 of the Master Agreement (Extra contract agreements).

 

[Paid-over-in-Maine]

This Commitment Letter wants you to up the sold leads for the year also. Mine went from 5 to 8 sold per yr.

 

[JonFrum]

Jon Frum,

Your post is exactly why there are people like me who need to explain it to people like you.

There is nothing contained, intended or implied in this sentence or article that relates to any standards. What you posted is clearly stating that its the EMPLOYEE who will act in the companys best interest.

This places the onis onto the employee to make decisions and determine the course of business during on the clock hours. In no way does this allow the company to dictate to the employee how to work, what speed to work, what level of production to work or how many standards they must meet.

Dont read anything into this article that doesnt exist. This section of article 37 was clearly written to PROTECT employees and NOT the company.

37 is a clear EMPLOYEE protection article and not an agreement with the company to determine standards.

I hope this helps you out with your understanding.

The principle of "a fair day's work for a fair day's pay" is a statement agreed to by both Management and Labor negotiators, and is not just an employee protection. It specifically says, "The parties agree . . ." And it specifically refers to the employee's "duties".

Management has a variety of rights to manage their company and these rights (usually called "Management Rights") exist before any contract is ever negotiated. They continue to exist during the term of a Contract unless one or more of them is specifically eliminated in the Contract.

When you say, "In no way does this allow the company to dictate to the employee how to work, what speed to work, what level of production to work or how many standards they must meet," you don't seem to understand that this is the very definition of Management. Management doesn't need a contract's permission to manage. They have those rights from the start.
- - -
Also, if you read Article 6 closely, it only prohibits Extra Contract Agreements that conflict with the Agreement. There are lots of agreements that are outside the Agreement that do not conflict with the Agreement. And Article 6 specifically states that the prohibition does not apply to agreements that are allowed by other Articles of the Contract.

 

[brownrodster]

This Commitment Letter wants you to up the sold leads for the year also. Mine went from 5 to 8 sold per yr.

The only sold lead I have someone in management found one and put my name on it. They should be fired for dishonesty j/k about getting fired. But I do think that is a dishonest practice that should stop.

I give the company production. At the expense of things like leads.

 

[JonFrum]

Retaliate back.

Never forget that, in the long run, you can always make them more miserable than they can make you. You have more job security than they do and you are getting a raise this year. They arent. Feel free to remind them of that little fact. If they turn on the heat, you just turn it up even hotter. I have been thru 4 Division managers, 8 center managers, and at least 20 on-car sups in my career. I'm still here.

We had a mechanic who carved himself a "longevity plaque." Every time a boss moved on, he would imortalize the fact that he (the mechanic) "outlasted another one" by carving another little tombstone, and affixing it to the plaque. The plaque looked like a graveyard by the time the mechanic retired.

 

[satellitedriver]

You would be violating the contract even if you signed a document you agreed with. See Article 6 of the Master Agreement (Extra contract agreements).

I did not vote on (or sign) the Master Agreement, so I will sign what I think is legit.