UPS Fires 250 Workers Who Defended Fired Colleague

[dmcowen674]

4-3-2014

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/02/ups-queens-firing_n_5078776.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

UPS Fires Hundreds Of Workers Who Defended Fired Colleague



UPS, one of the world's largest shipping and logistics companies, has decided to fire 250 workers who staged a 90-minute protest in February. The protest was organized after a long-time employee was fired over an hours dispute.


Twenty of the workers were notified of their dismissal on Monday. The remaining 230 were told they would be fired as soon as replacements are trained.

The workers, who are based in Queens, N.Y., walked off the job when Jairo Reyes, a 24-year company veteran and union activist, got in a dispute with the company over the number of hours senior staff could work

The Queens workers are represented by the local branch of the Teamsters union. In a statement on their website, they describe the firings as "arbitrary discipline."


"UPS’s actions this week were a heartless attack on drivers and their families," the Teamsters Local 804 wrote.


Local officials and union representatives have demanded that UPS rehire the workers and that the city revoke the millions in New York government contracts currently awarded to the company.


UPS also "receives millions of dollars every year in reduced fine and fees for parking tickets," according to NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, who will protest alongside the Teamsters at New York City Hall Thursday.

 

[rudder]

In before Dmcown674

 

[dmcowen674]

Regardless of the employee situation they should not be getting breaks on tickets and fines and they should lose the lucrative Government contracts.

No wonder the USPS is struggling.

 

[waggy]

In before Dmcown674

lol

your title is a lie. they were not fired for defending him. they were fired for going off the job for 90 minutes.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

In before Dmcown674

:hmm:

:thumbsup:

:biggrin:

 

[momeNt]

In before Dmcown674

tytytytyty

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Hmmmm walking off the job for 90 minutes will result in being fired from many companies.

Good job Rudder!!!!!

 

[Jimzz]

"The remaining 230 were told they would be fired as soon as replacements are trained."

Why would you tell them that? I would hate to be one getting a package from that driver. Or I bet their trucks will need a lot more work and have a lot more parking tickets coming in soon.

 

[Oyeve]

"The remaining 230 were told they would be fired as soon as replacements are trained."

Why would you tell them that? I would hate to be one getting a package from that driver. Or I bet their trucks will need a lot more work and have a lot more parking tickets coming in soon.

Training is probably a 60 min video. UPS did the right thing.

 

[Jimzz]

Training is probably a 60 min video. UPS did the right thing.

If remember correct you have to do ride alongs for a certain time, prove you can drive after that, etc... so unless NY has different training then what I have heard its going to take a while not a day or two to find a replacement.

I have not looked into the right/wrong of the firing but again why tell someone that is still working with your name on their vehicle and clothes they are going to be fired.

 

[Drako]

Good, they got what the deserved. :thumbsup:

 

[mrjminer]

If remember correct you have to do ride alongs for a certain time, prove you can drive after that, etc... so unless NY has different training then what I have heard its going to take a while not a day or two to find a replacement.

I have not looked into the right/wrong of the firing but again why tell someone that is still working with your name on their vehicle and clothes they are going to be fired.

Yea, they also stupidly now face the double-backlash-penalty. If they would have waited a couple of months, the effect of the firings would be far less in the media. I guess they didn't consult PR first. UPS gets an "F" for the handling of this one.

 

[smackababy]

Yea, they also stupidly now face the double-backlash-penalty. If they would have waited a couple of months, the effect of the firings would be far less in the media. I guess they didn't consult PR first. UPS gets an "F" for the handling of this one.

Except, the PR doesn't matter. There are 2 courier services people are going to use: UPS and FedEx, and one is almost always cheaper than the other (that one being UPS). People aren't going to care UPS just fired a bunch of workers that walked out, while on the clock. If they do, they are stupid. Huge businesses with very large contracts aren't going to care either. Is Amazon going to stop using UPS because of this? Of course not.


I am glad UPS fired these guys. I get they want to 'stand up' for their coworker, but they likely have zero idea of what actually happened for him to be fired AND they went about it in the entirely wrong way.

 

[mrjminer]

Except, the PR doesn't matter. There are 2 courier services people are going to use: UPS and FedEx, and one is almost always cheaper than the other (that one being UPS). People aren't going to care UPS just fired a bunch of workers that walked out, while on the clock. If they do, they are stupid. Huge businesses with very large contracts aren't going to care either. Is Amazon going to stop using UPS because of this? Of course not.


I am glad UPS fired these guys. I get they want to 'stand up' for their coworker, but they likely have zero idea of what actually happened for him to be fired AND they went about it in the entirely wrong way.

Oh yea, I think they should be able to fire anyone for whatever reason they want whenever they want. I just think that they unnecessarily incurred additional backlash that exposes them to a government response. The public won't care, but the government has increased gained the benefit of increased awareness, potentially giving them fuel for the argument to revoke credits or something. This is probably one of the rare occasions where the double-edged sword cuts the large business since it's not like they're going to be pulling out of the state, and if they raised rates as a result public awareness would further grow / possibility of people switching companies increased from increased prices or "morality" / etc.

If I were with the state, I'd immediately cut some of their breaks since they have them by the balls whether they know it or not.

 

[PokerGuy]

lol

your title is a lie. they were not fired for defending him. they were fired for going off the job for 90 minutes.

Ding ding, winnar.

Regardless of whether you think his getting fired was fair or not, if you choose to walk off the job for 90 minutes without permission to do so, then you'd better be ready to accept the consequences, which could include termination.

Problem not found.

I do find it funny how the leftists and unions are always so quick to resort to the force of government to get their way, they're pushing for the state of NY to punish UPS for their actions.

 

[dawp]

well, if i was one of the 230 I wouldn't wait around for my replacement to be trained.

 

[Newell Steamer]

They walked off the job,... they gave UPS a reason to fire them.

Next time, don't listen to the stupid business agent from that union.

Get signatures and petitions together,... schedule a daily protest each day (before / after work). Go to the local news, etc. But, don't give them a reason to fire you.

Go by the book and rules.

Actions like this will only make it worse for yourself.

 

[stormkroe]

In before Dmcown674

E.p.i.c.
+1000

 

[Sonikku]

Want to keep your job? Don't protest.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Want to keep your job? Don't protest.

Protest, but, don't walk off the job - which is what these guys did.

I am all for the worker, but, they still have to play by the rules.

 

[senseamp]

Protest, but, don't walk off the job - which is what these guys did.

I am all for the worker, but, they still have to play by the rules.

So does UPS. Parking rules. No exceptions for them either, since they are such sticklers for the rules.

 

[waggy]

So does UPS. Parking rules. No exceptions for them either, since they are such sticklers for the rules.

agreed. i fucking hate UPS/fedex when they just stop in one lane on a 2 lane road in town to give a company a box. WTF grr

 

[Jimzz]

agreed. i fucking hate UPS/fedex when they just stop in one lane on a 2 lane road in town to give a company a box. WTF grr

Yea seems they also get discounts for their tickets???

"UPS also "receives millions of dollars every year in reduced fine and fees for parking tickets," according to NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, who will protest alongside the Teamsters at New York City Hall Thursday."

 

[PokerGuy]

Yea seems they also get discounts for their tickets???

"UPS also "receives millions of dollars every year in reduced fine and fees for parking tickets," according to NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, who will protest alongside the Teamsters at New York City Hall Thursday."

How is the fact that they supposedly receive discounts on tickets even relevant to this issue? The idiots walked out on the job and are getting fired. No problem there. If they didn't want to get fired, they shouldn't have walked out on the job. Whether UPS gets discounts etc from the city is not relevant at all, it's a completely separate discussion.

I don't see why UPS or any other company should get any kind of discount on tickets for violations, but that's completely irrelevant.

 

[smackababy]

Yea seems they also get discounts for their tickets???

"UPS also "receives millions of dollars every year in reduced fine and fees for parking tickets," according to NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, who will protest alongside the Teamsters at New York City Hall Thursday."

Well, they don't receive millions, unless NY is paying them money to pay for tickets. Perhaps, they have deal with the state / city / county / whoever, to have parking violation fines reduced, rather than push them off to their employees or lobby for legislation that convolutes traffic and parking laws.

Most of the time, those large trucks are forced to park in what would be illegal spots simply due to their size and the need to carry packages to places. And, it isn't just UPS that does this. USPS and FedEx do the same thing.