UPS

Locals Raise Money for Beloved UPS Driver in Need After Sandy

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — John Donnery has been delivering UPS packages in Brooklyn Heights for over 20 years. Well-known and loved in the neighborhood, locals talk about him working on his weekend off to help build a ramp for the elderly, always offering to carry heavy packages up the stairs, and his pleasant conversation and sweet friendship.


Some have even left the trusted deliveryman front keys to their homes to leave packages in their absence.


Soon after Hurricane Sandy, residents heard the sad news that Donnery’s Gerritsen Beach home had been destroyed — and now they are looking to help him.


A week after the storm and back on his route, he slowly began to talk to neighbors about his loss.


“His house was flooded with four feet of water,” said resident Jean Harvey. “He lost a great deal.”


Donnery said that he was unable to go home for nearly 10 weeks. During that time the insurance company did not show up to assess the damages. Donnery knew that he had to rebuild himself, so he worked days on the route and nights on his home. Neighbors said he looked tired and thin from working round the clock.


“Even though he doesn’t live here, he was a neighbor in need,” said Harvey.


Residents, churches, and local businesses started a campaign to raise money for Donnery’s home. Brooklyn Women’s Exchange along Donnery’s route encouraged former Brooklyn Heights resident and contractor Frank Defalco and his crew to go out to Donnery’s house and help rebuild the demolished structure. They gladly drove to Gerritsen Beach to lend a hand.


“They took care of us,” he said. “It pays to have friends in high places, literally.”


Meanwhile Grace Episcopal Church and Plymouth Church began to accept donations in Donnery’s name.


“It hits your heart when you hear about something like this happening to someone you know,” said Amy Calcott of Grace Church. “John is such a wonderful person, we want to do all we can to help.”


Resident Donna Whiteford agreed that the community needed to help out. She facilitated gathering donations in her co-op and hopes that their efforts have offered Donnery some solace.


“This is a small community,” she said. “We take care of each other.”


Linda Alperin of the Brooklyn’s Women Exchange called Donnery the Santa Claus of the neighborhood.


“He delivers packages with a smile,” she said. “Seeing John’s face brightens the day.”


“He is part of our family,” she added.

DNAinfo.com

Union, UPS

Record Earnings


















UPS Posts Record Earnings


UPS announced record Fourth Quarter and Annual adjusted earnings in a company statement today.

UPS made profits of $2.05 billion excluding a big one-time pension accounting charge.

The company’s fourth quarter profits looked like a loss thanks to an accounting gimmick. UPS took a massive one-time $3 billion “non-cash charge“ on company pension and benefit plans. This charge did not affect the company’s cash flow or benefits paid to participants.


Another one-time event, Hurricane Sandy, also cut into the company’s bottom line, diluting earnings by $.05 a share according to the company.

After the pension charge, the company posted an official fourth-quarter net loss of $1.75 billion.

It’s contract time. And UPS Teamsters can expect management to use the Fourth Quarter figures to talk up the bad economy.

Management and Teamsters know the truth: UPS continues to gain ground and make profits even in a tough economy. Just look at the numbers the company can’t manipulate through accounting gimmicks.

UPS’s fourth quarter revenue rose to $14.57 billion—up $400 million compared to last year.


  • Daily package volume was up 3% to 16.2 million domestic packages a day.
  • Operating profit in the company’s domestic package operation increased by 4.4%.
  • UPS Teamsters continue to deliver huge revenue for the company. It’s time for UPS to deliver for us by negotiating a fair contract.





Union

UPS Contract Scorecard


January 23, 2013: UPS is making billions. But our working conditions have never been worse.

Last time UPS and the International Union negotiated early, we got concessions. We need to do better. You only have so many shots at a contract in your career.


If UPS wants an early agreement, they need to address the growing problems under the current agreement.


UPS Teamsters are being kept in the dark by our Union about what’s happening at the bargaining table. We need to make our voices heard on the issues that effect us every day.


No new contract deal can go into effect until it is approved by UPS Teamsters. Our Right to Vote gives us the power to win a better contract.


We need to be ready to Vote No unless UPS delivers the contract improvements we need.


Click here to download the UPS Contract Scorecard.
















































What We Got in 2008 What We Need in 2013
Pensions & Benefits UPS achieved its number one pension goal: saving billions by pulling out of Central States and establishing a new plan that pays 48,000 full-time Teamsters in the Central, South and Carolinas the lowest benefits in the country. New part-time hires are forced to wait one year for healthcare, 18 months for family coverage. Protect and improve our pensions with increases in substandard plans, including the IBT-UPS plan. Protect affordable retiree healthcare. Restore health benefits for part-timers after 90 days.
Wages Longer wage progression: three years for new full-timers to reach top pay, including combo jobs. Part-time starting pay frozen at $8.50. Protect good full-time wages. No lengthening progression to full scale. Substantially raise part-time pay so all UPS Teamsters are making a living wage, not starting near the minimum wage.
Excessive Overtime Established Opt-in/Opt-out system which makes drivers jump through hoops before they have the right to file a 9.5 grievance. Penalties for 9.5 violations were increased when the contract is enforced. Raise penalties for 9.5 violations, including for harassing members who exercise 9.5 rights. Make UPS create new driving jobs when there are repeated 9.5 violations in the same center. Too much OT means not enough drivers.
Production Harassment No new protections against production harassment. Specific penalties for over-supervision and harassment. Prohibit use of “methods violations” as catch-all for discipline.
Protection from Technology & Bogus ‘Dishonesty’ Charges International agreed to contract loophole that allows management to terminate drivers based solely on information from technology in cases of broadly-defined “dishonesty.” No discipline based on GPS, DIAD, IVIS or any other technology. Close loopholes so UPS can’t use “dishonesty” as a catch-all to terminate members for lesser offenses. Human error is not dishonesty.
More Full-Time Jobs Article 22.3 language that requires UPS to create 10,000 new full-time 22.3 jobs every contract was deleted. Since then, UPS has eliminated thousands of 22.3 jobs across the country in violation of the contract with no effective or coordinated response by the IBT. Create new full-time driving and 22.3 jobs. Make UPS restore all 22.3 jobs vacated during the last contract. Require UPS to maintain 22.3 jobs in the locals where they are created and pay monetary penalties when the company does not maintain jobs or fill vacancies.
Supervisors Working Penalties for supervisors working were increased from time-and-a-half to double time when the language is enforced. Increase penalties for supervisors working, including a minimum penalty of two hours at double-time pay. Establish higher penalties for repeat offenders. Make UPS create a full-time inside job when there are 40 hours of sups working violations in a week.
Subcontracing/Surepost No new subcontracting protections. The Surepost program is not permitted under the current contract but the International Union has cooperated with the program without negotiating anything for members in return. Make UPS create and maintain more package jobs as a condition of continued union cooperation with Surepost. Tighten restrictions on subcontracting, including subcontracting by UPS Logistics or to UPS Freight.
Improve 22.3 Jobs No new national language for 22.3 workers. Stronger language that strengthens the rights of 22.3 workers to bid on overtime and job assignments. Close loopholes in Article 40 to improve combo jobs.
Fix the Grievance Procedure No improvements in the grievance procedure. Grievance procedure reform, including mandatory time limits that force UPS to answer grievances or pay stiff penalties. Right to strike over deadlocked grievances.

TDU

UPS driver information