UPS management uses tricks and techniques to intimidate, harass and unfairly discipline members in the office. Activists share their advice on the do’s and don’ts when you’re called into the office.

Use Your Caucuses

Misty Baker, a preload steward from Lexington Local 651, knows it’s critical to caucus with the member before, during, and after a visit to the office.

“Sometimes management will try to rush inexperienced stewards into a meeting in the office that they don’t know anything about. Don’t let that happen. You have the right to caucus with the member before the meeting to make sure you understand the facts of the case. It’s important to use this time to get the honest facts from the member so you know what situation you’re walking into,” said Baker.”

“During the meeting, I call a caucus if I see that management has the member sped up, confused, or flustered. There should be no surprises in these meetings. Stewards should feel comfortable to step out and talk to a member any time they are out of sorts to calm them down and get them back on track,” Baker said.

“Caucusing after the meeting is underrated, but it’s very important too. In the office, our job as a steward is to defend the member. But if they made a real mistake, I try to explain the seriousness of it to them and figure out what was going on so they don’t end up back in the office for the same type of thing there. Sometimes there’s something going on in their life outside of work, and I want to make sure they have the resources they need to get in a better situation,” said Baker.

Avoid Fishing Expeditions

In a meeting, it’s up to management to show the member did something wrong and to justify any discipline they’re handing out. But a common UPS tactic is to try to flip the script. They might start with an open-ended question like, “Do you know why you’re here?” or “What happened yesterday?” to get the member to give up information that management doesn’t have, make up a story, or confess to something different.

“I tell members not to fall for a fishing expedition,” said Raul Medina, a package steward in Chicago Local 705. “In the office, keep your answers short and to the point. If you don’t remember something, just say so—don’t try to make something up. I even warn them that if they’re talking too much, I will kick them under the table, and they should be quiet.”

Get the Facts and Write Them Down

Isaac Gobble, an RPCD steward from Columbus Local 413, takes detailed notes each time in the office.

“Every meeting I go into, I am looking to get the Who, Where, When, and What from the manager:

• Who saw the event take place? Were there any witnesses?
• Where did the event take place?
• When did the event take place? Ask management to be as specific as possible on the time. This can help later if there is a hearing, or it can help poke holes in their story if they don’t know when the apparent event even happened.
• What exactly is management claiming happened? Is this a real issue or are they just harassing the member?

I keep notes in this format for every meeting so it’s easier for me to follow them when I read them later.”

Control the Tempo

Ben Reynolds, an RPCD steward from Kansas City Local 41, tries to disrupt management’s rhythm during meetings in the office.

“Management comes into every meeting with a game plan of how they want it to go. If you let them stick to this game plan, they’re already winning.

“Management wants to harass the member, speed them up, make them mad or confused, and do anything they can to get the member to say the wrong thing.

“You can ask management to repeat a question or even ask them how to spell a word, just to slow them down. If management has a small mistake in their narrative, you can key in on that and get them flustered by forcing them to talk about something they don’t know about.”

Attend the TDU Convention

"I attended the TDU Convention for the first time last year, and it was an amazing experience. Seeing regular people active and educated inspired me to get more involved and keep learning. Since I’ve been back, I’ve been telling new employees about TDU and helping them prepare for intimidation from management. They know they have a union fighting for their rights and they don't have to be afraid of speaking up if they see something wrong.”

Joel Almonte Feliz
Local 804, New York City

Protect Our Safety

“Our building used to be really unsafe, but we started using new member orientation meetings and more outreach to existing members to inform part-time and inside workers of their rights. When egress becomes an issue, our stewards and members aren’t afraid to stop the belt so it can be addressed. With increased SurePost volume, it’s important we prepare members to ensure our safety.”

Lee Seabolt
Local 771, Lancaster, Pa.

Don't Get Tripped Up

“Management tries to keep us in the dark before going into the office. So our first step is to ask management what the meeting is about and then pull the member out for a caucus to find out what’s going on and get on the same page. I tell members to answer questions with a yes or no, that if I kick them under the table they should be quiet, and that I can yell and bang the table but they can’t. Use caucus time to stay in control of the meeting.”

Raul Medina
Local 705, Chicago