UPS Teamsters won new contract language protecting our right to work safely and prevent heat-related illness. Know your new Article 18 heat safety rights. Talk to your shop steward and file a grievance whenever UPS violates your rights.
Drivers
Water. Management must provide every driver with a one-gallon water bottle and clean drinking water for drivers to fill it with every day. (Article 18, Section 27.2)
Ice. UPS must maintain an adequate number of clean, working ice machines, or have ice delivered and available. (Article 18, Section 27.3)
Two fans on every package car. UPS must install two working fans in every package car. (Article 18, Section 14)
Stay Hydrated & Take Bathroom Breaks When Needed. OSHA and our contract protect your right to access to a safe and clean bathroom.
Take a Break in a Cool Zone. Take your regular breaks, including meal breaks. If you are feeling overheated, send a DIAD message to notify management. Tell them you are experiencing symptoms of heat stress and you need to take a break in a cool zone, per Article 18.
Part-Timers & Inside Workers
Water. Management must provide clean drinking water. (Article 18, Section 27.2)
Ice. UPS must maintain an adequate number of clean, working ice machines, or have ice delivered and available. (Article 18, Section 27.3)
Install additional building fans. Management must install additional fans throughout the building to improve air circulation. (Article 18, Section 14)
Stay Hydrated & Take Bathroom Breaks When Needed. OSHA and our contract protect your right to access to a safe and clean bathroom.
Cool Zones. Management must identify cool zones on routes and inside the building where employees can rest if experiencing signs of heat illness. You have the right to take a rest in a cool zone when you are experiencing symptoms of heat illness in addition to your regular meal and ten-minute breaks.
Everybody
Cool Off When You're Overheated
Take a break in a cool zone if you are feeling symptoms of heat illness.
Management wants to keep you working as fast as possible. But when temperatures rise, you have a contractual right to rest in a cool zone to prevent heat-related illness.
This is additional to your regular contractual breaks.
STEP 1: Recognize early signs of heat-related illness, such as fatigue, nausea, headache and cramping.
STEP 2: Notify management. Tell them you are experiencing heat stress and you need a rest to cool down. Drivers should always use the DIAD to communicate with management.
STEP 3: Rest and rehydrate. When you are recovered and ready to return to work, inform management. If you are struggling to recover, call emergency services.
Work As Instructed
If management tells you to clock out or use a regular break to rest from heat, follow their instructions and then file a grievance under Article 18, Section 27 (13).
Drivers: Document the violation by taking pictures of the DIAD message from management instructing you to clock out.
Inside workers: Write down the information you’ll need to help win your grievance:
What symptoms were you feeling?
When did this happen. Write down the date and time?
Who in management did you tell you were overheated and who told you to clock out?
Witnesses to management’s violation of your rights?
Call for Medical Help
If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency, call for medical help.
Federal law and our contract protect your right to seek emergency services free of harassment and retaliation. (Article 18, Section 27.5)
This goes for every Teamster whether you work on a truck or in a building.
More importantly, don’t let it get to this point. Cool off in a cool zone when you’re overheated and experiencing symptoms of heat illness.
Download the Teamster Heat Safety toolkit at bit.ly/upsheat
Member-to-Member Communication
“My center has a group chat and when it’s hot, we use our chat to do hydration checks. “Many drivers are afraid of retaliation or discipline if they take a rest to cool down. We’re going to start using our group chat to show drivers you don’t have to be afraid to take a rest when you’re overheating.”
Henry "CJ" Toaza, Suffolk
Stay Safe by Staying Informed
“We have center meetings to keep members informed on their heat safety rights.
“At our building, they just installed eleven more ice machines. Every week, I check the ice machines and water filters to make sure they’re clean and working.
“We make sure every member knows about their right to take cool-down breaks. We’ve got to protect each other and enforce the contract.”
Tony Rushdy, 43rd Street