Tropicana, Tropicana Manufacturing, Tropicana Products, Randall Parker, Mike Whalen Tropicana Management IGNORES known unsafe condition Bradenton Florida

Tropicana Management is too incompetent to see the MAJOR safety AND Health issue of their scheduling practices. The letter below demonstrates the lengths I had to go on this. In the past, it was common for Tropicana to schedule employees 16 hours a day 7 days a week in some departments.

The common sense issue here that they simply cannot comprehend, or simply just don't care, is that when an employee is scheduled with only 8 hours between punch out and punch in, that leave the opportunity for only 4 hours sleep when considering travel time to and from work, personal hygiene, eating, etc.

Now, add in the 12-16 hour shift factor here. This is a no brainer!

Then, they have the balls to preach safety as the number 1 priority!

How can anyone operate safely on 4 hours sleep? Especially in a dangerous manufacturing environment, and/or while operating industrial equipment such as forklifts, big trucks, etc.

The rip off here is that we are forced under threat of our job to work these shifts, and when we are fatiqued and damage something or injur someone, we then get reprimanded or fired! We are being set up for failure here!

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 12:18 PM
Subject: Unsafe work condition. Safety and Health hazard notification. Immediate action requested.

Follow up on Friday's events. request for follow up and further action. POC should be Billie Foster as he was present.

To all concerned,

Last friday afternoon, I was once again scheduled early and over and then early again which leaves only 8 hours between 16 hour shifts, which in turn leaves a MAXIMUM of 4 hours of sleep between 12-16 hour shifts. After presenting the SAFETY and Health concern, Abraham allowed me to go home without penalty so I could come in early the next day.

This is clearly a major safety issue as well as a major health issue. I want to pursue this to the highest levels and eliminate this unsafe and unhealthy practice. Sleep deprivation is a MAJOR health hazard and is a KILLER. It also causes, and complicates major medical problems and also cuts cognitive functions in half. productivity is also dramatically decreased, as well as reaction time and ability to drive safely and operate equipment. This is all documented and considered to be fact in the health community and by the federal government.

I am fully aware that the contract allows for a 16 hour workday with return in 8 hours, however that is in conflict with both Tropicana and Pepsico safety standards . This issue is not just some lazy employee whining, or not wanting to work.

I have access to and copies of much of this documentation from govenment agencies and prominent experts in the medical field. The standard as described in every study published as a minimum amount of sleep needed for an adult to function properly and be healthy is 7 to 8.4 hours of uninterupted sleep.

The bottom line is, NO ONE can safely function with 4 hours sleep between 12-16 hour shifts. It is impossible, and I have the documentation. This is an unsafe and unhealthy practice that needs to be stopped immediately, and it CAN be as per our union contract and company safety policies. With only 8 hours between punch out and punch in a peron has to travel home and back to work,dress and undress, shower, etc and eat and pack whatever lunch or other items will be needed at work. This takes a minimum of 2 hours on each end of that 8 hours leaving a maximum of 4 hours sleep, IF the person can fall asleep immediately when getting in bed. I know I can't.

After all, every morning we hear a speach that safety is the #1 priority at Tropicana. With this said, WHY are we knowingly operating in an UNSAFE and UNHEALTHY manner?

As per Article 3 of our contract [Safety and Health], I HEREBY REQUEST that this be escalated to the named parties for official investigation and I would like documentation of these events. These issues need to be presented to all parties involved for investigation and appropriate action taken.

If the company REALLY cares about safety, they could eliminate this policy IMMEDIATELY under the "flexibility clause" I hear so much about. There is NO REQUIREMENT in the contract to schedule employees this way. it IS OPTIONAL. It is a CHOICE. It could be stopped tomorrow.

Mike Waylan, in the presence of Billie Foster, myself and Abraham stated that that scheduling is the fault of our union and there is nothing he can do about it, although he is personally against it and has fought to stop it. This statement is false.

Under Article 8, Paragraph 9 "Work Week - Work Day and Overtime" we can stop this practice immediately. This paragraph states...."Departments desiring to restrict 16 hour work days MAY do so with a majority vote, and approval of the business agent".

Randall Parker has expressed on at least one occasion that he does not like forced overtime and wants to hire more people in an effort to eliminate it.

My question is, if everyone is aware of this hazard, why are we still doing it? I would rather work forced 12's every day than have even 1 person work back to back 16's or a 16 and a 12 with only 4 hours sleep in between.

In conclusion, I will be initiating an unsafe condition report on this, AND I will continue to REFUSE to work in an unsafe manner. I cannot SAFELY operate a truck or other equipment without the minimum sleep being attained between shifts. I am not refusing to work, I am refusing to work UNSAFELY. I personally CANNOT operate safely on 4 hours sleep and have notified management and leads of this in the presence of my union representative, Billie Foster. Mike Waylan REFUSED to provide any written acknowledgement of my unsafe condition concerns or meeting and notification.

I will not be responsible for the serious injury or death of a co-worker or myself or engaging in property damage as a result of knowingly being forced to work while sleep deprived / fatigued.

Let's fix this now. I am prepared to present this to PepsiCo / QTG executives and the appropriate risk management officers of said companies if immediate attention to this serious issue is not initiated.

Thank You,


xxxxx
xxxxx
Member, Teamsters Local 173

Steve
Bradenton, Florida
U.S.A.