4:42 is the preload start time

[konsole]

You really perceive these activities to be acceptable, even though you're being compensated for your time?

Yes I think these "activites" are acceptable on occasion. Like I said if its consistent then yes thats a problem, but occasionally no. Its all about the intent, if an employee is doing these all the time then the intent is to waste time and that is a problem. If the employee is doing these things occasionally then the intent is not to waste time and its not a problem. Do you cringe when an employee is late maybe once a month? Whats the difference? Would you prefer employees behave like robots that the company would love us to be like?

In your replies don't conveniently leave out how I agree with you if employees are doing these things consistently.

 

[Bagels]

Yes I think these "activites" are acceptable on occasion. Like I said if its consistent then yes thats a problem, but occasionally no. Its all about the intent, if an employee is doing these all the time then the intent is to waste time and that is a problem. If the employee is doing these things occasionally then the intent is not to waste time and its not a problem. Do you cringe when an employee is late maybe once a month? Whats the difference? Would you prefer employees behave like robots that the company would love us to be like?

In your replies don't conveniently leave out how I agree with you if employees are doing these things consistently.

Sorry, but there's never a valid reason to use the bathroom after you've completed your work but before you've clocked out. And people who I characterized in my previous postings ... spending several minutes at the beginning of the shift setting up their radio, coming back from break late, using the potty directly before clocking out, almost never do these things one time -- it's always always a regular thing. And if you're late once a month, you'll be disciplined here. Set up your radio BEFORE work, come break from break on time, use the toilet after clocking out, show up to work on time. It's pretty simple, and not asking much from us.

I currently work with a manager who has a problem with us talking. That I do have a problem with. But for the others, there's simply no excuse.

 

[UPS Preloader]

Sorry, but there's never a valid reason to use the bathroom after you've completed your work but before you've clocked out.

Yes there is... To wash up. I didn't come in dirty, it's not my dirt, and I don't want to be accused of stealing UPS'S dirt.

 

[konsole]

Sorry, but there's never a valid reason to use the bathroom after you've completed your work but before you've clocked out. And people who I characterized in my previous postings ... spending several minutes at the beginning of the shift setting up their radio, coming back from break late, using the potty directly before clocking out, almost never do these things one time -- it's always always a regular thing. And if you're late once a month, you'll be disciplined here. Set up your radio BEFORE work, come break from break on time, use the toilet after clocking out, show up to work on time. It's pretty simple, and not asking much from us.

I currently work with a manager who has a problem with us talking. That I do have a problem with. But for the others, there's simply no excuse.

I'm not going to respond to your posts on this topic anymore because I have already told you that I agree that if employees are constantly doing those things then something should be done about it, but I'm sorry, thinking that something should be done everytime one of those things happens is just ludicrous and is the thinking of a manager that sees all employees as robots with numbers on their back. Say what you want but I'm going back to the topic of the odd start time.

 

[konsole]

Maybe I wasnt clear enough before, but for all the people that say its a smart choice by management to save some money or make their numbers look better... If changing the start time from 4:40 to 4:42 saves 2 minutes off every employee, then why wouldnt they change it from 4:40 to 4:45, which saves 5 minutes off every employee? The 3 minutes difference would make no difference in the ability to finish the sort on time, but it would save the 3 minutes on each employee. With such an unusual start time it seems to me like there is more to it then a few minutes saved.

I wouldnt have started this post if they changed it from 4:40 to 4:45, but to 4:42 I think warrants discussion.

 

[tre305]

I never did understand the 5-10 minutue difference on our start times, its always been 5:35 for my Center. Ten minutes back on Thursdays since Thursdays are always heavy for some reason.

Some days I wish we'd go back to the days before PAL. 4 and 3am start times were good days....for me at least.

 

[jibbs]

Why do you feel its proper for the shift to be run with a boot camp mentality? Never allowed to adjust their radio a few minutes into the shift? Never allowed to come back from break a minute or two after the belts start? Never allowed to go to the bathroom for 1-2 minutes just before they clock out?

If you meant that you cringe when you see people doing these things consistently then yes I agree with you on that, but to get upset when an employee does these occasionally is going to do nothing but create senseless hostility. A certain level of freedom needs to be given to the employees to do these things once in a while, and to deny them that is to deny people of basic human needs. A good manager understands and provides a little bit of breathing room for their employees, take away that breathing room and you reduce employees desire to produce for the company.

I'm not really understanding your theory on the start time being changed by such a small amount, because as you say, its meant to improve production or to earn a reward. I'd like you to elaborate on that one.

Portable radios are basic needs? You should tell management at my center that.


Man, y'all seem to get pampered on your shifts with your everyday breaks, ipods and radios. I brought in an iPod my second day (first of actual loading) and *boom!*, LP guy's telling me to take it out to my car and that I'll be getting a warning letter in the mail.

Haven't gotten the letter yet and this happened last August so it's a non-issue now but still... You all are lucky. At least you're allowed a radio to change the station to. Me? I'm listening to a conveyor belt and the sort aisle yellin' out "IRREG" every 45 seconds. It'd be nice to switch it up with some music.



(Point being: enjoy what you've got while it lasts.)

 

[konsole]

Portable radios are basic needs? You should tell management at my center that.


Man, y'all seem to get pampered on your shifts with your everyday breaks, ipods and radios.

Its a noisy and dirty warehouse environment, people that are allowed to listen to music are not being pampered, and if your not getting breaks everyday you should look into that because most likely your required to get some kind of break. If employees where given 1 hour break for working 4 hours then ya I would consider that being pampered, but not 10 minutes when they call everyone back 8 minutes into it. Sounds like your building is run by s.

 

[jibbs]

Its a noisy and dirty warehouse environment, people that are allowed to listen to music are not being pampered, and if your not getting breaks everyday you should look into that because most likely your required to get some kind of break. If employees where given 1 hour break for working 4 hours then ya I would consider that being pampered, but not 10 minutes when they call everyone back 8 minutes into it. Sounds like your building is run by s.

I'm actually extremely happy with my working situation despite an extremely few amount of obstacles thrown in front of me the past 8 months.

"Noisy [...] warehouse environment"... how exactly does putting even MORE sound into your ears work to fix this problem? I think you meant to say that it helps some people focus on their work but I'm not going to pretend to be a mind reader.


I'm not really trying to argue here but when a person jumps on the defensive in reply to my post I feel I've got no other choice but to play offense.


Also, after reading about breaks here I spoke to my supervisor this morning. Breaks in my building are case-by-case, apparently. If someone needs a smoke, they let it be known and they're off the belt ASAP. Bathroom? Same scenario. We just don't shut down entire belts to grab a 10min break on a 3.5hr day. And in retrospect, that's absolutely true. I've never been flat out denied when I tell my supe I need to go handle something... worst case scenario: I've been told to wait for [insert random Preloader] to come cover me for a few minutes before I leave my trucks.

I feel like if they shut a belt down for a 10min break, a good portion of employees might clock out and not come back (especially the more-recently-hired).

 

[PT Car Washer]

Isn't a 10 min. break in your contract?

 

[jibbs]

Isn't a 10 min. break in your contract?

From what I've been told it varies from region to region (or supplement to supplement, local to local... I'm still not good with these semantics yet), but I haven't yet seen firsthand what the situation is for my location.

 

[PT Car Washer]

You must be right as I found ours in the Central Region Supplement.

 

[Drink Craft Beer]

The way it use to be in my Hub was all preloaders started at the same time (before PAL labels) They were expected to get into the trucks they load and organize packages that were left over from the day before that didn't get delivered (for whatever reason)

Then after the scanning started, you just came in and unloaded any leftover packages onto the belt (to be brought back around) to get re-scanned becasue it might not to go to your truck as it did yesterday because they moved a certain part of your route.

Now they implimented (we call it) "staggered start time" throughout the belt. They have one preloader come in 10-15 mintues early with a portable scanner with printer going through all the package cars and scanning any leftovers. and putting the ones that don't belong out onto the belt.

Plus now throughout the shift there are Soups who go through some package cars scanning each package looking for misloads. Not sure if they're allowed to do that considering they are handling packages but nobody says anything.

All they've done since I've been there is figure out ways to start you later and later and get you out early as possible. Not to mention trying to tell the scanners and the person doing D-cap that they "now have a requirement to scan a certain amount of packages in one minute."...... Always trying to make up **** as they go. Standing there with a stop watch timing you. Just another scare tactic and way to harass you.

 

[Gazelle]

Everything in UPS related to time is done in increments of 100.

Time study uses the increment of 100,000. I did an entire project about how they configure PPH

 

[Gazelle]

Plus now throughout the shift there are Soups who go through some package cars scanning each package looking for misloads. Not sure if they're allowed to do that considering they are handling packages but nobody says anything.

They are not furthering the progress of the package, just auditing the truck to make sure that there are no misloads. I also have to do LQ audits, where I make sure everything is in the right position in the truck.

All they've done since I've been there is figure out ways to start you later and later and get you out early as possible. Not to mention trying to tell the scanners and the person doing D-cap that they "now have a requirement to scan a certain amount of packages in one minute."...... Always trying to make up **** as they go. Standing there with a stop watch timing you. Just another scare tactic and way to harass you.

There is a set standard with how many packages you should scan per minute. It depends on if you are scanning at the extendo, or in the aisle, if you are using a 2D scanner, a linear scanner, or an ispa.

 

[konsole]

"Noisy [...] warehouse environment"... how exactly does putting even MORE sound into your ears work to fix this problem? I think you meant to say that it helps some people focus on their work but I'm not going to pretend to be a mind reader.

Breaks in my building are case-by-case, apparently. If someone needs a smoke, they let it be known and they're off the belt ASAP. Bathroom? Same scenario. We just don't shut down entire belts to grab a 10min break on a 3.5hr day.

A radio gives you something pleasant to listen to to drown out some of the undesirable warehouse noise, plus listening to your favorite music gives you a big motivational boost.

Don't think of breaks as simply "times to take care of immediate obvious needs". The environment in the building is a go-go-go atmosphere and you need a break from that to sit down and relax for a little bit. Don't ask management about breaks, because while they are most likely telling the truth on this topic, the proper people to ask would be your steward or other Local representatives. You may not feel the need for a break during a 3.5 hour shift, but when the holiday season rolls around and your working 6+ hours you will wish you had pushed for breaks from the start.

 

[Drink Craft Beer]

There is a set standard with how many packages you should scan per minute. It depends on if you are scanning at the extendo, or in the aisle, if you are using a 2D scanner, a linear scanner, or an ispa

It's the spa (those scanning the packages that being unloaded from the semi's) and the person working D-cap who is also expected to dump and scan forever bags.

Everyday is different, every package size is different from day to day. Expecting to get the same result everyday not achieveable. Spa has been going on for over 8yrs at my hub and all of a sudden, NOW there's a package limit per minute that's expected??

 

[jibbs]

A radio gives you something pleasant to listen to to drown out some of the undesirable warehouse noise, plus listening to your favorite music gives you a big motivational boost.

Don't think of breaks as simply "times to take care of immediate obvious needs". The environment in the building is a go-go-go atmosphere and you need a break from that to sit down and relax for a little bit. Don't ask management about breaks, because while they are most likely telling the truth on this topic, the proper people to ask would be your steward or other Local representatives. You may not feel the need for a break during a 3.5 hour shift, but when the holiday season rolls around and your working 6+ hours you will wish you had pushed for breaks from the start.

Truthfully, I wish I was one of the blessed few fulltime package handlers. I definitely see the need for a break on 6-7+ hour shifts. For me, it's just nicotine and that's not even a consistent thing-- it very much depends on how stressed I am already going into work.

::shrugs::

I'm not trying to call anyone soft for having breaks or anything, I just... I, personally, don't need to every single day. I bring food, cigarettes and water in with me and all three stay within 20ft of me the entire shift. If I need to hit the bathroom I'm lucky enough to have one maybe 50-75ft away from my trucks and where I split, allowing for a quick getaway and even quicker return-- same with a designated break area.

I realize not everyone has everything within easy reach. Only thing I can't get to without a 3-4min walk are the vending machines in the break area but I've got that covered with the food I bring in.



I'm just saying it'd be cool to have some time and just chill with (at least a few of) the people I work with and basically just **** around for 10min, the break just isn't always necessary... Maybe the problem is I look at my job here like a workout I'm getting paid for? The radio'd be chill, too, but that's a definite no-go in my building... signs everywhere, plus I've personally been caught with an iPod before so I'm not getting a second strike.

 

[dialup]

If you stick around long enough you will stop thinking of it as a workout and realize what the years of hard labor do to your body.

Even if you don't feel like you need them, make sure to take a break by the 3 hour mark everyday.

 

[Bagels]

A radio gives you something pleasant to listen to to drown out some of the undesirable warehouse noise, plus listening to your favorite music gives you a big motivational boost.

Don't think of breaks as simply "times to take care of immediate obvious needs". The environment in the building is a go-go-go atmosphere and you need a break from that to sit down and relax for a little bit. Don't ask management about breaks, because while they are most likely telling the truth on this topic, the proper people to ask would be your steward or other Local representatives. You may not feel the need for a break during a 3.5 hour shift, but when the holiday season rolls around and your working 6+ hours you will wish you had pushed for breaks from the start.

Radios aren't a problem if they're set-up before the sort, kept at a moderate volume & do not distract the employee from performing his job / cause safety issues. Unfortunately, that's why they're now banned here.

When you hired in, you knew UPS was a military-type environment. Disagreeing with such culture isn't an excuse to defect from it. Plenty of jobs allow employees to goof around, drink a beer or two on the clock, etc. If that's more suitable to you, then pursue one of them.