Anything I can do?

[ginfea]

Hey everyone,

I'm a UPS wife, and I have been lurking on these boards for a while now. I have a question for you all. My husband is good at his job (he's a package car driver). This is great because Lord knows I love a man with good work ethics, but at the same time it's terrible because he gets SCREWED.

In addition to having an extremely heavy route, he is more often than not given a split of some kind. One day recently he had a shade under 150 stops (in addition to a split); the guy on the route next to him had less than 40 (and might I also add that this guy doesn't even have any kind of seniority to warrant being a slacker). What the heck?!

Anyway, I've about had it. Thanks to the tremendous workload and the immense heat this summer, he's been having problems with keeping hydrated because he simply doesn't have time to stop and get water periodically. Bringing water is great, but it doesn't last in this heat. If he asks for help because the load is just too heavy, he gets a bunch of crap from supervisors, so unless there's absolutely NO way it will get done he just sucks it up and makes sure everything gets done. Recently when he did ask for help, the supervisor gave excuses all day about why he wouldn't be able to get anyone, and at night when husband called for help because there was NO way it'd get done, the supervisor tried to pass the buck off on someone else (I hate that guy). When he calls in legitimately sick he's given crap too.

I don't want to complain because I don't want to cause trouble for my husband. That's the last thing he deserves, and I know if I speak up to anyone they'll end up putting the boot to him even more or finding an excuse to fire him for having an outspoken ball and chain.

I'm so frustrated. Part of this I guess is just a giant vent to people who understand (I'm sure all of you have had something like this happen more than once!). But is there ANYTHING that can be done? My husband has no problems working hard and pulling his fair share. But when they're deliberately screwing him over, that's when it becomes an issue.. particularly for me.

 

[moreluck]

No offense, but the wrong person is posting here with complaints.

 

[barnyard]

No offense, but the wrong person is posting here with complaints.

+1

I will add though, that I was in the same boat until I started taking my lunch in the middle of the day and calling to have someone get my air. It took about a week of that and my dispatch came down.

I carry 4 quarts of water in a cooler. At the end of the day, my last bottle still has ice in it. When I finish a bottle, if there is still ice in it, I fill it at a customers.

Your husband could file an over 9.5 grievance, but maybe he likes the work. Some folks would rather work than be at home. Just sayin.

TB

 

[atatbl]

+1

I will add though, that I was in the same boat until I started taking my lunch in the middle of the day and calling to have someone get my air. It took about a week of that and my dispatch came down.

I carry 4 quarts of water in a cooler. At the end of the day, my last bottle still has ice in it. When I finish a bottle, if there is still ice in it, I fill it at a customers.

Your husband could file an over 9.5 grievance, but maybe he likes the work. Some folks would rather work than be at home. Just sayin.

TB

What do you mean "calling to have someone get your air?"

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

No offense, but the wrong person is posting here with complaints.

Exactly--you will make his life even more miserable (if that is possible) if you take this to the next step. Hubby is in a tough situation at work but this is something that he needs to take care of. Support him the best you can as it sounds like he needs it but let him take care of this.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

What do you mean "calling to have someone get your air?"

He probably means someone to take any NDA that he has picked up during the day to make sure it makes service as he will not be in in time to do so himself.

 

[looper804]

Sounds like he chose the wrong profession.He should stay home with the kids while you go out and work.

 

[barnyard]

He probably means someone to take any NDA that he has picked up during the day to make sure it makes service as he will not be in in time to do so himself.

Exactly. We have 2 shuttles that go to the airport. 1st leaves at 6:30, 2nd at 7:20. The route I am on is one of the farthest out from the center, so arranging air meets is difficult.

I used to regularly skip lunch and take it at the end of the day. I would get to the building at 7ish and sit for an hour. Now, if it looks like I will be late, I call and tell them I need an air meet. Usually, they figure out what can be done, so that I do not need a meet.

I also only carry water (I used to pack a lunch), so eating a sandwich between stops is not an option. When I get hungry, I stop, sit down and eat.

The bosses will load you up with as much work as you allow them.

TB

 

[loserupser]

get a divorce and move on!

 

[helenofcalifornia]

Barnyard is exactly right. Your husband needs to take his one hour lunch in the middle of the day, and his breaks at the appropriate time. And I guarantee if he brought stops back one night, he would get the proper attention the next day.

Sounds to me like he is trying to make an impossible route work, and UPS now thinks since he is doing it, it can be done every day.

Your boy needs to keep a reasonable pace without breaking any records.

And, you can't say anything to anybody at UPS about this without making your husband look like a wuss. Just the way it is.

 

[Camping Nana]

ginfea ............. I know exactly how you feel. Contrary to what some of the posters said, I don't think you were asking if there was anything YOU could do - you just needed to vent. And sometimes venting to the one who is getting the shaft can make things worse for his spirits.

My hubby has been with UPS for 35 years. He has a tremendous work ethic and sometimes has been asked to do things above and beyond - simply because management knows he will get the job done and they can trust him. But believe me he has certainly been taken advantage of. It was certainly no fun doing a split off someone else's route - breaking off your route to do his work - being on your way up the mountain to do it and he passes you on his way down the mountain - finished with his day.... and you still have part of your own route to do. This became a way of life for about 5 years. But in the end..... DH can look at the man in the mirror without any regrets as to his own work ethic.

Support him - let him vent to you - always look for the positive in every situation (even when it doesn't appear that there is one) and know that you can be proud of the man with great work ethics and the example he is setting for your children!

 

[DS]

+1

I will add though, that I was in the same boat until I started taking my lunch in the middle of the day and calling to have someone get my air. It took about a week of that and my dispatch came down

I totally agree with barnyard on this.
If he takes his lunch like he is supposed to,calls for help and tells them that he will have missed business deliveries if he does not get it,they will have to listen to him.If its residential deliveries he is getting slammed with,like barnyard says,he must take his full lunch ,call at 630pm and
have his express picked up and stay out until its all done.After a few days of this they will lighten his load.
Its easy for some of you to suggest that its not ginfea's place to be posting on behalf of her husband,but we dont know the circumstances,and I for one believe this post was made out of frustration.
She is merely seeking advice and she came to the browncafe in the hope that we could offer ideas that would help,and I think she came to the right place.Maybe her husband has never even heard of the bc,and she is just being a loving wife by logging in,actually becoming a member,and I know for a fact,that many of us are or have been way overdipatched .
Dont give up on us yet ginfea,in time some senior members will offer you advice on lots of similar situations,and how they fixed the problem.

 

[Bad Gas!]

This is not an uncommon situation your husband is in.im fact, it is very, very common with the new cover drivers up to some very senior guys.Every driver has to deal with the "too much work" to an extent...I think the taking the full hour lunch is an excellent idea.And it doesn't have to be all in the middle of the day.Split it up as needed..But note this:before you can be available to help other drivers , you need to finish your lunch hour off.By finishing this hour, there is a good chance they will find someone else to do the dirty work(running the splits) because your 9/5 time won't allow you to help anyone else....And when you communicate with driver sup, let them know that you plan on taking your lunch hour for several reasons.1)your losing 42$ an hour if you don't.2)for safty reasons you HAVE to take a break from the heat(cold,muscle aches,headache, call the the family etc)...This company will respectfully give you your lunch if you work hard but demand it.It is a must....I go over this with several friends on a regular basis...I don't say dog your route and loaf..I say work at a hard steady pace,do the best you can, be safe and take your full break..It's not stealing time.It's your time...Now, you may have to break sup in with 30 min then 45 min then an hour if you have been totaling skiping your full hour but you don't have too...I think you get my point here so I will stop...good luck..

 

[BBlakewv]

S

 

[happyboy]

try calling 1-800-pick-ups and ask them if my husband can come home soon.

 

[cino321]

Take lunch when you are supposed to, stay out all night. Do it for a few days, they'll catch on and lighten the dispatch. Call for help, if they don't send help, deliver until you're done, who cares if it's at midnight. Commercial missed? That's how you really show them.

Is he going to get harassed? Yep. He's going to get guilt trips from supervisors, the whole nine yards. Tell him not to be a hero, it's not his job nor is he getting paid enough.

Oh and another thing, there is no such thing at this company as being dehydrated. If that's the case, your husband will never make it. Bring water, stop for water, I probably go to a store about 5-7 times a day, plus my hour lunch. And guess what, my production has never been questioned by management. Nor do I get harassed, and do you know why? Because I don't care about production, or being harassed. I care about going home and remaining injury and accident free.

Who cares about the packages. Honestly, when I go home at night, I could care less about what made service and what didn't, or who I disappointed today. I'm not here for extra credit.

 

[55andout?]

I had a drivers wife call me one time and ask why her husband has too much work. She stated that he used to be home every night at 6 pm and now he is out until 7 pm or later. She demanded to know why. I told her the truth. Her husband used to work hard and now he complains everyday. His work load was the same but his over allowed grew to an hour and a half over on a daily basis. Oh yeah and he "never" had time for a lunch. I also told her when the cover driver does his route he is in by 5:30 daily and they like doing his route. She didnt know what to say.....I told her to ask her husband and then call me back if he had any answeres. He never could give me a straight answer.

 

[trplnkl]

I had a drivers wife call me one time and ask why her husband has too much work. She stated that he used to be home every night at 6 pm and now he is out until 7 pm or later. She demanded to know why. I told her the truth. Her husband used to work hard and now he complains everyday. His work load was the same but his over allowed grew to an hour and a half over on a daily basis. Oh yeah and he "never" had time for a lunch. I also told her when the cover driver does his route he is in by 5:30 daily and they like doing his route. She didnt know what to say.....I told her to ask her husband and then call me back if he had any answeres. He never could give me a straight answer.

Good job management. You lied to the woman and you know it. More than likely the husbands load increased because of IE cutting allowances, the driver is more than likely over dispatched daily with more businesses than can be done and taking a lunch before finishing. His load is probably so screwed up before leaving the building because the loader has more to load because of a poorly implemented (maybe even by you) PAS/EDD and he has to try to figure out how to make it work. Of course he complains everyday, he's given more work to do and less time to do it to UPS "standards" plus being harassed to turn in sales leads and not go over 9.5 and run it all in an impossible scratch time. When he asks why his dispatch is so high, you call him a crybaby, intimidate him with " the cover driver can do it in less time", while inconveniently disregarding the fact that the cover driver is half his age. He is told that if he dares to file an O/9.5 grievance. he will receive a three day "production: ride from you to "straighten" him out. He's told that everything that might go wrong is HIS fault and WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. You tell him that he has an attitude problem and he needs to be a team player.

Now, to make my point. There are many things that happen day in and day out with drivers that adversely effect the numbers and the time it takes to run a route. These things should be taken up with the driver, not his/her spouse, even if they do call you. A real man would have respectfully told the wife that he would not discuss these matters with her because that is between the driver and the company. It takes a pretty much low-life to unload like you described.
I'm willing to bet most people in your center hope you reach your 55 and out very soon.

 

[ihadit]

UPS will ALWAYS take advantage of those who allow themselves to be taken advantage of.

 

[Lobofan5]

UPS will ALWAYS take advantage of those who allow themselves to be taken advantage of.

Amen.