My first time at this sight...really nice to know there is a place for all upsers to vent. UPS is a great job but it's not for everyone. Even better job if you have somewhere to go to with questions without fear of payback. Great responses from all you upsers out there. As a person who deals with selling the job to recruits, it is good to know the majority of our people, whether they admit it on the job or not, appreciate and even value their work.
In response to one of the comments about extra work when "your part" of the job is done...Seniority gives you the right to work, not the right not to work. Each local may have a practice in place which serves as the norm for that center. Most supervisors ask from the top down (senioroity wise) who would like to stick around and help wrap up. If a higher senior person is already at or near 5 hrs, a lesser senior person can be asked to stay as long as they will not get overtime or excede the paid time of a senior worker unless that senior worker was unable to or denied opportunity to complete additional work. The reverse is true as well. If no one wants to stay, management can force a person who has been specifically assigned to or trained for the work, or for general jobs, force from bottom seniority. At hire, employees should be informed that the shift is 3.5 - 5 hours in duration but you will have to be available until the work is done.
If you have your 3.5 in and would rather not have the extra hours, let your sup know in a non-confrontational manner. If you are repeatedly the only one required to stay after everyone else is gone and you are not the least senior person, talk to your managment people AND you union steward at the same time in order to assure correct and complete information on the topic at hand.