Does profit mean a sense of entitlement?

btrlov

Well-Known Member
I recently confronted a union employee about intentionally causing work slow downs. His response "I am working to the best of my ability....so what anyway the company made billions in profits last year.

I do believe in a fair contract and more pay for ptmers, but I'm seeing this attitude more and more.
Do you all think this is a legitmate form of protest or a false sense of entitlement?
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Perhaps a little of both, though I tend to think more of the latter than the former.

You guys had to know that at some point the production push would have a boomerang effect.
 

upsman2940

Well-Known Member
Although I don't agree with intentionally slowing down. I don't agree with the company overloading us! The company is creating this environment!! We would be happy coming in each day to do a reasonable dispatch. I personally would like an opportunity to see my family during the week. Maybe even help my kids with a little homework. Is it too much to ask to be able to eat dinner before 900. But I'll just keep drinking water cuz y'all think that is a fix all kool-aid!
 

ajblakejr

Age quod agis
I recently confronted a union employee about intentionally causing work slow downs. His response "I am working to the best of my ability....so what anyway the company made billions in profits last year.

I do believe in a fair contract and more pay for ptmers, but I'm seeing this attitude more and more.
Do you all think this is a legitmate form of protest or a false sense of entitlement?

These words make it a false sense of entitlement.
....so what anyway the company made billions in profits last year.
 

btrlov

Well-Known Member
why do you call it a work slowdown? Did you witness something?
First time was when unloaders were unloading a truck, the employee was taking bulk from the side and he tilted the light up with a bulk pieces so the unloader couldn't see. I was going to confront him but I figured that he could easily rationalize out of it and it couldn't be proved. The second time he was on the high pick stop the belt several times to txt on phone then secures the belt and walked to the bathroom w/o telling sup. again hard to prove ....besides his response to me which is 'hearsay"
 

UnconTROLLed

perfection
First time was when unloaders were unloading a truck, the employee was taking bulk from the side and he tilted the light up with a bulk pieces so the unloader couldn't see. I was going to confront him but I figured that he could easily rationalize out of it and it couldn't be proved. The second time he was on the high pick stop the belt several times to txt on phone then secures the belt and walked to the bathroom w/o telling sup. again hard to prove ....besides his response to me which is 'hearsay"
would you have rather he let the belt continue to run? I don't understand the slowdown aspect.
 

curiousbrain

Well-Known Member
I recently confronted a union employee about intentionally causing work slow downs. His response "I am working to the best of my ability....so what anyway the company made billions in profits last year.

I do believe in a fair contract and more pay for ptmers, but I'm seeing this attitude more and more.
Do you all think this is a legitmate form of protest or a false sense of entitlement?

Probably both, perhaps with a dash of cynicism and/or laziness - depending on the particular employee.

Not to go off on a rant here, but the motivations of a modern business the size of UPS is more opaque than Alberto Gonzalez in front of Congress. Which is to say, that the view of the average employee (hourly or management) is of themselves and their little world, which expands as you rise up the levels of management into slightly larger contexts, and eventually into the realm of international business. So, when an employee hears how much money UPS makes (or has made), they naturally process that in accordance with their immediate surroundings - and the relative good or bad state that it is in.

As a personal example, when I arrived at work this morning, one of our feeder drivers had just dropped a trailer on a door, when I noticed that one of his head lights was out. My first thought was "billions of dollars, and can't fix a headlight." Then, it also occurred to me that maybe it just died - I didn't notice it out yesterday when I arrived at the same time, and he was in the same feeder. So, I think it's easy to rationalize shortcomings as the failure of an employer - especially a large company. Although, that is not to let the company off the hook, either.

There are many times, where things are crappy, and it is "the company's" fault - that's not to say Scott Davis personally, but as representatives of the company, management should act in accordance with certain standards; not letting conditions deteriorate where they become safety hazards, or just plain bad condition, is a reflection on the local management apparatus; maybe Joe PT Sup reports something on the DECR, and maybe a "least best" fix is employed in the interests of money - while that may not be Joe's fault, is still a failure of the management in general. Although, in the spirit of being a cynical person, I have to expect that there is a bean-counter somewhere who considers it a success of management because money was not spent, and the operation continues (albeit in a possibly unsafe manner).

Long story longer, can you expect an average person to ponder the entire chain of vertical and lateral aspects of running an international business? Probably not; and, it's just easier to just have a false sense of entitlement, be cynical, be lazy, or some combination of all of them. Also, experience is the best teacher, and if the company has spent twenty years giving you the shaft, then there's probably a pattern and/or expectation in that regard.

Cliff note version: It's "easier" (and more comfortable) to think that the company makes billions of dollars, and hates you, so why should I care?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Buck Fifty

Well-Known Member
First time was when unloaders were unloading a truck, the employee was taking bulk from the side and he tilted the light up with a bulk pieces so the unloader couldn't see. I was going to confront him but I figured that he could easily rationalize out of it and it couldn't be proved. The second time he was on the high pick stop the belt several times to txt on phone then secures the belt and walked to the bathroom w/o telling sup. again hard to prove ....besides his response to me which is 'hearsay"


He was probably just salting the supervisors to keep ya sharp. You are sooooo sharp !
 

stink219

Well-Known Member
UPS expects workers to break records everyday. The proof is in raising the bar every time it's achieved. Even Olympic athletes do not train at 100% everyday. Only at competition. But as a worker, we are disposable. It is a back breaking job, but UPS is just breaking backs. And my personal favorite, workman's comp is the second highest expense yet we are expected to "do more with less."
 

PT Stewie

"Big Fella"
Let me guess it was someone young ? Under 30 perhaps ? Then again what do you consider a slow down ? Not working according do the UPS precious numbers? If the person is moving to the work, working to the best of their ability , the appropriate response is " I am doing the best that I can.period.
Also if the company is making money than the people generating the income deserve some. Sups do not deliver,unload,sort,or load packages the workers do.
 

PT Stewie

"Big Fella"
Let me guess it was someone young ? Under 30 perhaps ? Then again what do you consider a slow down ? Not working according do the UPS precious numbers? If the person is moving to the work, working to the best of their ability , the appropriate response is " I am doing the best that I can.period.
Also if the company is making money than the people generating the income deserve some. Sups do not deliver,unload,sort,or load packages the workers do.
 

brown_trousers

Well-Known Member
His response "I am working to the best of my ability....so what anyway the company made billions in profits last year.

Young people and their attitudes!!! Its all you hear from them nowadays. Attitudes and excuses.

But to answer the subject line of this thread "Does profit mean a sense of entitlement?". Yes and no-
If UPS Corporate were to see a way to squeeze a few extra dollars out of something, you can bet your arse they would take full advantage of it. So if we union members see a way to squeeze some extra dollars into our paychecks, why shouldn't we follow UPS's example and take advantage of it. Big profits suggest there is more money we could be negotiating for.

The day UPS stops trying to squeeze every last penny out of me through production and gives me a reasonable work load and hours, is the day I'll stop trying to squeeze every last penny out of UPS. Its an endless cycle, the more they squeeze, the more we squeeze back.

But in no way does a large profit margin justify this kid working purposely slow. Either nut up and do the job you were hired to do, or get out.
 
Top