How to survive peak

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
I think based on what has happened to a fellow driver, we need to support one another. Someone said, and truer words were never spoken, its just a job. Leave it there after you have done your best.
Not just at peak but all year. Come here vent, rage, and do it another day.
Most management is not heartless, and when they are, ignore it. Just the facts. If they want to know why you are "late" respond why you think. Dont take it personally. If a customer wants to have their stuff left, leave them a whole pack of stickies, if they dont fill them out, dont leave it. Dont sign for packages just so you dont have to fight them again. You get paid to fight them again. In other words dont do your customers any favors, or what you "think" they would like you to do.
The most important stop is back at your front door.
I have seen people afraid to look at the OPS and I had to look at them for them. It is stressful enough without conditioning yourself to believe what they say in black and white, is the effort you put forth. There are too many variables.
It took me a very long time to understand what I preach.
I just dont take it personally anymore, and I dont cut corners, and I dont skip my breaks. My body needs the rest. And we never want to see what happened to our brother happen again. 23 yrs of service, and all for what? So very sad for his family, and for us. I have seen the effects of suicide on a family. Get help if you are coming unwound. Dont leave your family and friends to wonder, what they coulda shoulda woulda done different to save you. It is not fair. As many have said, there is life after brown.
peace out.
 

Channahon

Well-Known Member
Not just at peak but all year. Come here vent, rage, and do it another day.
Most management is not heartless, and when theyI think based on what has happened to a fellow driver, we need to support one another. Someone said, and truer words were never spoken, its just a job. Leave it there after you have done your best. are, ignore it. Just the facts. If they want to know why you are "late" respond why you think. Dont take it personally. If a customer wants to have their stuff left, leave them a whole pack of stickies, if they dont fill them out, dont leave it. Dont sign for packages just so you dont have to fight them again. You get paid to fight them again. In other words dont do your customers any favors, or what you "think" they would like you to do.
The most important stop is back at your front door.
I have seen people afraid to look at the OPS and I had to look at them for them. It is stressful enough without conditioning yourself to believe what they say in black and white, is the effort you put forth. There are too many variables.
It took me a very long time to understand what I preach.
I just dont take it personally anymore, and I dont cut corners, and I dont skip my breaks. My body needs the rest. And we never want to see what happened to our brother happen again. 23 yrs of service, and all for what? So very sad for his family, and for us. I have seen the effects of suicide on a family. Get help if you are coming unwound. Dont leave your family and friends to wonder, what they coulda shoulda woulda done different to save you. It is not fair. As many have said, there is life after brown.
peace out.

I have dealt with suicide at UPS, 3 times in my career at UPS, 2 management and one hourly. And all of them had significant dates associated, either the death of another family member or the holiday season.

With today's economic situation, life is more stressful than ever, I don't know of all the signs to look for, but keep an eye on your fellow workers, support them, as Tooner says, and you might be the one person that can make a difference in your co-workers life.

Sad to have to post at this time of year, but historically, the holidays are the most difficult for anyone to deal with in their personal lives.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
Get help if you are coming unwound. Dont leave your family and friends to wonder, what they coulda shoulda woulda done different to save you.

I don't know of all the signs to look for, but keep an eye on your fellow workers, support them, as Tooner says, and you might be the one person that can make a difference in your co-workers life.

Sad to have to post at this time of year, but historically, the holidays are the most difficult for anyone to deal with in their personal lives.

Excellent thoughts. It takes a special kind of person to take notice of someone in crisis, and actually do something about it. I honestly don't think I am that kind of person.....but I hope I am.
 

But Benefits Are Great!

Just Words On A Screen
Toonertoo, I think you point it out well. I also believe the same attitude - It is just a job - ties in with negativity here on the board. It's the holidays, thanksgiving tomorrow, let's all be thankful for what we have.

Moderators, delete the following at will - I am not trying to make a joke, nor do I wish any disrespect -

With regards to the employment terminated after 23 years, I am unable to curb my curiosity - is there any way to find out the whole story? Of course I would never ask the bereaved directly, although, I must admit I would like to know the whole story. Sorry if this comes across as crass.
 
BBAG as crass as it is, I do understand your curiosity I too wonder about the details. It is so very unfortunate that the only person that could give us the details is no longer with us.

Tooner, your approach to surviving peak as well as the rest of the year is right on the mark.
I try to minimize the overall importance of UPS in my life, it is just a job. I gave up thinking it as a career when I finally realized that the majority of the managers that I had to deal with kept wanting to play games with MY career. When I began to think of it as a job, it became easier to cope with the reality that at any given point I might have to fight to keep my job, if I lost....it's just a job. I'm not a depressive type of person, I'm not really a true conspiracy theorist, I like to think I am a realist with a lingering distrust for those with power (or wannabes). I try to take each day at a time and do the best I can and try to keep going till I hit the magic number for retirement. I strive to wait till something happens before I start to worry about maybes.

Very good post Tooner, you da gal.
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
Based on the original post, I concluded the deceased had filed grievances regarding a satellite center issue. Apparently, in retaliation, management then brought pressure to bear on the individual by hunting and pecking until they found something to fire him for. In this case I think it was presigning stops so the company would look good on paper. We all know practices like this go on all the time and are essentially ignored by the company when it benefits the company but are quite helpful when the comapny wants to nail you.
I could be wrong though.
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
trplnkl-
"....it is just a job".
Some of us are just trying to hang on until retirement. If I could take my accrued retirement and go somewhere else, I would in a heartbeat just so I could work with decent managers who won't lie, cheat and manipulate.
While your attitude is quite flippant, it does have high survival value.
Our famous union fixed it so some of us have to work longer than expected just to get a shred of retirement before we die.
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
Trick, I didn't read Trpl's post as being flippant. Everyone said basically the same thing just in different ways. Everyone is just trying to survive this big brown machine and any words of wisdom that help is greatly appreciated, at least by me.
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
dilligaf-
You are right.
I generally agree with trplnkl and your thoughts.
Everyday I walk through the gate I say to myself, "....this is my last day.".
Kinda helps me through the day.
 

Covemastah

Hoopah drives the boat Chief !!
We will never know what was going on in that man's head,this could of been anyone of our wives,husbands kids or friends.When in doubt next time of somebodys deep problem,think of JIM and this poor family and muster up the courage to ask HEY DO YOU NEED TO TALK all they can do is say no!! rest in peace JIM!!!!
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Surviving at UPS is all about managing expectations.

When I walk in that door in the AM, I assume I am going to have a day just like the worst day I have ever had, which would be Dec. 19th of 1990 when I brought 200+ missed stops back to the building at 11:00 at night and still had 100 stashed in a garage on route.

If my day winds up being like that....I am already expecting it.

If it doesnt wind up being like that....I am pleasantly surprised.

All I can do is my best. I have no control over managements decisions, and I can choose not to worry about things I have no control over. Once I punch in, the outcome is pretty much out of my hands. I'm just the messenger.

If my management sets me up to succeed....I will.

If my management sets me up to fail...I will.

Either way, I get paid and have a home and family to go home to at the end of the day. Life will go on.
 

pretzel_man

Well-Known Member
How to survive peak and how to survive life are the same thing.

Work as hard as you can and do your best every day. Be honest and do the right thing, never taking yourself too seriously.

If things go wrong, ask if you did everything possible to have avoided the situation. If that answer is no, then that's a lesson for next time. If that answer is yes, well then s#+ happens.

Look for long term success and don't try and make the quick buck.

My kids don't work for UPS, but we discuss how to approach life every day. Much of what I teach them came to me from UPS.

There may be those that don't practice what they preach, but I'm not one of them. Neither are any of those I associate with. That includes the vast majority of UPSers; BOTH management and hourly.

By the way, I had a close relative commit suicide this year. It's insincere to try and place blame on anyone or any group for such a horrible situation. I've seen some on this board do that and its not appropriate.

We should offer our support and condolences for family and do our own reflection on what is really important.

P-Man
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
It's insincere to try and place blame on anyone or any group for such a horrible situation. I've seen some on this board do that and its not appropriate.

We should offer our support and condolences for family and do our own reflection on what is really important.

P-Man

This is so true. No more blaming, please.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
I think the people to watch are the quietest ones. Usually the vocal ones blow off steam which is good. I try to watch everyone, I guess its the mother in me.. My husband says I am nosy, Oh well.

As Channahon stated and we all know this is the worst time of year for the depressed. Anyone who has been through a death in the family recently, a divorce, a drug or alcohol incident, financial problems, disability, family problems, is at risk. There is that risk especially when everyone you see seems happy, sharing time with family, shopping, planning, beautiful Christmas lights, and your life is blah.
I spent one Christmas in a bar. Hanging out with those poor souls told me I didnt belong, I had family, just not at that moment. The first Christmas my kids were gone with their Dad. Then I realized I could go home and have Christmas when they came home, and get ready for it. Instead of sulking about how things were so bad. Instead of worrying about what the other parent got my kids or how much fun they were all having while I was getting drunk, I could go home and make it the best Christmas ever. Even if it wasnt "the Day" . Christmas is when you can be together, and its been that way ever since.
Lil Comets endeavor to help those less fortunate is excellent. The nurses association left a food basket with my babysitter and kids one Christmas eve while I was at work. I called them and told them I didnt need it, and maybe someone needed it more. They told me I needed it, and I thanked them. The money that saved me on groceries the next week, I gave to my kids and we went to after Christmas sales and had a blast. I was poor then financially, but not as bad as some. I was richer than most and didnt even know it. Now I do, its 30 yrs later and I still remember someone thinking of me, watching me struggle and I never even saw them.

Sorry to be so long winded, but with as many people as our community knows, we need to watch, and help when we can. My cousin committed suicide, and my aunt never recovered, nor did his Dad or sisters. It is never the answer. I feel bad for Skidmarks family, I doubt they read these posts and if she does I hope she isnt offended. But it isnt anyones fault, just someone who couldnt cope, didnt have the skills, was just overwhelmed, and didnt realize that as bad as the day may have been, it would have been better to fight through to a better day, than put the family through such horrific pain. Peace out.
 

satellitedriver

Moderator
Surviving at UPS is all about managing expectations.
If my management sets me up to succeed....I will.
If my management sets me up to fail...I will.

Either way, I get paid and have a home and family to go home to at the end of the day. Life will go on.
Excellent post.
Exactly, the same way I approach this job.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Man, that sounds like an interesting story - care to share?

Managements "plan" was to dispatch me with 500-600 stops....in a P500 pkg car.

300 of them were brickloaded into the car, the other 300 were under the belt.

I was instructed to go out on area, unload the car into the garage of a fellow driver who lived on the route, and come back to the building to reload. It didnt matter whether or not the stops actually got delivered, the only thing they cared about was getting them out of the building so that the Division Manager could look down from his office onto a "clean" belt.

I was also assigned a pickup route....that was usually done in a P-800.

Basically speaking, I was expected to deliver 17 hours worth of stops comprising 1000 cubic feet of volume out of a vehicle that could only contain half that. I was able to get around 300 stops off, but between the pickup volume and the undelivered packages, I spent about 4 hours that day shuttling dead stops from the building out to the garage and back. I had to abandon about 100 of the stops in the garage because I was almost out of hours.
 

satellitedriver

Moderator
Managements "plan" was to dispatch me with 500-600 stops....in a P500 pkg car.

300 of them were brickloaded into the car, the other 300 were under the belt.

I was instructed to go out on area, unload the car into the garage of a fellow driver who lived on the route, and come back to the building to reload. It didnt matter whether or not the stops actually got delivered, the only thing they cared about was getting them out of the building so that the Division Manager could look down from his office onto a "clean" belt.

I was also assigned a pickup route....that was usually done in a P-800.

Basically speaking, I was expected to deliver 17 hours worth of stops comprising 1000 cubic feet of volume out of a vehicle that could only contain half that. I was able to get around 300 stops off, but between the pickup volume and the undelivered packages, I spent about 4 hours that day shuttling dead stops from the building out to the garage and back. I had to abandon about 100 of the stops in the garage because I was almost out of hours.
Those were the good old days, of being on paper.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
 
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