I want my life back Supervisor version...

the truth

Member
Are there any other On-Road sups that are as fed up as the drivers working over 9.5. I know I know the union guys say I signed up for it, but 65-70 hours a week for years on end is crap. Show up at 630 AM, ride all day, get off car at 630 PM and do paper work to 8-10 PM. That is if nothing goes wrong during the day. Need to hear from some sups around the country on this....I want to see if I am crazy or not. And yes I know I signed up for it. But abuse is abuse, union or non-union.

"going parcel" I noticed you are posting during times that on road supervisors usually work...and certainly that you would be working based on your affore mentioned schedule....Are you on vacation this week???... Because if you are surfing and posting while at work I have the solution to your long hours!!!!!!
 

the truth

Member
During peak when I work long hours delivering 380 stops I always wear a comfortable shoe.....it is a difference maker....you should try it
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
You drivers are cold hearted. he made a decision, for whatever reason, to try something. It looks real good on paper, when you accept the position. As like any job it has its unknowns. You never think you are going to be sleeping with an enemy. Give him a break, he made a decision on a career, that doesnt suit him, and the only way out is to quit. Its not that easy to walk away. Teamster, or management.

I'm with Tooner on this one, I think we should cut the man a little slack. I really feel for the on-car sups sometimes, because they get crapped on the most out of everyone in the company. That would be fine but they work the hardest and longest hours out of everyone in management.

This is the primary reason I would never go into management. First, I don't have the ambition or the brains to make it up the ladder where the pay is worth the pain inflicted.

I'll deal with the physical pain I feel as a driver in exchange for the peace of mind management never enjoys. My greatest worry is that I may have left a parcel out in the weather once I punch out. Compare that to the center manager being responsible for the actions of 50 drivers every day.

I'm happy where I am...
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
Red, so glad you posted that....we have to realize that many sups are not any happier with the direction UPS is going as the hourly people are. The kicker is, they can't do anything to fix it either. Supervisors have a job to do, just like the rest of us....it's just a different job. The "bad" sups enjoy making us miserable, the good ones don't enjoy it.

I think Trplnkl hit the nail on the head here. You can whine, piss and moan to your sup all you want. My guess is that he would agree with most things you say. The problem is, he(or she) is powerless to do anything. They are right next to us or maybe even below us on the crap flowing down hill analogy. I might even venture that the division manger has no authority to change anything of significance.

The major problems existing at UPS are from the direction at the corporate level and there is nothing we can do about that.

Of course things like where the work is dispacthed or how your trace is set-up is at the center level. Sometimes it takes me 4 requests to get a street or address changed in my DOL. I don't understand why. Making the change makes me (or any driver doing the route) more efficient, which will make me and the sup look better. I just don't understand the delay.
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
I think Trplnkl hit the nail on the head here. You can whine, piss and moan to your sup all you want. My guess is that he would agree with most things you say. The problem is, he(or she) is powerless to do anything. They are right next to us or maybe even below us on the crap flowing down hill analogy. I might even venture that the division manger has no authority to change anything of significance.

That is what I hear.
 

Mapp

Choo Choo
Your Salary is based on 45 hours a week, who are you cheating if you work 50 hours a week? On Road Sups do work long hours for little pay and appreciation, its a position I'd never take.
 

On Road-Rash

New Member
Being an On Road Sup in an entry level position in full time management. There is an expected and nessacary culling process in the junior management ranks to weed out those that do not have the apptitude for further positions of responsibility. We have all done our "time in the trenches", do yours...or do not.
If you are working 70 hrs a week outside of peak season, then maybe you and or your center are a MHN enity and have not invested the effort at the appropriate time to avoid excessive hours later on.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
Being an On Road Sup in an entry level position in full time management. There is an expected and nessacary culling process in the junior management ranks to weed out those that do not have the apptitude for further positions of responsibility. We have all done our "time in the trenches", do yours...or do not.
If you are working 70 hrs a week outside of peak season, then maybe you and or your center are a MHN enity and have not invested the effort at the appropriate time to avoid excessive hours later on.
And if the center does not co-operate to cut hours, just who is this responsibility on? And sorry someone will gig you for spelling. Is this a weed out criteria?
Aptitude
necessary
entity
Yours truly
tooner
 

island1fox

Well-Known Member
:wink2:I realize that time moves on and that many things change - but -history just seems to have a way of always repeating itself.


Scenario one: On car supervisor cries and complains that he is forced to wait for the last driver --has no power to change anything !!! Waits for last driver every night --driver works sixty hours --supervisor works over seventy hours --cries and cries !!!

Scenario two: On car supervisor waits for last driver who comes off the road at nine o'clock at night and is three hours + overallowed. Supervisor does not run out the door but takes a few minutes to find out what is the drivers problem --over dispatch, poor metods, attitude etc .
The next morning the on car supervisor is in "browns" TELLS the manager he is going with this driver.

To spare the controversy ( I can truly tell you that a poor split -pissed off an average driver so much --he turned into a poor performer----as an on car supervisor I adjusted the split --not the dispatch ---the driver's attitude changed drastically --supe and driver communicate ---problem solved with the power of a effective on car supervisor--that worked hard --made changes and progressed in the company.


Main point: Bottom line ------When their is a problem you recognize --you YOU have a big decision to make ---YOU are either part of the problem or YOU are part of the solution.
I know their will be a few who think this is "unrealistic" ----but your "fantasy" was MY "reality":peaceful:
 

the truth

Member
:wink2:I realize that time moves on and that many things change - but -history just seems to have a way of always repeating itself.


Scenario one: On car supervisor cries and complains that he is forced to wait for the last driver --has no power to change anything !!! Waits for last driver every night --driver works sixty hours --supervisor works over seventy hours --cries and cries !!!

Scenario two: On car supervisor waits for last driver who comes off the road at nine o'clock at night and is three hours + overallowed. Supervisor does not run out the door but takes a few minutes to find out what is the drivers problem --over dispatch, poor metods, attitude etc .
The next morning the on car supervisor is in "browns" TELLS the manager he is going with this driver.

To spare the controversy ( I can truly tell you that a poor split -pissed off an average driver so much --he turned into a poor performer----as an on car supervisor I adjusted the split --not the dispatch ---the driver's attitude changed drastically --supe and driver communicate ---problem solved with the power of a effective on car supervisor--that worked hard --made changes and progressed in the company.


Main point: Bottom line ------When their is a problem you recognize --you YOU have a big decision to make ---YOU are either part of the problem or YOU are part of the solution.
I know their will be a few who think this is "unrealistic" ----but your "fantasy" was MY "reality":peaceful:

Exactly - I have had many on road sups in my years of driving - the ones that rolled up their sleeves and got stuff done worked far less hours, were not given a short leash by the center manager, and were happy. They were excellent trainers, took care of my hours through addressing dispatch issues, and were easy to get along with....The other ones, are either gone...or still spinning their wheels working til late in the night blaming everyone but themselves.
 

the truth

Member
It is just a concept. 3 sups, one runs local sort, one does Saturday and one has to travle to an extended center. These and many other responsibilities cause lots of excess hours. Plus when we do the early late schedule when something bad happens it gets blown out of the water and we all work.
I think that many think this is unfair. I feel sorry for the drivers....any sup that can find another job is going to and for the rest that stay...well you know who they are...and they are the worst of the bunch that hang on just long enough to become a tyrant as a center manager. Making everyones life hell sup and union alike. I guess it is the way the company is....just trying to figure when is the best time to punch out.
By the way I was a driver and a shop steward for 4 years. I thought if I were on the inside I coould change it....guess that I was wrong!!!!

The best time to "punch out" is now - seriously, call your manager and punch out..TODAY!!!. Don't flatter yourself, the remaining 2 supervisors will be able to make do just fine - your driver group will continue doing just as good or bad as we are doing now. I don't mean this to be negative. But in all honesty- hypothetically speaking if you were to leave would the place fall apart in 3 months???? NO!!! You have already made the decision to punch out and have called out those who continue to do the job as "the worst of the bunch" - I simply don't understand why you would hang around after making the decision to go ...PUNCH OUT AND MOVE ON...You will thank me for this advice in time. The job is simply not a good fit for you. It happens. Before I was a driver I had a similar situation and moved on...Good luck in your new future of honest hard work outside of UPS. I sincerely mean that...
 
The best time to "punch out" is now - seriously, call your manager and punch out..TODAY!!!. Don't flatter yourself, the remaining 2 supervisors will be able to make do just fine - your driver group will continue doing just as good or bad as we are doing now. I don't mean this to be negative. But in all honesty- hypothetically speaking if you were to leave would the place fall apart in 3 months???? NO!!! You have already made the decision to punch out and have called out those who continue to do the job as "the worst of the bunch" - I simply don't understand why you would hang around after making the decision to go ...PUNCH OUT AND MOVE ON...You will thank me for this advice in time. The job is simply not a good fit for you. It happens. Before I was a driver I had a similar situation and moved on...Good luck in your new future of honest hard work outside of UPS. I sincerely mean that...

Hypothetically speaking you sound just like my tyrant of a center manager. Read the other posts by people that signed up before yesterday. Creating an account and pretending you are a driver is pathetic. This will be argued elsewhere. Anyone else out there that would like to chime in I would greatly appreciate it.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
:wink2:I realize that time moves on and that many things change - but -history just seems to have a way of always repeating itself.


Scenario one: On car supervisor cries and complains that he is forced to wait for the last driver --has no power to change anything !!! Waits for last driver every night --driver works sixty hours --supervisor works over seventy hours --cries and cries !!!

Scenario two: On car supervisor waits for last driver who comes off the road at nine o'clock at night and is three hours + overallowed. Supervisor does not run out the door but takes a few minutes to find out what is the drivers problem --over dispatch, poor metods, attitude etc .
The next morning the on car supervisor is in "browns" TELLS the manager he is going with this driver.

To spare the controversy ( I can truly tell you that a poor split -pissed off an average driver so much --he turned into a poor performer----as an on car supervisor I adjusted the split --not the dispatch ---the driver's attitude changed drastically --supe and driver communicate ---problem solved with the power of a effective on car supervisor--that worked hard --made changes and progressed in the company.


Main point: Bottom line ------When their is a problem you recognize --you YOU have a big decision to make ---YOU are either part of the problem or YOU are part of the solution.
I know their will be a few who think this is "unrealistic" ----but your "fantasy" was MY "reality":peaceful:

Cheers excellent post. :happy2:
We seem to be living in the twilight zone in my center. I as an "outsider" can recognize where things could be done that would almost totally fix things. But everyone just stands around wringing their hands.
I once had a center manager ride with me and said I did a good job, but sometimes the splits were, and I dont know why wrong I guess, and then I would be an hour late. Before we could fix it he was gone.
Since then no one cares to fix things, just tell us we have to do better, but cant tell us what we do wrong. And nothing gets fixed, and if it was just me, I would say Ok, Im older, I guess Im slower, if you say so, so how come Im not the only one? Some of these guys are runners, and an hour late.
A time study 20 yrs old does not help. Im out of ideas.
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
Cheers excellent post. :happy2:
We seem to be living in the twilight zone in my center. I as an "outsider" can recognize where things could be done that would almost totally fix things. But everyone just stands around wringing their hands.
I once had a center manager ride with me and said I did a good job, but sometimes the splits were, and I dont know why wrong I guess, and then I would be an hour late. Before we could fix it he was gone.
Since then no one cares to fix things, just tell us we have to do better, but cant tell us what we do wrong. And nothing gets fixed, and if it was just me, I would say Ok, Im older, I guess Im slower, if you say so, so how come Im not the only one? Some of these guys are runners, and an hour late.
A time study 20 yrs old does not help. Im out of ideas.
Hip Hip Hoooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Captain America

SuperDAD to the rescue
The center managers and on-roads in our bldg. are ghosts (excluding the late night guy) when we get back at night. The office staff are quite willing to let us know who is where and when they left. I would be surprised if any of them hit 50 hours a week...

Mine too. They put a lot on the OMS people. Maybe I don'y see all they do away from the building, but looking to be observed after 4pm is unlikely.
 
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soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
The original poster is a management person who is complaining about being given an excessive workload.

The solution to his problem is simple. He should follow the same advice that he would give to one of his drivers who was consistently overallowed and filing 9.5 grievances.

There is no valid reason for a sup to have to work 70 hrs a week. He is paid for 45 hrs. Every aspect of his duties has been carefully studied and measured. All elements of his job have been scientifically built in to the allowed amount of time. These measurements are 95% accurate 95% of the time. They measure the job, not the person doing it.

Follow the methods. Work harder not smarter.

Isnt irony a bitch?
 

island1fox

Well-Known Member
The original poster is a management person who is complaining about being given an excessive workload.

The solution to his problem is simple. He should follow the same advice that he would give to one of his drivers who was consistently overallowed and filing 9.5 grievances.

There is no valid reason for a sup to have to work 70 hrs a week. He is paid for 45 hrs. Every aspect of his duties has been carefully studied and measured. All elements of his job have been scientifically built in to the allowed amount of time. These measurements are 95% accurate 95% of the time. They measure the job, not the person doing it.

Follow the methods. Work harder not smarter.

Isnt irony a bitch?

Irony ?? I friend you choose. More like lazy and incompetant.
"Determined people make their conditions ---they don't become victoms of them. " Jim Casey truly had an iinsight to the human condition !!!:happy-very:
 

atatbl

Well-Known Member
Irony ?? I friend you choose. More like lazy and incompetant.
"Determined people make their conditions ---they don't become victoms of them. " Jim Casey truly had an iinsight to the human condition !!!:happy-very:

LMAO @ the implication that Casey would think anyone that wasn't "determined" by his standard was "lazy and incompetent." Maybe I'm one of very few newbies, under 30 working for UPS that pays attention to Casey's words. However, in my humble opinion, it doesn't take much time researching him to realize the insight into human condition you spoke of went far beyond thoughts. He practiced helping people.
 
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