Is Management Brainwashed?

KingofBrown

Well-Known Member
Is there a special training received by management? UPS has been a great place to work at. But, these last two years it has been as if management wants to get rid of people. I don't know, even the supervisors I got along with, and were congruent with one on other, started to have a more hostile attitude. I dont know the atmosphere feels discordant. Is the same way in your place or is it just mine?
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
My on car is 53 yrs old. He would have taken the buyout in a second had it been offered. That is the current state of management at UPS. No pay raises, loss of 401k match.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Its not so much that they are brainwashed, its that they are puppets who have been given a responsibility to meet impossible expectations without being given any of the resources or authority they need to achieve those goals.

Its a mistake to even call them "management" in the first place. "Management" implies that they have authority, and the ability to make decisions. The "management" that most of us deal with on the operational level have no authority whatsoever and they are not empowered to make any meaningful decisions. They would be more accurately described as "facilitators".

Most of them are pretty decent people who went into management with the best of intentions. Most of them made the mistake of thinking that they could make UPS a better place to work. And now that the myth of the "partnership" model of management has been exposed for the lie that it is...most of these people are just trying to survive one day at a time.
 

KingofBrown

Well-Known Member
Its not so much that they are brainwashed, its that they are puppets who have been given a responsibility to meet impossible expectations without being given any of the resources or authority they need to achieve those goals.

Its a mistake to even call them "management" in the first place. "Management" implies that they have authority, and the ability to make decisions. The "management" that most of us deal with on the operational level have no authority whatsoever and they are not empowered to make any meaningful decisions. They would be more accurately described as "facilitators".

Most of them are pretty decent people who went into management with the best of intentions. Most of them made the mistake of thinking that they could make UPS a better place to work. And now that the myth of the "partnership" model of management has been exposed for the lie that it is...most of these people are just trying to survive one day at a time.



Wow. You're right. When I talk to my immediate supervisor to ask for something, most of the time he/she tells me to talk to my Center Supervisor. And if half of the jobs they aspire to got eliminated, now I see why that attitude. But, well, if they don't want to cooperate with us, we have no other option than to file grievances. I believe the contract is there for times like these. Hope we can get along, or at least as the way we used to.
 

Red Rose Tea

Chihuahuas Rule!
Wow. You're right. When I talk to my immediate supervisor to ask for something, most of the time he/she tells me to talk to my Center Supervisor. And if half of the jobs they aspire to got eliminated, now I see why that attitude. But, well, if they don't want to cooperate with us, we have no other option than to file grievances. I believe the contract is there for times like these. Hope we can get along, or at least as the way we used to.

What is the difference between immediate supervisor and center supervisor? Do you mean center manager? WHY WOULD you file a grievance over asking your supervisor something and they refer you to someone else, who may have more knowledge on your request?
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
What is the difference between immediate supervisor and center supervisor? Do you mean center manager? WHY WOULD you file a grievance over asking your supervisor something and they refer you to someone else, who may have more knowledge on your request?

I think he is trying to say that he would much rather simply ask his immediate supervisor but that this person will normally tell him to go and ask the center manager and that he feels the only recourse for him at this point is to start filing grievances since his mgt team is being uncooperative (in his words).
 

SWORDFISH

Well-Known Member
LOL... How did you get that hes filling a grievance cuz he has to talk to his center manager instead of his OCS. Hes refering to the fact that management has no authority to make decisions(like pupets). Well actually they do they are just afraid to cuz of the DM finds out about it and higher up then they will get lynched. Like for instance I bet our DM doesnt know that when there are misloads instead of going out and getting them to the right driver they will tell them to put NI 1 w/ out going to the stop and sometimes w/ out calling the stop so they dont have a missed pkg for the day.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
What is the difference between immediate supervisor and center supervisor? Do you mean center manager? WHY WOULD you file a grievance over asking your supervisor something and they refer you to someone else, who may have more knowledge on your request?

In most cases, I would bet that the on car or center manager would actually prefer that the issue be resolved thru a grievance.

Why? Because then they are not responsible for the outcome.

I think that a lot of grievances could be avoided simply by referring the issue to a decision maker who has both the balls and the authority to actually resolve the issue instead of simply covering his own ass and passing the buck on up the ladder.

Unfortunately...most hourly employees will never have access to a decision maker. The only people they will ever have the opportunity to speak to are the on car and center-level facilitators who serve merely as conduits between those who make the decisions and those who do the work.
 

Red Rose Tea

Chihuahuas Rule!
In most cases, I would bet that the on car or center manager would actually prefer that the issue be resolved thru a grievance.

Why? Because then they are not responsible for the outcome.

I think that a lot of grievances could be avoided simply by referring the issue to a decision maker who has both the balls and the authority to actually resolve the issue instead of simply covering his own ass and passing the buck on up the ladder.

Unfortunately...most hourly employees will never have access to a decision maker. The only people they will ever have the opportunity to speak to are the on car and center-level facilitators who serve merely as conduits between those who make the decisions and those who do the work.

Understood, i was just curious to know what this something is , that his supervisor almost always refers him to center manager. There is a chain of command that exists , that if immediate supervisor doesn't know or have authority, it would naturally be referred to next level. But according to his post, he almost never gets answers from his immediate supervisor. I see on road sups giving out information, direction daily. Very rarely is it referred to center manager, unless its a request -such as a day off; 8 hr day request, etc.
 

upssup

Well-Known Member
Brainwashed? Don't you mean programmed for a response? Between drivers peeing, smoking, spitting seeds or chew in my cars and mechanics that want to do nothing but the bare minimum (if that) to keep the cars running (both machinists and teamsters) what else would you expect from Automotive let alone Operations. I think I have it pretty good here in Auto and overall have good people working for me but there comes a point. As soon as we address the issues with the mechanics or the drivers it becomes a "hostile work environment" All I can say is either pull up your big boy pants and do your job or go home. I know I can find people that would kill to have the jobs you have. I used to be one of them. I appreciate what I have. I think some have maybe worked for UPS too long and need a taste of reality!
 

Dragon

Package Center Manager
As soon as we address the issues with the mechanics or the drivers it becomes a "hostile work environment"

Reading upssup post I am assuming he means just normal interaction (no threats, discipline, etc, etc) between a supervisor and an employee, just plain supervising.
 

Creeper head

Active Member
upssup how long have you been with ups? How many years were you on the floor? "MY CARS" so funny maybe back when we couldn't buy stock in the company they were your cars!!
 

KingofBrown

Well-Known Member
I think he is trying to say that he would much rather simply ask his immediate supervisor but that this person will normally tell him to go and ask the center manager and that he feels the only recourse for him at this point is to start filing grievances since his mgt team is being uncooperative (in his words).

Thanks for clearing that up...
 
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