Newbie Preloader

[FuzeBox]

Greetings everyone!

I've been with the company since May and have recently received my benefits package. Thought I'd take a moment to say hello to the rest of my fellow "Brownies" within the forum and hope to maybe make a few friends.

I must admit that peak season has been quite an interesting experience. I've heard so many horror stories of how it would be and to be honest I"m handling just fine... with one exception:

PT life at UPS where the benefits are concerned is Great. What isn't so great is having an Army Commander(employee, reservist) who's informing me that what we do at UPS actually rivals the physical exertion that most Army folks do in basic training. I am not in the military so I cannot vouch but what I can vouch for is that loading four brown trucks for me is about as strenuous as doing the construction frame work on a steep-slope hillside home. The kicker: is that I am NOT doing this for the previous $16.00, $15.50, $15.00 bucks an hour that one would think compensates this kind of work. No. I'm making $10.85. Less than I've made per hour for much harder work than I've worked and made in the last 18 years.

Everyone that I know praises my benefits package upon sight of it. They can't believe how awesome this package really is. Benefits aside, can someone tell me what makes this job worth the starting wage? I wouldn't wish the last 7 months on my own worst high school enemy. Once peak is over... I go right back to pawning my belongings regularly just have the gas to get to work. Is this what life as a part timer for UPS is really like? Because I feel like I'm being robbed.

 

[UPSGUY72]

You have a PT job at UPS PT jobs aren't designed to live on. You need to get another job preferably a FT one to go along with your PT one. People these days want everything with out having to earn it. Since your in a union shop it takes time to get to to top you can't kiss ass and get ahead like you can at other jobs. But than again you can be the worst worker ever and still not get fired.

If your feeling robbed then why are you still working at UPS.

 

[barnyard]

Is this what life as a part timer for UPS is really like?

Yep.

 

[barnyard]

and get another job.

 

[Brownslave688]

It's easy to say oh without the benefits what makes it worth it. Well guess what u do have those benefits so instead making $11 an hour ups feels u make around $25. See how that works. They also pay taxes on your behalf. Non of this was prob true when u were framing for $16 an hour. Why aren't u still framing? At one point part time I started work at 4 pm and finished when the preload was done.

 

[Bagels]

My apologies for the tone of this forum. I've interacted with some great people on here, so I know that they exist.

Yes, working at UPS requires a strong worth ethic; there are no "easy" jobs. UPS is very clear to prospective employees - throughout the application process, during orientation and within the safety mentor sessions - that this the jobs are fast-paced, intense manual labor and that the initial pay is low. There's absolutely nothing you can do to increase your pay or your chances of going full-time. My sole advise would be to let your management team know you're interested in any extra work opportunities (coming in before start or staying after, double-shifting, driver helping beyond peak, etc.) and have them direct you to the appropriate sign-up sheets. Additionally, if you're interested in driving, have them direct you to the sign-up sheets for Saturday air, seasonal driving, cover driving, etc. I work a very large Preload (several hundred employees) and we have several employees with less than a year or so of seniority that spend most of the year driving (for $16.10/hour).

Your pay will gradually increase as you stay or progress within the Company. I've been here for over 10 years and make $20/hour. If money's so tight that you're "pawing" your belongings, I would suggest you make some lifestyle changes.

 

[wayfair]

part time work with paid benefits... for your family(wife/husband and kids/step kids)

get another job... If I wasn't in school, I was working..

 

[Indecisi0n]

Just look at it this way. If you had your previous jobs rate of 16.00 minus what you would pay for the benefits(if outside of UPS) that rate would almost get cut in half.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

It's wage slavery at it's most grim...in all aspects.

 

[Anonymous 10]

You started in May and you already have benifits? How did you swing this??

 

[laffter]

YHow did you swing this??

With the building manager's wife.

 

[htown0721]

My apologies for the tone of this forum. I've interacted with some great people on here, so I know that they exist.

Yes, working at UPS requires a strong worth ethic; there are no "easy" jobs. UPS is very clear to prospective employees - throughout the application process, during orientation and within the safety mentor sessions - that this the jobs are fast-paced, intense manual labor and that the initial pay is low. There's absolutely nothing you can do to increase your pay or your chances of going full-time. My sole advise would be to let your management team know you're interested in any extra work opportunities (coming in before start or staying after, double-shifting, driver helping beyond peak, etc.) and have them direct you to the appropriate sign-up sheets. Additionally, if you're interested in driving, have them direct you to the sign-up sheets for Saturday air, seasonal driving, cover driving, etc. I work a very large Preload (several hundred employees) and we have several employees with less than a year or so of seniority that spend most of the year driving (for $16.10/hour).

Your pay will gradually increase as you stay or progress within the Company. I've been here for over 10 years and make $20/hour. If money's so tight that you're "pawing" your belongings, I would suggest you make some lifestyle changes.

There are plenty of easy jobs at UPS, irreg driver, high value clerks, and car washers etc. You just have to obtain seniority or know the right person.

 

[Bagels]

There are plenty of easy jobs at UPS, irreg driver, high value clerks, and car washers etc. You just have to obtain seniority or know the right person.

"Easy" is a subjective term - and will vary from building-to-building. In many buildings, irregulars are carted manually and lifted onto a straight belt once the flow clears. It's not as easy job. Sure, being a fueler is easy but it requires one to stand outside for up to four hours in all weather conditions... easy for some, torture for others. Some buildings have an automatic car wash, other buildings have persons who manually wash it -- and has to fight the flow of returning packages.

 

[UPSGUY72]

"Easy" is a subjective term - and will vary from building-to-building. In many buildings, irregulars are carted manually and lifted onto a straight belt once the flow clears. It's not as easy job. Sure, being a fueler is easy but it requires one to stand outside for up to four hours in all weather conditions... easy for some, torture for others. Some buildings have an automatic car wash, other buildings have persons who manually wash it -- and has to fight the flow of returning packages.

In my building the drivers fuel there cars either when they get back at night or before they leave in the morning. We have car washers and car positioners they get paid $30 + hr my care hasn't been wash in months and the positioners complain when the driver doesn't park in the exact stop at night. We have FT preloader that make as much if not $.25 hr more then top rate drivers $ 31.785.

Your right easy is subjective so is " LAZY ".

 

[Bagels]

In my building the drivers fuel there cars either when they get back at night or before they leave in the morning. We have car washers and car positioners they get paid $30 + hr my care hasn't been wash in months and the positioners complain when the driver doesn't park in the exact stop at night. We have FT preloader that make as much if not $.25 hr more then top rate drivers $ 31.785.

Your right easy is subjective so is " LAZY ".

In the center I worked in, the driver's day ends when he pulls up to the dock and removes the packages that need to be processed (high values, hazmats, air, clerk, etc.). After the remaining packages are unloaded, the car is moved to the appropriate fuel station and then designated car wash area. The line-up isn't built until the conclusion of the evening. The persons moving, fueling and washing the trucks are IAM and they make less than their Teamster counterparts (starting at $8, with inferior wages). Standards are fairly high, with one person washing 50 package cars per 4-hour shift -- and cars that travel on dirt roads need their insides wiped clean. These are dead-end jobs; they cannot bid on any FT Teamster (e.g. driving) or FT IAM (mechanic) job and therefore there's high turnover.

 

[nineyearsUGH]

PT preload is tough, but you need to consider that you receive at least $8/hr in benefits.

As I understand it, regional riders to the contract vary, and newbs in our region (NE) receive benefits after they pay their initiation and dues, which takes about 6 months.

 

[FuzeBox]

Thank you everyone for your responses, you've all been a BIG help! I guess this is where I respond individually to each of those whom have answered my inquiry.

upsguy72: The "robbed" feeling comes from having made at least $3.00 more an hour over the last 15 years. This is not only the lowest starting wage for me personally it is also the lowest starting wage for pre-load within the company. Yes folks, in the 80's and 90's pre-loaders started with higher pay than those of us starting in the last 10-13 years according to what I've read through research(which is always subject to question). Why am I working at UPS? That's what I'm doing in Brown Cafe... asking other UPSers for their experience and knowledge. I still do not know if this is a good fit for me.

Barnyard: I am still learning how all of this works. I'm 40 and taking-up another part-time job is a little bit taxing. Some of you may be BIG and macho and work pre-load and then go on to driver' helper and THEN start the next days shift with zero sleep in between but I am not one of them. That's for you diehards.

Brownslave688: I haven't been in construction since I was in my early twenties. I was merely comparing the amount of exertion between the two types of work. It appears by the amount of hours that you work that you're one of the diehards too. Good for you. I'm recovering from a brain aneurysm in 2006. I don't have the energy in the day that some of you have.

Bagels: I don't what in the Hell you're doing in this forum. You actually take the time to explain things as opposed to those of Nazi Hitler upbringing and you actually explain it without your multiple-years-with-the-company EGO attached like some of the other mother ****erz that have responded. Did my initial message seem that patronizing? I was merely asking for the formula that leads people to stay with the company and where our "outspoken" co-workers are so quick to kick me in the shins as a newbie to the company for simply stating that our starting wage is well below pay for the quality of hard work that we do here. You're Gent, Bagels. Thank you!

Dr. Brown: I don't have any kids. I don't really have any bills either. Nor am I in school. I just live in the highest rent per capita in the country with one of the highest sales tax rates in the country and was trying to figure out if this is all that there is... and the answer is in pre-load: YES. This is all there is.

IndecisiOn: I've looked at it that way too... and actually it's more than the figure that you've given. What I have found comes to nearly $48 an hour= benefits + wage.

Sleeve_Meet_Heart: That is exactly how it appears and THAT is why I am in here asking questions.

anonymous: My hire date is May 14th, 2012. My packet showed-up in the mail November 18th and my medical went retro back September 1st. I have no idea "why" or "how" I got my benefits package when I did but the other (2) employees who started when I did got the same package in the mail and our bennies all started retro September 1st.

Any other staunch responses for me? It is after-all my 2nd post on this forum. I am particularly interested in hearing from other UPS company Nazi's who have seniority out the whazzooo who can give me more of the in-your-face answers that I have gotten from those already. I am all about constructive criticism and being that since only "one" of you actually took the time to explain things cordially I figure I'll just open up the board to all of the UPS rough necks whom have delivered such a warm welcome to myself, the newbie.

Whatcha got for me?! I'm more than ready for you.

 

[FuzeBox]

By the way... I am not trolling. This is not to pick a fight with anyone.

I just walked-in from the outside and have made a few observations. If some of you have been with the company so long that you don't remember what it's like to start-out afresh then may be you could use listening to what ME the "outsider" has to say about it coming from a fresh(non-UPS) state of mind. I just paid $350 for my union initiation fee's. Did any of YOU pay that much? No. You didn't. The last 6 months have been spent trying to come-up with the gas to get to work after what little bills I do have. All I asked is... is this company worth it?

By some of the responses... it isn't looking favorable. Prove me wrong... seniority people. Give me reasons. Tell me why you've stayed.

 

[Brownslave688]

When I started I made around 35k working 15 hour days sometimes 6 or 7 days a week. Now I make 85k working 10 hour days. That's y I stayed. Most people can't handle driving. Compared to what I was doing before its a cakewalk.

 

[FuzeBox]

Brownslave,

I'm surrounded at work by very constructive minds and I hear that driving is indeed where it's at. As a preloader I arrive 10-15 minutes every day like clockwork to retrieve the "irreg" lift cart from the back and set it up. I am also the last to leave in that by no one asking me I have assumed the duty of setting up and taking down that cart. In my second week I sought-out the Safety Committee and became an active committee member by my third week of employment. I regularly "school" new recruits 15 minutes prior to start time on Wednesdays, Thursday and Friday mornings. I am one of the jack-asses that introduces myself upon sight of your casual work shoes by instructing you to get boots on your feet by Friday. I had such a fun time with those who schooled me that I became one. It's not like there is any lack of enthusiasm.

I'm one of the overachiever newbies that took-on multiple added responsibilities. So in our last Safety Committee meeting I posed the question since all of the right people are sitting in the room at the same time: What is the incentive for being a Safety Committee member? Or put differently... why am I sitting here? Is there something in my file that says, "Safety Committee member since June 2012" or some kind of a t-shirt for status identification?

The answer came as odd... there wasn't an answer. After watching everybody's eyeballs look about the room for the best educated response the consensus was that we get $$$paid$$$ for the extra hour that we stay whilst attending committee meetings. Okay. Well, that and I get to watch 97% of the newbies that I train leave or be cut from the roster whilst watching one or two grow like babies from their date of hire onward.

My next question was asking if I am recognized in any way for setting up the cart and rollers every day. Nope. That's just something I decided to do I guess. Thing is, when clocking-in early on Wed, Thur, Fridays for the mentoring program my time card is later adjusted by management to include the 15 minutes whereas clocking in any minutes before the scheduled start time(to set-up cart) sets what our start time is and not when I actually clocked-in and started working.

It's a bunch of little discrepancies like this that display how loosely held together we are. You're right. Hard work does not get you to the top faster. Added responsibilities do not get one there either. Hell, they don't even get acknowledgment!!! I think that's actually what drives me to take on even more responsibilities(SurePost etc) because that way I'll be well versed in plenty of how-to for the same $120 a week(post Peak) paycheck. I've never even 'played' as hard as I work for this company.

See, the driver thing sounds enticing if it were in a less populated area. Where I'm sitting I'd be a bit nervous. I just relocated last December from 33K people per capita to 3.3 million and I'm still getting used to it and it's been a year! In due time...