Retirement, Last day and a funny story

[leastbest]

I retired at the end of last month and I'm enjoying the hell out of it. Retirement at 55 is wonderful. Full pension, health care etc.

My last day I wouldn't take a cake after the way I've been treated so I'm on the road and I get a message from my center manager asking me if he can buy me lunch. I would prefer not to but being a decent person I said ok. We agreed to a time to meet and I get there and wait. He's late and when he shows up he asks me how much it's going to cost. I tell him it depends where we are going. He says he doesn't have time and asks if ten bucks is enough. I was dumbfounded. Nearly thirty-seven years and I don't get a sit down lunch with my center manager. He gives me the ten and I go to lunch.

It's a classy place.

 

[The Milkman]

I retired at the end of last month and I'm enjoying the hell out of it. Retirement at 55 is wonderful. Full pension, health care etc.

My last day I wouldn't take a cake after the way I've been treated so I'm on the road and I get a message from my center manager asking me if he can buy me lunch. I would prefer not to but being a decent person I said ok. We agreed to a time to meet and I get there and wait. He's late and when he shows up he asks me how much it's going to cost. I tell him it depends where we are going. He says he doesn't have time and asks if ten bucks is enough. I was dumbfounded. Nearly thirty-seven years and I don't get a sit down lunch with my center manager. He gives me the ten and I go to lunch.

It's a classy place.

Congrats...Enjoy...I left almost 4 yrs ago at 55..My last day was uneventfull also..Many others go through the same stuff we did.. No recognition for putting UPS where they are today..In the old days when we were on paper sometimes it actually seemed like Service was important..After all.."Ups was owned by it's managers and managed by it's Owners"..Well that went south after going public etc etc..Fed-ex put the squeeze on Ups...And to anyone who has been around since 81 or so would know what I am talking about..Bust your tail, miss alot of family stuff, being hounded for no running scratch blah blah blah...Well when we leave we feel just like the #'s we have always been on their reports.. It would of been nice to of been treated a little more like the team that they claimed we were a part of..Instead we get kicked down over the years and leave with a sour taste in our mouths knowing that all our union brothers have to deal with all this crap for many yrs and the crap gets thicker every yr..new services etc , etc. I hope I live to 110 so they pay through their nose for what they did to me and others like yourself who deserved better treatment over the yrs that hardened us against them... Jim Casey??? Who you ask?? Who was he?? I wonder if anyone in Atlanta knows who he was and what his dream was........Probably not as GREED has shown it's ugly head in their headquarters , and as for the future of UPS??? Good Question...

 

[rod]

Congrats on your retirement. At least your center manager "almost" went through with a nice idea. Its alot more than most get on their last day. There was no cake- no lunch- not even a mention of it being my last day at the AM after my 30 years. (I wasn't expecting it so it wasn't a disappointment) ----too bad it has to be that way. I never looked back as I walked out the door for the last time. The only connection I have to UPS nowdays is the Brown Cafe (basically just to stay in touch with my friend Upstate) and everyonce in awhile I still meet some of the guys at the pub on a Friday night for a few cocktales-- althought lately it seems like I'm heading home already while they are just getting off work. I don't own any UPS stock anymore and haven't used UPS to ship anything for years. Enjoy your retirement---you earned it.

 

[satellitedriver]

Enjoy your life, you have earned it.
As you are a musician, no finer lyrics have been written to say goodbye to a friend you will never see again.
http://youtu.be/acxnmaVTlZA

 

[Catatonic]

Nice version Sat.

Here's a version on banjo for leastbest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44R1jbg6Jnc

 

[dillweed]

leastbest - Congratulations on making it! I also hope you live a good many, healthy and happy years, using that pension for the best of life and security!Have not seen you posting for awhile and missed you. Many internet people are just words on a screen - bitching and bragging. I've always felt there was a real human being behind your words. Am sorry, but not surprised, to hear about your last day. You're a better person than I am, for sure, as I would have probably told that guy to put that money up his butt. Come back when you have a chance to let us know how you are. Take good care, dw

 

[menotyou]

Congratulations, leastBest. I think you would be a very entertaining lunch date. I hope you enjoy everything you have earned.

 

[toonertoo]

Happy retirement Least best. Enjoy, we know you deserved it.
As nice as you are, saying yes to lunch was the right thing to do, I could not have done that, and then for him to throw a 10 at ya, yea, real class.

 

[Indecisi0n]

How many years do you need for full pension?

 

[menotyou]

Depends where you work. Here, it's 30 years minimum service and minimum age of, I think, 57-57 1/2.

 

[Re-Raise]

Congratulations Leastbest. Since you will have some free time this December I could really use a peak helper who knows how to use a DIAD.

 

[gman042]

How many years do you need for full pension?

Here it is the rule of 80. Years of service + age = 80

 

[Leftinbuilding]

Guess I was the exception. On my last day, after almost 36 years, the PCM was dedicated to me. Our building consisted of two centers and drivers from both attended the party. There was cake and refreshments and a couple of nice gift bags. My center manager made some nice comments, and after lots of pics, my wife and I walked away hand in hand. That was two years ago and I am enjoying retirement immensely.

 

[tarbar66]

Way to go LB, I can see you smiling on this cloudy 1st day of Fall!

Enjoy your time and get working on that bucket list.

 

[raceanoncr]

Congrats, Least. You'll enjoy it!

 

[over9five]

Congrats LB! Plenty of time to play that banjo now.
And I'm sure you'll be smiling every time you tell that story of your cheap-*** center manager!!!!

 

[BURMDPsupe]

Congrats on your well-deserved retirement! I'm truly sorry that your last day was not celebrated with your workgroup. I have witnessed some great retirement celebrations throughout the years and I've also witnessed some that were meaningless (this was true with hourly employees as well as management).

M-

 

[Catatonic]

JMO ...

Retirement parties or recognition are like funerals.

It is not for the person being recognized but for the others that are still here.

The purpose is to make the ones left behind to feel better.

 

[over9five]

JMO ...

Retirement parties or recognition are like funerals.

It is not for the person being recognized but for the others that are still here.

The purpose is to make the ones left behind to feel better.

Oh come on! That HAD to come from the management handbook. Good excuse to not provide any recognition to a thirty year employee.

 

[Catatonic]

Oh come on! That HAD to come from the management handbook. Good excuse to not provide any recognition to a thirty year employee.

Nope ... in fact, the "management handbook" encourages retirement recognition.
It's free and it motivates employees to work harder and be happier.

It is just a wry comment on my observations as I go through life. You know, I am a bit cynical.