The contact enacted in 2008

[mikerlz]

I was hired about a month after the new contract started. Three years later, p/t package handler, I've gone from 8.50 to 10.50. What a joke! I break my back week after week, use the weekend to (barely) recuperate, then do it all over again. Yes, I understand it's hard work, but ten bucks for this kind of work is an insult. I worked a second job for a small, regional organics company, and after starting out for ten bucks, a matter of months later, I was up to 11.75 to put PRODUCE IN A BOX. You're telling me a global company can't afford to give their part timers little more than peanuts for pay for back breaking work!? Where the was the union when the vote for the contract was going on to tell them to shove it? All the people I've worked with who are under the old contact seem to have it so much better than me. I'd sure like to know what kind of concessions the full timers (like drivers) had to give up compared to us little guys. This is ridiculous. I scanned 2,500 packages into trucks yesterday for MAYBE $45, a broken back, and a shirt completely soaked with sweat. You're telling me that's worth the pay? Over three days at my second job I would make the same amount over five days at UPS with half the physical effort. What a joke.

/rant

 

[DorkHead]

Would you like a little cheese to go with your whine?
Look at it this way, in 4 or 5 more years when you make it to full time, you get to go thru a 3 yr. progression again!!!!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You are right--PTers are severely underpaid for the work that they do. I would be willing to accept a pay freeze in the next contract to address this inequity.

 

[over9five]

The part-timers could dictate whatever wage they wanted......


......if they'd participate.


You REALLY can't blame the full-timers when you outnumber us 3-1.

 

[scratch]

This started with the 1982 contract, it was ridiculous then like it is now. There are more PTers, than FT, too many of them don't participate in the union.

 

[grgrcr88]

I was hired about a month after the new contract started. Three years later, p/t package handler, I've gone from 8.50 to 10.50. What a joke! I break my back week after week, use the weekend to (barely) recuperate, then do it all over again. Yes, I understand it's hard work, but ten bucks for this kind of work is an insult. I worked a second job for a small, regional organics company, and after starting out for ten bucks, a matter of months later, I was up to 11.75 to put PRODUCE IN A BOX. You're telling me a global company can't afford to give their part timers little more than peanuts for pay for back breaking work!? Where the was the union when the vote for the contract was going on to tell them to shove it? All the people I've worked with who are under the old contact seem to have it so much better than me. I'd sure like to know what kind of concessions the full timers (like drivers) had to give up compared to us little guys. This is ridiculous. I scanned 2,500 packages into trucks yesterday for MAYBE $45, a broken back, and a shirt completely soaked with sweat. You're telling me that's worth the pay? Over three days at my second job I would make the same amount over five days at UPS with half the physical effort. What a joke.

/rant

The Union does not accept or deny a contract. The voting membership does.

 

[PT Stewie]

I agree wouldn't like to load trucks for just $10.50 per hour but.......let's look a little closer. How many part time jobs furnish you with a premium medical,dental amd vision care package that you do not pay a dime for which you have ? Add that to your bottom line, maybe an extra $6-7K a year. You also have the opportunity to get an extra $1.00 per hour sort raise if you show some initiative and seek that out. Once you get to your 4th annivserary date you get an .87 per hour raise and every contract milestone after that you get the regular union raises.You have a pension benefit of $60.00 per month x the years service after a 5 year vesting payable at retirement. Unheard off anywhere for part time work. If you work at an earn and learn location you may qualify for $3K per year up to $15K for college tuition reinbursement. Maybe I am wrong but I don't think you get any of above for packing produce.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I was hired about a month after the new contract started. Three years later, p/t package handler, I've gone from 8.50 to 10.50. What a joke! I break my back week after week, use the weekend to (barely) recuperate, then do it all over again. Yes, I understand it's hard work, but ten bucks for this kind of work is an insult. I worked a second job for a small, regional organics company, and after starting out for ten bucks, a matter of months later, I was up to 11.75 to put PRODUCE IN A BOX. You're telling me a global company can't afford to give their part timers little more than peanuts for pay for back breaking work!? Where the was the union when the vote for the contract was going on to tell them to shove it? All the people I've worked with who are under the old contact seem to have it so much better than me. I'd sure like to know what kind of concessions the full timers (like drivers) had to give up compared to us little guys. This is ridiculous. I scanned 2,500 packages into trucks yesterday for MAYBE $45, a broken back, and a shirt completely soaked with sweat. You're telling me that's worth the pay? Over three days at my second job I would make the same amount over five days at UPS with half the physical effort. What a joke.

/rant

Good posts by everyone else, without reiterating their posts I just wanted to add...no one is forcing you to do any amount of work, but you. You set the bar and determine what is a fair days work. You nor anyone else is going to last by breaking your back. Working safely is #1.

 

[DorkHead]

You are right--PTers are severely underpaid for the work that they do. I would be willing to accept a pay freeze in the next contract to address this inequity.

Are you sure about this?? Remember, you still owe Moreluck a weeks pay!!

 

[mikerlz]

The part-timers could dictate whatever wage they wanted......


......if they'd participate.


You REALLY can't blame the full-timers when you outnumber us 3-1.

So you're saying the p/t and friend/t workers vote separately? If yes, then I can understand, although since I was hired after it was put in place, I had no power to say anything. If not, then way to look out for #1. (not you specifically, just a general statement)

You are right--PTers are severely underpaid for the work that they do. I would be willing to accept a pay freeze in the next contract to address this inequity.
​

Thank you.

 

[UPSGUY72]

You are right--PTers are severely underpaid for the work that they do. I would be willing to accept a pay freeze in the next contract to address this inequity.

I'm not willing to except any pay freeze. We aren't making $30 hr because we accept a pay freeze in past contracts. Once you give you will never get back.

The OP needs to look at it like this. Nobody if forcing him to stay and work for for $10.50 it's his choice. There are plenty of people out there that would like a job making more than minimum wage.

I will also say that most of the younger workers these days want more pay but don't want to do any of the work. They show up late, call in, talk all shift with there buddies which then turns into more miss loads. Then when they start getting into trouble they always bring up the fact that if they made more they would do a better job and show up. The fact is they just don't want to work they just want to get paid.

 

[mikerlz]

I will also say that most of the younger workers these days want more pay but don't want to do any of the work. They show up late, call in, talk all shift with there buddies which then turns into more miss loads. Then when they start getting into trouble they always bring up the fact that if they made more they would do a better job and show up. The fact is they just don't want to work they just want to get paid.

Oh come on. I work my ass off day in and day out, but thanks for the generalization. I show up early and set up the area, never call in, and have had some of the lowest misloads in the building. Why should we be excited to to make a dollar more than minimum wage for ten times the effort than working at mickey d's in air conditioning making your own hours?

But thanks, I got a kick out of the insulting "kids these days" comment.

I just don't understand this. If the new contract didn't affect those under the old contract, as it seems, where is their incentive in voting? As far as I know, it affected those hired AFTER it was enacted in August 2008 (?), who were powerless to vote for it in a union they were not in for a job they did not have.

 

[goetface]

I got to agree 100% with this post, and how you are feeling man. We are seriously under paid, REGARDLESS if we get full medical or not, its still UNDERPAID. The medical should be there REGARDLESS given the physical nature of this job, and the amount of strain and stress your body is put under, coupled with the risk of lifetime disability. Starting off employees at 8.50 an hour is a no brainer as to why employee retention sucks, along with a long wait to 1 year to get medical, people just take off and would rather be UNEMPLOYED then under go these conditions. Take into consideration we use our cars (maintenance, gas) our cloths (which get ripped and destroyed), our bodies (which are not replacable), and expect that 100-150 a week is going to help us get by ? Even for a college student, as they always like to promote this job for such individuals, its a JOKE. So how can such a company as big as ups afford to do better for us? well let me tell you for those of you who didn't watch the news last week, or in the last few years. Corporate profits have steadily risen for years, add the fact that while job creation has declined or remain neutral the last 8 quarters, corporate profits have only rise sharply the last 8 quarters. Together as a whole in the united states, productions is up all around, meanwhile pay has not risen to positively reflect those increases in efficiency by employees. U.S. employees work longer, and harder then any western country, we get no benefits, low pay, minimal to no vacations etc, meanwhile the SOB's in these corporations just tunnel us harder.

I can't say what would be a better wage right off the bat, but I can also agree with the fact that the problem is with these individuals who are in the union as p/t'ers. These individuals are afraid to speak up, speak out, and stand up to their sups, and the company, these individuals are much younger then me in their early 20's and are in long enough to pay the union $200 dollars then quit when they are burned out in 3-4 months. It's time people start growing a pair and start rolling up oursleeves and demanding better from UPS, especially since their profits have been doing just fine, desipite even fixing equipment such as rollers, water fountains, bathrooms, extendos, etc. IM SICK OF IT!

 

[UPSGUY72]

Oh come on. I work my ass off day in and day out, but thanks for the generalization. I show up early and set up the area, never call in, and have had some of the lowest misloads in the building. Why should we be excited to to make a dollar more than minimum wage for ten times the effort than working at mickey d's in air conditioning making your own hours?

But thanks, I got a kick out of the insulting "kids these days" comment.

I just don't understand this. If the new contract didn't affect those under the old contract, as it seems, where is their incentive in voting? As far as I know, it affected those hired AFTER it was enacted in August 2008 (?), who were powerless to vote for it in a union they were not in for a job they did not have.

If you don't like your pay scale you can tell your steward and or BA and vote NO on the next contract if it doesn't change or go find and other job.

 

[Re-Raise]

Oh come on. I work my ass off day in and day out, but thanks for the generalization. I show up early and set up the area, never call in, and have had some of the lowest misloads in the building. Why should we be excited to to make a dollar more than minimum wage for ten times the effort than working at mickey d's in air conditioning making your own hours?

But thanks, I got a kick out of the insulting "kids these days" comment.

I just don't understand this. If the new contract didn't affect those under the old contract, as it seems, where is their incentive in voting? As far as I know, it affected those hired AFTER it was enacted in August 2008 (?), who were powerless to vote for it in a union they were not in for a job they did not have.

He is right that existing employees have no reason to make a stand over starting wages for newly hired employees or even the length of the progression.

 

[mikerlz]

as far as 'union participation goes' look at it this way. you guys are FULL TIME. this is your MAIN GIG. you have everything riding on how the union handles things. us part timers, who are usually young guys 18-22 and can still be under mommy and daddy's insurance until 26, cant get by on $100-150 a week. we are in school, or are forced to take 2-3 jobs because god knows we make no money here. when are we going to go to the meetings if we're stuck working weekends to get by?

it seems the argument is "suck it up" and "what you dont make you make up for in benefits"... well, last I checked we have a union for benefits AND pay. but apparently thats only for the full timers.

as far as i can tell, the union can give two ****s about the part timers, and it makes sense. they know most will just quit and be replaced by joe schmo on the street. no benefits for a year? lower raise progression? come on. it takes me three years to make a starting wage at any other job i have had, it takes you two years to make top rate.

stewards are always leaning on a broom buddying around with the sups, and then they'll turn around and give you a sticker for "unfair production standards." its laughable at best.

does no one realize the fallacy of voting for a contract that isn't going to affect you? who cares right? "we got ours."

 

[mikerlz]

http://labornotes.org/node/1439

an interview about the newest labor contract.

"The proposed contract is a complete sellout. It gives back to UPS monumental gains that the members sacrificed for and won in 1997."

"A lot of concessions in the contract target new hires, like eliminating medical benefits for new part-timers. What effect does that have on union solidarity? It will create enormous divisions between part-times, full-timers, and the future generations of Teamsters. Selling out one group of Teamsters against another is not a new concept. It keeps the members fighting amongst themselves, as opposed to holding the union leadership accountable."

"One thing that puzzles me—how do you explain these enormous concessions? It’s not like UPS is hurting. The company made more than $4 billion in profit last year.
Well that’s right. The money is there, and the union has the leverage at UPS. But the current union leadership is not interested or concerned about the members needs."


"The union did not force UPS to put its best offer on the table."






http://makeupsdeliver.org/part-time-poverty-wages/#more-1284

"In 1997, minimum wage was $5.15. Teamster General President Ron Carey and the members fought to raise the starting rate to $8.50. That’s 68 percent higher than the minimum wage at the time.

If we kept up with that equivalent, UPS starting wage would be $14.31—nearly $6 more than it is today and well above the minimum wage."




It's hard to get a part timer involved when he feels the union he pays dues for shafts him every chance they get. It's equally hard to get others to even care when it does not affect them at all.

 

[728ups]

If you don't like your pay scale................. go find and other job.

Wow, that sounds like a line i have heard from many years from Management!!!


The OP is right: the new hires got screwed over in a big way on the last contract. I'd be more than willing to accept no pay raises in the next contract to bring these kids up to a decent level. Give us fulltimers better language on over 9.5,harassment ,and the abolition of production standards.

man does not live on Bread Alone!

 

[working up a sweat]

Look at the bright side. I only make 10.00 an hour , it stinks and get about 50 hours a month. But the cadillac health insurance is worth over 35.00 an hour(family plan). I don't have to pay 100.00 a week out of my FT job for insurance like most people. Teamster health plan deductibles are a lot lower too.

 

[PT Stewie]

stewards are always leaning on a broom buddying around with the sups, and then they'll turn around and give you a sticker for "unfair production standards." its laughable at best.

I take great exception to that comment. I have fought big time for Pt'ers since I became a steward and will continue to do so in the future.I get little or no help from the Pt'ers . I get guys who would rather take a day suspension to have a day off rather than file an article 7.I get answers like " I don'y want a target on my back" when I ask guys to stick up for what is right.I take off from other job to come in early to catch sups unloading trucks and I can't even get union people to come in early to make extra money and take over. With comments like that you can KMA !