Thinking about possibly attempting to make the switch to UPS

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the response guys. What are the cons if I do wait it out just to make sure? I am assuming best case scenario I would be seasonal for at least a year or probably longer. I can always stay at the hellhole where I am until the new contract is in place. It's not like if I leave now I am in before the new contract is ratified that might have some not so friendly attachments for new hires. Changing the 6-1 ratio. Or two tier wage progression. Or longer top out. That wouldn't affect me either way because I would still be seasonal regardless. Zero chance I would ever cross the picket line. Would hate to leave 10 years at FedEx at the wrong time. Come over and get fired if you guys go on strike and I refuse to cross the picket line. Just want to make sure I cross my T's and dot my I's here. Thanks again for the info. It is greatly appreciated.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
The cons are the position(s) could be filled.

The 6-1 is going to be changed to 8-1.

Financials have yet to be discussed---I still think we will see a two-tiered wage, if not in 2013 then in 2020.

They wouldn't fire you for not crossing---they would just not use you.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
The cons are the position(s) could be filled.

The 6-1 is going to be changed to 8-1.

Financials have yet to be discussed---I still think we will see a two-tiered wage, if not in 2013 then in 2020.

They wouldn't fire you for not crossing---they would just not use you.

​Thanks for the response
 

barnyard

KTM rider
You are fooling yourself if you think you would be seasonal for a year or 2. You need to do a search for "seasonal driver" or cover driver. Some have been doing it for 10 years.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
You are fooling yourself if you think you would be seasonal for a year or 2. You need to do a search for "seasonal driver" or cover driver. Some have been doing it for 10 years.

It's a shot I have to take. I have no choice. I know there are a lot of older drivers in the center by me. Two weeks ago while working I ran into the brown guy in my area. He was in the interview waiting room with me last year when I applied for seasonal. I didn't have the balls to make the leap last year. He worked two seasons last year. Got called back in February of this year and was hired permanent. 1 out of 17 guys brought back. I'm well aware it's a longshot. Like I said I have no choice. Stay where I am now and drown or take a risk. I live in one of the most expensive states in the country. With sporadic raises the last few years cost of living has lapped me about 4 times. It's a shot I have to take
 
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ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
If I told you guys what I make an hour after being there 10+ years you would spend the rest of the day laughing your arse off. I am so buried on the totem pole of pay scale compared to even a 15-20 year employee it isn't even funny. Express in the last few years of halting merit increases has taken on the philosophy that if you were here from the get go(20+ years) you are taken care of. And if you are somebody like me and you weren't, well too friggan bad. I signed a union card when there was a push a few years ago. Courier in my station was organizing it. He was in communication with the teamsters. He got a bunch signed from my station and a couple surrounding stations. He mailed them back to an address in DC. He never heard a thing after that. Fred opened his wallet I guess?
 
I am in New England and was hired as a seasonal in Nov 2010. I was recently hired 3/8/13 full time as an off the street hire. I did the seasonal thing for 3 years (5 seasons). I will be 40 next week and I don't believe I am too old. This job will keep you in shape without a doubt and I actually enjoy the physical part because I was/am a big gym and workout guy as it is. When I was first hired as a seasonal the HR woman told me straight out there is NO chance of me getting hired after the season and there are no promises for anything in the future. I took the job anyway and from day one I busted my rear and always called when I was finished to help out. I worked through my lunches and I ran my ass off....every day. During this time my entire family was covered by medical/dental and vision for 11 months out of the year even though I was only working 7 of them. That alone was worth it to me to get me through. Anyway like I said before I got "the" call and was given 20 minutes notice to get to the building and start my official UPS career. Anything is possible and yes luck is involved but if you work hard enough and stand out you will be noticed. I have learned that all management cares about is safety and numbers and if you can do that you are valuable no matter where you are coming from inside or out.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
I am in New England and was hired as a seasonal in Nov 2010. I was recently hired 3/8/13 full time as an off the street hire. I did the seasonal thing for 3 years (5 seasons). I will be 40 next week and I don't believe I am too old. This job will keep you in shape without a doubt and I actually enjoy the physical part because I was/am a big gym and workout guy as it is. When I was first hired as a seasonal the HR woman told me straight out there is NO chance of me getting hired after the season and there are no promises for anything in the future. I took the job anyway and from day one I busted my rear and always called when I was finished to help out. I worked through my lunches and I ran my ass off....every day. During this time my entire family was covered by medical/dental and vision for 11 months out of the year even though I was only working 7 of them. That alone was worth it to me to get me through. Anyway like I said before I got "the" call and was given 20 minutes notice to get to the building and start my official UPS career. Anything is possible and yes luck is involved but if you work hard enough and stand out you will be noticed. I have learned that all management cares about is safety and numbers and if you can do that you are valuable no matter where you are coming from inside or out.

Great story. Glad it worked out for you. Hopefully my story will end the same. Thanks for the response C4L
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Here's my thing. I have no problem being a seasonal driver for years. However long it takes. If I have to be a seasonal driver for 5 years I'm fine with that to hopefully get to the end game(being hired permanent). I can handle being laid off 5 months a year. I'll figure something out to do in those 5 months. If I'm correct seasonals make a little over 16.00 an hour I think? That's a couple dollars less an hour then I make at Express. The not having medical insurance is going to hurt bad. All I can do is hope I don't get sick. I'm a healthy person in good shape so that is a +.

My big concern is when I interviewed for the seasonal position last year the HR person who did the interviews said there is no coming back the following year. You work 2 seasons and that is it. That's what I don't understand? Because like C4L said he was a seasonal for years. Did the HR person just say that just to get the point across so people understand this really is just seasonal? And then if they really really like your work they do have the option of bringing you back. Is it possible different locals have different rules? That's my main concern. If I truly can only work 2 seasons and that's it then I don't think I can do it. I just scheduled my interview for this week. So I would love it if Dave or someone on here can answer that question for me. I know the local teamsters # for the center I would be working at. I can PM it to anyone if that helps.
 
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TooTechie

Geek in Brown
I have never heard of a limit on the number of seasons a casual can work. Casuals who have been hired off the street cant be hired for a perm position unless the company also hires x # of inside employees (I think its 6:1). There is virtually no chance of getting hired off the street like that to perm unless you really impress the pants off management to a point where they feel its worth hiring you and taking in that many inside employees too. You would be better off getting a part time package handler position and getting hired as an inside employee but that can take some time and if youre driving now that could put you over your DOT hours.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Going for the seasonal driver interview this week. I have two questions I was wondering if any of you could possibly answer for me. I would really appreciate it.

1-In your best estimation/guess. Will they implement a two tier wage system in this new upcoming contract? If so what do you guys think top out rate will be in this new contract?

2-In your best estimation/guess. Will wait to get to top rate stay at 3 years in this new upcoming contract? If not now long in your estimation will the wait now be?

I know worrying about both those issues would be far down the road in my journey but I just want to be as aware as possible going into this.

Thanks in advance to any of you that respond. I know it's a guess on your part but I would like to hear your take on those two things.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Let me just add I know the majority of you probably don't like helping outsiders. I totally get it. I don't blame you. To the ones that have helped me so far in this thread it has been greatly appreciated.
 
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