Uniform Standards

local804

Well-Known Member
Regarding tattoos, I have tattoos but I got them in places that are covered by our uniforms so that I can wear short sleeves and shorts. If you're a driver and don't want to wear long sleeves and pants in the summer, then don't get a tattoo on your leg or one that runs the length of your forearm. And if you had such tattoos before you became a driver, you knew that you had a choice... keep them covered or don't become a driver. That's the company policy, period.

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I never ever heard or seen this memo that you are talking about or did I sign anything re: this. Where in Gods name does it say we have to keep them covered? I actually know a suit in the Farmingdale bldg that has a few on his arm also. Lets be serious now.
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
I don't see a problem with tattoos being uncovered as lone as they are in good taste. I don't agree with having beards but I think we should be able to have a well groomed goatee. I think the current hair standarss in the are just fine. The standard mirrors the standards that the Air Force uses. My main issue lately is the drivers that wear their shirts with half of the tio buttons open. It's even worse when they don't have an undershirt on under it. I don't see the point in pressing the uniforms because they get worn out in no time. Especially during the summer heat. I think black socks look kind of silly. For some reason I don't mind how wearing a black undershirt looks though. I guess it's because we wore black with our BDUs in the AIr Force. I stick to brown or white ClimaCool shirts at UPS now.
 

lovetokayak

Well-Known Member
We have one guy at our center who looks like he just rolle out of bed. He wears his uniform, but underneath his "white" shirt is untucked and hanging out. His shoe laces are flying all over the place too. The rest of the drivers look pretty sharp. We have about 2/3 younger drivers and 1/3 older drivers at our hub. Older drivers all have polishable shoes, tucked in uniform shirts with belts, arm watches, closely trimmed mustaches and neat hearcuts. The younger guys mostly have no hair, shaved/cut very short and mostly wear some darker tennis shoe/boots. All of them wear sunglasses and/or baseball hats. They have the "cool dude" attitude. :) The lady drivers always wears their hair in a ponytail, no earrings or jewelry of any kind.
As for tattoos, I'm sure there are drivers who have them, but I haven't seen one exposed from underneath a uniform yet.
I think the center manager plays a big part in enforcing uniform guidelines and appearance standards. Our center manager is a younger guy, but he always looks sharp from head to toe. Not showy, but clean and neat.
 

Sammie

Well-Known Member
What has happened to pride in our appearance? Has UPS relaxed our standards? I am seeing holes in uniforms, full sleeve tattoos and other tattoos uncovered, facial piercings, and dirty hats. our appearance and high standards is what our customers have come to expect from us as drivers and have earned us the respect that we get from the public and now we are going to scare them to death and they won't even answer the door or even worse dogs attacking us because we look like criminals. is this going on every where? or just my center?

So you think an image is important? And you'd have no qualms if this guy showed up at your door with a package?? :scared:

http://www.worldofstock.com/closeups/PAB1412.php
 

Joopster

Boxline Sorter
We had a package driver years back,a very respected guy, who had burn scars on his arms. A woman called in and complained that seeing them upset her so mgmnt,who had worked with this guy for years,told him had to wear long sleeves even in the summer. He said,and this was the first any of us had heard this, that got got these scars from pulling his fellow soldiers out of a burning copter in Vietnam and he viewed them as a matter of pride. He then said if mgmt and the customer didn`t like it they could go friend themselves. It was never mentioned again until the day he retired.

Love it, absolutely love it.
 

moreluck

golden ticket member
When I see piercings like that, I just want to put my finger through one of the larger rings and RIP IT OUT !! That guy wouldn't do well in a street fight.....too many "handles" to grab!!
 

hoser

Industrial Slob
you will be surprised how few people care about a kid with dreadlocks, a nose ring, and a sleeve-tattoo on his arm. he'd definitely have to work a lot harder to please customers, but majority really don't care about that kind of thing.

although i don't care about tattoos, hair, piercings, etc, I strongly believe the uniform standards should be followed to the T.

the days of the white 6'1'' skinny buzz-cut depression-era UPS driver are long gone. get used to it.
 

upsguysavannah

Active Member
I never ever heard or seen this memo that you are talking about or did I sign anything re: this. Where in Gods name does it say we have to keep them covered? I actually know a suit in the Farmingdale bldg that has a few on his arm also. Lets be serious now.

"Tattoos are not allowed on any body part that is not covered by the uniform." - from an Appearance Standards acknowledgement that I signed in driving school.
 

upsguysavannah

Active Member
you will be surprised how few people care about a kid with dreadlocks, a nose ring, and a sleeve-tattoo on his arm. he'd definitely have to work a lot harder to please customers, but majority really don't care about that kind of thing.

although i don't care about tattoos, hair, piercings, etc, I strongly believe the uniform standards should be followed to the T.

the days of the white 6'1'' skinny buzz-cut depression-era UPS driver are long gone. get used to it.

1) I think that you would be surprised about how MANY customers really DO care about these things. Can't tell you how many times my customers have told me that I look more professional than FedEx and especially DHL drivers. It's all part of our image.

2) I do care and I agree that standards should be followed.

3) Sad, but true. Although a few of us still look like that.
 

under the radar

A Trained Professional
No one here goes out on the road unshaven or with damaged uniforms.

I wear black socks, this is my only uniform violation. My center manager does tell me to get the official UPS socks, several times now, but I never do. This is an ignorant rule, especially for people who wear black tennis/running shoes. What looks better, goofy long brown socks or black ankle socks? I follow every other appearance standard, but I refuse to pay $6 a pair for horribly made socks that are far too long for sneaker wearers.
They sell ups brown ankle socks.
 

Cole

Well-Known Member
Well look how filthy and ragged out most of our trucks are. Reputation is built on quality of service! i,.e., putting the customers first. Seems mngmnt has no clue in that department. Heck they don't even get uniforms washed anymore. Also it takes forever and a day to get handtrucks and supplies etc...I guess it's hard to talk about the drivers being polished when the trucks are rarely washed, unless of course big wigs are coming to town.
I think that you would be surprised about how MANY customers really DO care about these things. Can't tell you how many times my customers have told me that I look more professional than FedEx and especially DHL drivers. It's all part of our image.

Please tell our mngrs that because we hear them whine about Fed x's every moves.

I agree people should try to do their part in that area, but when you're drenched w/ sweat etc...that kind of goes down the drain.
 

under the radar

A Trained Professional
It's interesting that this would come up. I was just thinking of going to management to complain about this very subject. Most of the drivers care about their appearance but we have a few who look like garbage when they leave the building.

One wears a shirt jack with his white undershirt hanging out of the front over his belly. It's sad to see from this thread that it's the drivers who are upset about it.

I will approach my business manager about this and hope to reply to this thread tomorrow. Maybe if we who care make some noise about it, it will have an impact.
 

satellitedriver

Moderator
Also, the NEW uniforms are crap too. It's a shame.
What "new" uniforms? I still wear the old standard issue and I am about due for replacements. Being a satellite driver, (out of sight, means out of mind) I have not heard or read about "new" uniforms.
If you mean, crappy fit and poor workmanship on the outsourced made uniforms, then I understand your comment.
Pax
 

satellitedriver

Moderator
We had a package driver years back,a very respected guy, who had burn scars on his arms. A woman called in and complained that seeing them upset her so mgmnt,who had worked with this guy for years,told him had to wear long sleeves even in the summer. He said,and this was the first any of us had heard this, that got got these scars from pulling his fellow soldiers out of a burning copter in Vietnam and he viewed them as a matter of pride. He then said if mgmt and the customer didn`t like it they could go friend themselves. It was never mentioned again until the day he retired.
There is a vast difference between scars and self-scarification.
His scars were wounds received doing his duty above self interest.
They should be honored, not looked down upon.
For anyone to say or support they have a right of free expression by self mutilation and display it in public with no after effect , lives in another world than I do.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"If you mean, crappy fit and poor workmanship on the outsourced made uniforms, then I understand your comment."

Then you understand my comment!


(Couldn't have said it better!)
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
I have read the entire thread and only a few of the posts talked about mgmt responisibilty. All employees (including mgmt) have their own feelings on what should and should not be allowed as far as uniform standards go.

Here is where the problem starts. It is not anyone of us who decides what is ok or not ok. These guidelines are set up by corporate and then passed down to the regions and ultimately to the districts to determine what guidelines will be followed based on the local, geographical, cultural differences. I am refering to all employees, not just drivers.
These guidelines are very specific so that all of us understand and enforce the guidelines in a consistent fashion. This is the key be fair and consistent in the application of the corporate - regional and district guidelines.

Uniform standards were a pet peeve of mine when I was supervisor and a manager. If there was one complaint from my employees it was that I "knit picked" this area.

The burden of enforcement is on the management team PERIOD! It is the responsibility to understand the guidelines (for all employees) and enforce those guidelines equally. If there is a question or grey area then the management team should involve Labor and HR to reach a fair conclusion.

This area was always a measure for me to assess the manager or supervisor of an operation.

What I have noticed was most management teams were so busy with other things this was not a priority. It takes a strong and committed team to make sure everyone understands what is expected and then goes out and checks to see that it is being followed.

If it is not happening, it is up to the division manager to bring that center back into the fold.
 

Cole

Well-Known Member
I agree, but they need to start washing the trucks everynight, or at the minimal wash the windshields. Also proper equiptment to handle big pick up accounts rather than the basest they can get away with, because customers notice who goes all out for them, and who genericizes them. ;)
 

STLFeeder

Need LS7 powered PKG car
What "new" uniforms? I still wear the old standard issue and I am about due for replacements. Being a satellite driver, (out of sight, means out of mind) I have not heard or read about "new" uniforms.
If you mean, crappy fit and poor workmanship on the outsourced made uniforms, then I understand your comment.
Pax
Must be talking about the Uniform we get now. They changed uniform companies first of the year. Now our Uniforms are made in China. They are Not very good qulity and aren't even brown. They look green. I had a couple guys tell me I needed to trade them in because they looked like they had been washed too many times and the brown die was coming out. They were shocked when I told them these were the new uniforms we were getting. I wish I would of ordered all my shirt jacs and shorts last year.:bored:
 
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