UPS Economic cleansing!!

[HEFFERNAN]

Unlike most businesses, UPS is very flexible economicaly on a daily basis. UPS bases its daily workforce on packages that come in. More packages in the building, more drivers on the road (USUALLY?!?!). Some way,some how UPS have people take the day off or have enough people to fill the routes.

Other businesses are not flexible to keep people on the sidelines. So they have to lay them off. The lower seniority people usually take the hit on these low volume days at UPS. Worse case scenario, we are going to be talking about summer volume in February and March. In my 8 years driving, I have never seen a slow January. I always expect it, but It is always so damn busy like peak.

Also, with another round of stimulus checks heading out in a couple months, No one can predict what is going to happen.

BOY SCOUT MOTTO - BE PREPARED (that doesn't mean doom and gloom)

 

[over9five]

Already have, believe me, they already have!

I believe you. Unfortunately, it's not even crunch time yet....

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

how many supervisors would be willing to give concessions.?

Unlike hourlies their choices are limited.

 

[soberups]

I have also been watching the trend of union companies either filing for bankruptcy or closing altogether. I can see the auto cos. filing chap 11, either eliminating the union or completely rewriting work rules. I suspect that is going to be their 'plan for success.'

The airlines have done it.

How long before UPS does it??
TB

Non-union DHL just went belly up, while unionized UPS posted a $1.6 billion profit last quarter.

None of the auto companies or airlines made $1.6 billion last quarter.

When our contract expires in 4 1/2 years, if UPS is losing money then it might be necessary to talk about concessions. Until then, I see no reason to give anything back.

I would be willing to discuss a temporary plan to freeze full-time wages in exchange for minimizing layoffs, as long as that plan had some sort of sunset clause that is directly tied into volume levels.

 

[soberups]

how many supervisors would be willing to give concessions.?

Concessions will be dictated to them. They will not be voluntary or subject to any sort of negotiation or bargaining. UPS management shoots their wounded and eats their young.

 

[scoobypanda]

I appreciate it. I guess all we can do is hope for the best. I love my job, and I'm not prepared to unload trailers again, and I'm especially not prepaired for a paycut.

There is no paycut if you are forced into the unload, you also can bump into the preload. The fact that you make $20 or so per hour is one reason any layoffs will likely be short-term. Yes, it is more profitable to pay overtime and run less loads, but not if everyone is filing for over 9.5, preload and unload shifts are paying driver wages, and stewards are filing every time a supervisor touches a package. These are protections built into our contract and it is up to all of us to guard them vigilantly in order to protect the newer guys and reduce their layoff as much as possible. Don't let them do our work and hammer us with overtime while your union brother is struggling to find grocery money.
On the "glass is half full" side of things: we should expect a bump from DHL collapse and we are swearing in a new president in January, this may help improve consumer confidence and spur the economic turnaround we are all hoping for.

 

[But Benefits Are Great!]

King that article spells it out, card check would help UPS and us, dont think for one minute this is a back burner, Obama owes the union's big for his election, and the union's are looking to this in return, so look for this to happen in his first year.

It is a slippery slope when trying to improve your own station in life by dragging others down. FedEx/card check/etc.

Don't kid yourself for a moment - UPS management would drool all over themselves if given the chance to copy FedEx business model. Any company, given the choice, would pick Independent Contractors over Union.

As for Obama & campaign promises - Please look at the track record of politicians, promises, & the last 200 years.

Every thread that talks about the poor economy, UPS layoffs, etc., someone always chimes in with "UPS has been around for 100 years, two world wars, and a partridge in a pear tree", etc. That is all well & good, but not the point. Nobody has any doubt that UPS will be there in 10 years - I'd just like to know that I will be also.

 

[cachsux]

There`s a quote that goes "Any company too big to fail is too big to exist"

 

[McLeod]

I hope I am right or would like to think so...there it goes. When the economy slows down people don't carry as much inventory in there stores or shops they will be placing smaller orders. We will still have work, just not as much. The bulk deliveries will be smaller..this will just take time and no one knows how long. I'm scared, just like everyone else!!!

 

[alister]

UPS has been through 2 World Wars and the Great Depression. Big Brown will keep on rolling.

How many other companies could claim the same but are already out of business? Some could argue that UPS's time is up and its turn is just around the corner. Arrogance like this can really kill a company.

 

[Channahon]

Non-union DHL just went belly up, while unionized UPS posted a $1.6 billion profit last quarter.

DHL was not non union, depended what part of the country they had worked in, while with Airborne. The union followed the DHL drivers.

 

[Channahon]

Alister,

UPS has been a very strong and competitive company, When I started as a driver in 1978, the only competition was USPS. As the years went on, Fedex came long, Airborne (DHL) Emery Air Freight and regional Less than Truckload, which were not even in UPS's portfolio.

Look at UPS today, there a myraid of services to embed UPS into a customer's needs, to have one point of contact for all their shipping needs, not to mention our technology, which hasn't always been in the forefront, but no competitor can match.

Your point is well taken, we cannot afford to be dumb, fat and happy in today's enviroment. Our employees may not be happy with what they may be hearing in today's economic situation, but unfortunately, who is?

Unemployment is at the highest since the early 90's, every industry is laying off employees, people are losing their homes, life and retirement savings.

It is a bleak and dismal out there, and our president elect, doesn't think the economics of the country will turn around until 2011. And this is his top priority, and he is choosing who he feels is the best of the best to support his goals to stabalize and grow the economic condition of our country today.

I've been retired since 2005, and planning for the future, I have to consider my pension being reduced, an expense for my benefits, and don't even plan on a Social Security benefit any longer.

Just hope I can weather the storm over the next few years.

 

[SuperSup]

There might come a time for that but this is not the time! Ups profited 1.6 billion last quarter, and the auto makers are losing money. Concessions come when the company is down and not makiing a profit. If times are as bad as we are led to believe how come ups is spending money on hiring these dead beat dhl sales reps?

You sir, are a class A maroon. We hire those sales reps because DHL is going under, and they already have a foot in the door with customers that will very likely convert to us. This is a great move by UPS, and has already generated us over 400K packages a day. Of course, if you haven't read about it in the Teamsters Circle Jerk Monthly magazine, you don't believe it, because you can't come up with an original thought of your own;

 

[rod]

Alister,

UPS has been a very strong and competitive company, When I started as a driver in 1978, the only competition was USPS. As the years went on, Fedex came long, Airborne (DHL) Emery Air Freight and regional Less than Truckload, which were not even in UPS's portfolio.

Look at UPS today, there a myraid of services to embed UPS into a customer's needs, to have one point of contact for all their shipping needs, not to mention our technology, which hasn't always been in the forefront, but no competitor can match.

Your point is well taken, we cannot afford to be dumb, fat and happy in today's enviroment. Our employees may not be happy with what they may be hearing in today's economic situation, but unfortunately, who is?

Unemployment is at the highest since the early 90's, every industry is laying off employees, people are losing their homes, life and retirement savings.

It is a bleak and dismal out there, and our president elect, doesn't think the economics of the country will turn around until 2011. And this is his top priority, and he is choosing who he feels is the best of the best to support his goals to stabalize and grow the economic condition of our country today.

I've been retired since 2005, and planning for the future, I have to consider my pension being reduced, an expense for my benefits, and don't even plan on a Social Security benefit any longer.

Just hope I can weather the storm over the next few years.

You think you have it bad--- I might have to tell my wife "she" has to go back to work.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Channahon brings up an excellent point in her post. Diversification and the ability to adjust to changing conditions are chief among the factors that will ensure UPS weathers this economic storm. It is no secret that our operating costs far exceed those of our competitors so we must worker smarter, not harder, to maintain and even expand our position in the industry. Reducing costs is mandatory yet must not come at the expense of service.

SuperSup, I don't know what your problem is, but you need to back off on the condescending attitude. The vast majority of us work our butts off, do it with pride and with the needs of the customer first and foremost. Yes, we are very well compensated for our efforts with a benefit and pension package second to none in our industry, but your constant attempts to belittle us reflect upon you both as a supervisor and as a person. Stating that "your ability to read and write overqualify you to be a Teamster" serves no purpose other than an attempt to justify your place in this world. I consider myself to be well educated and could find employment elsewhere which may more closely match this but I choose to work here primarily because the wage and benefit package that I have enjoyed for the past 19 years have allowed me to put my 2 kids through college, provide myself with a comfortable home and the knowledge that I will have a secure retirement. Do I like my job? No, but as an adult you quickly learn that you do what you have to do to provide for yourself and your family. May I suggest that you take a moment and read some of the posts that you have made here and ask yourself if you would appreciate someone talking about you in this manner. I am thankful that you have never been nor ever will be a supervisor in my center.

 

[Fnix]

How many other companies could claim the same but are already out of business? Some could argue that UPS's time is up and its turn is just around the corner. Arrogance like this can really kill a company.

I dont know of any off the bat except maybe the Big 3. But they have alot of competition. People who want to ship in the US have limited shipping choices. Worse come to worse I get laid off and collect UI and still make about the same not working, then I join the Military.

 

[trplnkl]

Don't give sperslup another thought UpSate, it is plain to see that he/she hates all union employees. I'm guessing the reason for his/her hatred is because he/she is frustrated that his/her attempts to intimidate union employees is a total flop. superslup will never be bright enough to grasp the reality that being a house slave to his/her superior only qualifies for knee burns and brown lips. This is something that, being a Teamster, we don't have to do.

 

[trplnkl]

I dont know of any off the bat except maybe the Big 3. But they have alot of competition. People who want to ship in the US have limited shipping choices. Worse come to worse I get laid off and collect UI and still make about the same not working, then I join the Military.

Lehman Brothers
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/business/15lehman.html?hp

 

[dannyboy]

any one remember rea? they were top dog for many years all across the usa. if i remember correctly, they were for the most part union, and paid well. they went out of business when the competition of a small company that was trying to go nation wide cut into their market share.

that company was ups. I remember when i started, they were having the auctions to sell off the trucks.

the current economy is indeed the result of the current and former administration. the seeds for what has happened started in the early 90's and has been compounded ever since. the republican party has not been conservative as promised, and the democrats who have wielded the power over the last two years have not done a thing to change course.

i would be pleasantly surprised if obama can pull it out. but his stated policy is not the way to do it.

in case you havent noticed, everyone is clamping down on spending. the trickle down effect if you will. and when spending is resumed, it will also be a trickle down spending. it will and has always started with those that make a very good living. 150 grand or more. and the more they make, the more they spend. unless they are taxed too much.

for example, the bristol race brings in 30 million into the economy. it is actually much less, but as that "new money" in our economy is spent, others in our area benefit. that money is turned over 6-10 times before it leaves.

same with tax money. they increase the taxes, the money gets pulled out of the economy too soon. it will not get spent locally. so none of the other businesses will benefit by the money.

d

 

[Cementups]

SuperSup, I don't know what your problem is, but you need to back off on the condescending attitude.

Now you know darn well he can't do that. When they give you the brown blood transufion they take out compassion and caring.