What Does The Union Do For Hub Workers?

[Loader]

I can't get straight or unbiased answers at work so I came here. I talked to a guy who told me not to join the union because in 1986 he started at $8/hr and now new hires are paid $8.50/hr. We have to wait a full year to get the "amazing benefits" that everyone talks about and 18months if we want them for our family. We are treated about as well as any farm animal would be, driven harder and harder by the day and constantly reminded that if we don't like it there are plenty that will take our place. They cut people constantly and want more work done with less people and they wonder why they have issues with injuries?!?! If you push people this hard and you pay them dirt and give them low hours they have to carry additional jobs. By the time they get to work for UPS they are probably already drained from the long day and now you want them to do the work of 3 people just so the CEO's can take their families to Fiji twice a year?!?! What happened to honest work for honest pay? What happened to treating employees AT LEAST like human beings? Is this just the hub I am in or do others see this as well? I was paid better money for FAR less work when I started working at 16 years old. If I come in and load for a mere 3 hour shift they expect me to break my back and work harder than my body will allow and at the end of the night I might take home $20 for that 3 hours after taxes... Are you kidding me? Where is the union? Why has pay increased 50 cents since 1986? Why am I talking to drivers that make over $30/hr when I am doing just as much, if not more, work than they are making $8.50/hr? How can we change this? I know it isn't just me - I have talked to others in my hub who are fed up. The way we are treated is inexcusable, the demands and expectations of us are unreal and the rate at which we are paid is just flat out insulting and degrading. What can be done?


Frustrated Hub Animal.

 

[menotyou]

Find another job?

 

[Loader]

Kinda figured I would get that... thanks for the "help".

 

[Loader]

Let me reword myself a little - I actually like the job most days. I would like to stay. However, I would like to respectfully change some things or at least open a peaceful debate on what could be done. There are many, many people who feel the same way. What can we, respectfully and peacefully, do to bring these issues up? My point is - I am a grown man who works very hard and is very intelligent. I refuse to be treated as a mentally challenged 16 year old who needs side money for the movies on the weekend. Seems fair to me... Please, if your only comment is "find a new job" save it. I'm glad you are senior and enjoy all the benefits but those of us on the bottom rung don't deserve to be treated like animals while we wait for them. And furthermore - all seniority in UPS proves is you occupied space in the building for several years. I work much harder than most people with seniority because they feel like they don't have to work anymore. There are pros and cons to union shops - that being one of the biggest cons.

 

[menotyou]

I am not sure what you expected. Am I suppose to part the red sea and make everything magically better? I can't. If you don't join the union, you can't bitch about what the union does. I belong, therefore I bitch. Many here have stated part-timers get the shaft. There are many threads here about this exact issue. It will not change, at a minimum, until the next contract. If you don't want to vote and you don't want to wait, the best advice available is --- quit, and go to work somewhere else. It is said with a great deal of sincerity as I was part time for many years.

 

[Loader]

Thank you. I intend on joining. I had a few months in before the 1st and was told none of that counts and I started over as of the 1st. I was also told I couldnt join until after 30 days. So that said, when I am able to - I plan on it. I was just wondering what options I would have at that point. When is the next contract btw?

 

[menotyou]

Let me reword myself a little - I actually like the job most days. I would like to stay. However, I would like to respectfully change some things or at least open a peaceful debate on what could be done. There are many, many people who feel the same way. What can we, respectfully and peacefully, do to bring these issues up? My point is - I am a grown man who works very hard and is very intelligent. I refuse to be treated as a mentally challenged 16 year old who needs side money for the movies on the weekend. Seems fair to me... Please, if your only comment is "find a new job" save it. I'm glad you are senior and enjoy all the benefits but those of us on the bottom rung don't deserve to be treated like animals while we wait for them. And furthermore - all seniority in UPS proves is you occupied space in the building for several years. I work much harder than most people with seniority because they feel like they don't have to work anymore. There are pros and cons to union shops - that being one of the biggest cons.

I worked my ass off while I watched guys sit on their asses because of seniority. I watched guys who got along with the sup at the time come in late and get paid for the entire shift. I have seen things go on that shouldn't happen in any shop. I have seen things that most people wouldn't believe unless they saw it themselves. It is what it is. Preload makes or breaks the entire day for the entire building. They are not compensated correctly. You can whine about what others do, or you can take care of yourself. Many open debates/discussions have been had on this subject. Why not research this instead of telling me to save it. With that attitude, I can't wait to see the comments you will get once everyone wakes up.
Seniority sucks until you have it. I was 3rd in seniority until I went FT. Now, I am 3rd from the bottom. As I said, it is what it is.
Ifriend you have issues, go to a union meeting. Nothing will be accomplished unless you regularly attend your monthly meetings.

 

[menotyou]

Thank you. I intend on joining. I had a few months in before the 1st and was told none of that counts and I started over as of the 1st. I was also told I couldnt join until after 30 days. So that said, when I am able to - I plan on it. I was just wondering what options I would have at that point. When is the next contract btw?

The next contract is being worked on as we speak. It is up Aug. 2013. You seniority date should be 30 working days after your first day. Your probationary period is 30 days, but you are still covered by the contract.

 

[menotyou]

I wasn't trying to insult you when I said find another job. The problem is that the pt'ers now are getting the shaft, seriously. Not much can be done until the next contract and I fear that pt'ers will get thrown under the bus by the company to keep the ft'ers perks. I wish the company didn't insist on acting like this towards the pt'ers. It is the company not the union, as I see it. If the company wanted pt'ers to be treated like humans, they would tell the union just that. That is who I blame.

 

[Loader]

I really appreciate all the help/info. I did not mean to take any kind of attitude with you/towards you. I am just frustrated that every senior person tells me the same thing and it seems they don't care because they are above it all. I understand it sucks until you have it - but that is no reason to treat/pay people poorly until they do. That is not you fault and I should not have gotten snappy with you over it. My family needs the benefits and bottom line is - this company has my marbles in a vice grip because no matter how bad it gets I have to get to the point where I can get them. My FT sup likes me and wants me to get into PT sup ASAP but I have had sups tell me if they could do it over again they wouldn't... So I am having so much trouble getting any straight answers. I understand that if I were to go pt sup I could get benefits faster but I would have to pay for them? It's just so hard to get answers at work... nobody cares at all and though I am a grown man trying to provide for his family - I am treated like a piece of crap because I haven't occupied my space in the building long enough to matter to anyone.

 

[menotyou]

I really appreciate all the help/info. I did not mean to take any kind of attitude with you/towards you. I am just frustrated that every senior person tells me the same thing and it seems they don't care because they are above it all. I understand it sucks until you have it - but that is no reason to treat/pay people poorly until they do. That is not you fault and I should not have gotten snappy with you over it. My family needs the benefits and bottom line is - this company has my marbles in a vice grip because no matter how bad it gets I have to get to the point where I can get them. My FT sup likes me and wants me to get into PT sup ASAP but I have had sups tell me if they could do it over again they wouldn't... So I am having so much trouble getting any straight answers. I understand that if I were to go pt sup I could get benefits faster but I would have to pay for them? It's just so hard to get answers at work... nobody cares at all and though I am a grown man trying to provide for his family - I am treated like a piece of crap because I haven't occupied my space in the building long enough to matter to anyone.

I know it doesn't seem it, but hard work does get noticed. So does a good work ethic. Have you asked about driving school? Air-driving/casual/pt cover driving all will get you extra hours and the pay rate is better than your belt rate.
I didn't take the sup route and it worked out ok for me, but some people benefit from the move. Just remember, it is very hard to go back to union once you go into management. Their benny's are slowly being taken away, too.
Do they have any extra work, maybe subbing up on metro?
I know how frustrating it can be, and I shouldn't have snapped back at you. A lot of trolls on this site, lately.
I apologize if I offended you, as you seem to be a stand up guy.

Do these things(driver school,helping on metro) sound like something you'd be interested in?

 

[jace1319]

or ... look on the bright side... work less get paid more than 8,00 hr and tell people what to do...management is always available for you. BTW it looks great in a resume =] enjoy your experience at ups.

 

[Loader]

No offense taken, I came on this site right after a shift and was already bitter. And yes, anything that would mean more hours, pay and/or opportunities to show what I can do would be great. I came in there and during peak I was having sup's fight over taking me. My FT sup called me in the office for almost an hour one night to tell me that he planned on hiring me in and wanted to work me up. But I've been told a lot to avoid management. People say you have to treat those under you like less than human and I have way too many moral issues with that. I can manage people, but in a respectful way. Not the way they seem to. I guess I will just have to wait it out and in the mean time, I will look into the things you suggested. I just recently relocated to the area I am in now (VA) and lost all my networking connections so I am having trouble finding solid, FT work. Right now, I am counting on this job to hold me over and it can very barely even do that. But if I could get time in doing other jobs as well that would help. I was a helper during peak as well as a midnight shift loader but since the helper hours dropped off the pay check is really just something to laugh at. Again, I really appreciate your time here. I have gotten more straight answers from you than I have from anyone at my hub.
'

 

[menotyou]

or ... look on the bright side... work less get paid more than 8,00 hr and tell people what to do...management is always available for you. BTW it looks great in a resume =] enjoy your experience at ups.

A shining example of how not​ to manage.

 

[Loader]

Those things do seem like things I should follow up on. Anything to get more experience, hours, PAY... lol. And Jace, as far as management... I have been told by several sup's that if they had it to do over again they wouldn't go that route. That has to say something... I know that it can be different for everybody and it depends on what you want out of the job - but my sup said that it costs about $80 per check to get benefits for self, spouse and 1 child. In May I will have a child and that's what I'd be looking at. Sounds like the money I would add in pay would be taken out in benefits. So while it may give me access to them before staying PT loader would - the take home pay wouldnt be much different according to info I have been given. Does that sound incorrect?

 

[menotyou]

Those things do seem like things I should follow up on. Anything to get more experience, hours, PAY... lol. And Jace, as far as management... I have been told by several sup's that if they had it to do over again they wouldn't go that route. That has to say something... I know that it can be different for everybody and it depends on what you want out of the job - but my sup said that it costs about $80 per check to get benefits for self, spouse and 1 child. In May I will have a child and that's what I'd be looking at. Sounds like the money I would add in pay would be taken out in benefits. So while it may give me access to them before staying PT loader would - the take home pay wouldnt be much different according to info I have been given. Does that sound incorrect?

As far as the info your sups are giving you, it sounds about right.

Talk to your sup about the extra work, it might happen faster than you realize. I do wish you the best, Loader.
Please keep me informed about what's happening. Congratulations on the new baby.

 

[Loader]

Thanks!! Can't wait for May! I will do that and will be getting more familiar with this site as well so I will keep in touch. First night on here and I haven't looked around at all but I feel like many questions I have may already be answered through different posts here.

 

[jace1319]

A shining example of how not​ to manage.

.. i like how you always add your input "menotyou"...to a person that came out of left field... anyway moving on...loader before you even start to enjoy your pay if that.. your going to have to wait a long time.. believe me. and honestly speaking if you work as hard as you say you do. then know your worth..dont devalue yourself for a degrading pay

 

[menotyou]

came out of left field...

Is that where you came from?

 

[jace1319]

Is that where you came from?

actually i was trying to give the loader an alternative. seems like he disliked the introduction of the job...and no... thats where you came from...