Questionable Management

Hourly training has been done in the past and to the best of my knowledge was not to the liking of he teamsters and was done away with. I personaly was and hourly trainer when I first started with UPS but this was done away with after about a year or so. Long time ago. I believe that any good help a new person can get either from management or hourly does nothing but help the new hire. Making 30 days at ups is very tough and a major challange as it should be and everyone should chip in positively to help that person. In my opinion the reason more hourly training is not done may be due to teamster objections. Ask you steward or BA about this. I am not trying to bash the teamsters and am taxing my memory. I also think there were some attempts in the more recent past to get more hourly people involved in training but it did not last. I believe I did a good job as an hourly trainer and that others could could and did.

Jamjr, I do not know of this being the case. I know hundreds over the years that chose to leave the company and others who's employment was terminated. Only a handful of these would I note as quality Supervisors or Managers. I can say that in my opinion the same holds true for 18 and above. This is not to suggest that many of these people were not quality people; most were, they just were not quality Sups. or Mgrs. I personally know none that went in it with their eyes shut unless by choice. JMHO. ps. I notice that you state your age at 41 and "retired". Interesting

JamJr:
I can speak only from my personal experiences and observations during my 32 years with UPS. Of the Managers and Supervisors I have seen leave the company during my time, there were only three (3), in my opinion, who by leaving, UPS lost quality management people. Repeating what badhab said, the majority of those who left were good people, only not suited for the responsibilities of management. With a few exceptions, they were excellent houry employees, and as a company, UPS lost valuable employees.
I drove for over six (6) years and found the job very rewarding, both financialy and emotionaly. However, there came a time when I wanted more, and after talking it over with my family, I decided the path for my families future I wanted to be on, was in supervision. There were days I regreted that decision, but they were few and far between. Management is not for everyone, just as being an hourly employee for UPS is not for everyone. UPS is a demanding company, both of its hourly and management. For those of us willing and capable of meeting those demands, the rewards are there. For those of us who aren't, then UPS is not the place to be, and in my experiience, they were the people that left.

Ir1937,
I wished we lived in a dream world but we don't. I am one of the most positive people you will ever meet, but some {not all} of the management at UPS have done some of the most dishonest things, sometimes I wonder how they sleep at night. I don't expect everyone to be perfect, but I do expect management put in the position of authority to walk in integrity. That is the way I am expected to walk. I know most of the problems come from over my immediate sups head, but someone with true integrity would speak up instead of going with flow. There is negativity at UPS because it all starts at the top.

480:
I remember several times where service providers (drivers, as they were called when I worked) trained other drivers. When I was a Center Manager I had drivers train cover drivers on their areas, with much success. I also recall pulling drivers from various centers to go around the district training drivers on the DIAD when it 1st came into the district.
We also pulled a driver off his area to work with a management team relouping his center. He rode with drivers and talked with drivers, getting their imput on the best way to deliver their area and setting the trace the way the drivers felt it should be. When the areas were completed, he worked with the preloaders on the new loads, rode with drivers on their new areas and made corrections as needed.Again, with great success.
I don't know about in your area 480, but in my area, we use the hourly employees whenever and wherever we can.

I wished they would have listened to the drivers when they relooped ours. They just brought in some IE dudes and shifted some unassigned managment to do it. They were the ones that came up with the concept of main street being the area they expanded from. Every time they added an area, all the business stops had different delivery times, and the pick up times were very undependable. IMHO that is the #1 reason that FDX ground got up and running as quickly in our area as they did, we frustrated the customer right into their waiting arms. It was not unusual for the driver making the pickups going there several hours before they were getting the deliveries.

I was a driver trainer for close to three years and enjoyed it. What made it so fullfilling was that of the close to 100+ drivers, feeders and delivery, almost half were helpers to me at one time or another. Heck one year I had 4 helpers on the car with me at one time. So many of them learned from me the delivery methods that they would use later. As a shop steward, If I remember correctly, the teamsters felt threatened by the actions and a few drivers complained about the concept so the company shelved it for the most part. I our current contract it still states that they can use an hourly to train another hourly if they want to.

d

Drivers haven't trained drivers in our area since we started the contract of '97. Previously before that we also had drivers doing our groups dispatch in the mornings. That all ended after the strike.
It was a good idea. The controls had gotten a little loose, but with a little tweaking we would be more productive and have a lot more area knowledge in our center if it continued.

Retired at 41 and proud.For 20 years I invested and was rewarded by our great company. Never touched a penny and never bought toys. I own three houses and now enjoy my three children full time. Oh I'm sorry BADHAB1 are you one of those divorced neglectors who volunteer to work 50-60 hours. It truly is not your fault. UPS was not patient enough with the Employee Trainers. It was a great idea. I believe the concept came from Japan and is very successful with patience, which UPS didn't show. Studies showed it would take between 12-18 mos. to mature. It was pulled in our District in roughley 9 mos. I was one who fully supported it and had early success. It's kind of funny, I always found greatness in my groups. Sure you get slackers, this system tends to alienate them. That's why it did't work for numbers fudging, lying, impersonal, workaholic supervisors and managers.
UPS needs to support both its employees and managers in balancing home and work, this program was a path to that.

JamJr:
First of all,congratulations on your success.
Are you awear that 50% of the marriages in the US end in divorce? Surely not all of these people worked for UPS. There are many reasons people divorce. Even with the UPS people long working hours was not the reason all of them divorced. In a few cases, it may have lead to it, but there were other problems in the marriage. My wife and I have been married for over 43 years. Of course there have been difficulties during those years, as there are with every marriage, but divorce was never thought of as a solution.
Life is a series of compromises. I could have worked at any number of jobs where when the bell rang I would leave work and go home to my family at a specific time every day. Of course my family would not have enjoyed the lifestyle that working at UPS afforded them. This was a compromise my family willingly accepted.
To me, people who blame their work for a failing marriage are refusing to accept the true reason their marriage failled, whatever that may be.
So you enjoy your early retirement and stop blaming UPS for all the failed marriages you believe were caused by long working hours.

Odd, how you come to your conclusions from reading my post. I had a marvelous and wonderful career at UPS and miss it and the people every day. I simply disagree with you period. In one post you state that you should have stayed a teamster and another you tout UPS as a " great company". I don't suggest that these two lines are opposites but within your text I find them paradoxical. I suspect that I am not in the minority who read your posts and conclude that you feel that you were ran off from UPS. You saved your money, you made great investments, you were a super leader, and your work group was the best. I am glad for you. This board is full of people who did the same. Peacock, the vettes, ira, and in a few years wkmac, just to name a few. The one difference is that they stayed. All I am suggesting is know your audience might be full of firemen before you blow smoke. Have a nice day.

May I ask a question? What exactly is the goal of this thread? What good will come of it? It started in Feb. and went dormant on 3/5 but then came back on 4/25 and going strong since. What or where do you hope to be when it finally ends?

Just curious!

What is the purpose of any of the threads Mac? Heard a good one is pleasure and a relaxing exchange of stories & jokes. None of the others will change the world, even our own personal small one. I suppose it is the interaction of humans that seek confirmation by others of their situation in life or refute the same of conterparts. I suppose a portion of mine is created by occasional boredom and too much morning caffiene. Should all the threads be required to stand on their own merit there will not be many postings in my opinion. I must admit to petty chafing when I read of "one biting the hand". By the way, when your buzz from last night evaporates email me about your XM knowledge. Just getting into it and curious about potential (market that is). Now go take two aspirin and get to work.

Perhaps a thread about "Questionable Hourly" would be a change. A majority of the posts about "Questionable Management" were from the "Hourly In Question"

This thread was started by a person that was accusing UPS managers and supervisors of being greedy and stuffing their pockets with profits.

Maybe we start a new thread called "Questionable, Uninformed, Brown Cafe Members!"

There are no bad UPS'ers, just some are beter than others. In my 30 yrs there have many leave. Those that leave unhappy remain unhappy at their other ventures. The moral being knowbody could have made them happy. Regardless of being a current or past employee, union or company, everyone has received so much from UPS.

As an individual you grow and learn that your capabilities are much more than you imagined. UPS tries to bring this out in EVERY employee. EVERY employee is asked and expected to give their maximum effort just as though we would do in our own personal interests. For that effort you decide to remain with one of the greatest companies in world that pays you maximum pay. All the negative posts havent told all the facts in an effort to gain readership. The real truth being that in the vast majority of cases people cause their own problems and usually cause themselves grief. If they are so bored that there is time to spend being negative channel the effort to improving yourself.

We never get the answers to life that we want but always get the answers to life that are needed. UPS believes in everyone of their people because UPS is everyone of the people. Without anyone person there is a setback that prevents the company from going forward. We rec'v the best wages, health care, fringes benefits tangibly. Intangibles are our personal growth, pride in the community and retirements, just to name a few. Have yet to go anywhere that I didnt get respect because of working at UPS. Why is that?

In my 30 yrs ther have been SOME questionable acts that will eventually be corrected. UPS has no intentions,EVER, to do anything that would jeopardize the integrity because that is what will affect the future growth more than any other thing. There is, however, an obligation to remain financially strong. Yes, to the stock holders but just as important to the future of the company which is how the payroll is met.

There are stronger mgrs just as there are stronger drivers, preloaders, hub sorters etc. Corporately we have some of the finest leadership available. Previous posts bad mouthed Kelly, OZ which is unfair. They too have very strong capabilities or they would not have acheived their level of leadership. We at times must follw blindly and faithfully. This is wy UPS is what it is today and will be grater in the future.

If all worked to their fullest abilities in all hthat they do, not just at UPS, they will grow inwardly and outwardly.

Instead, go to mgmt, with an honest open mind and get your negativeness resolved. Follow the chain of command , you will find every door open. This is a policy that is follwed. Realize that you may not like the msg but know that life doesnt answer in your favor all the time.

I dont intent to respond to responces or make other posts. I spend my time favorablly not on negative people or I will not continue to grow either. Just upset with the UPS bashers!

UPS73 - great post, and you are right on the money.

UPS73:
BRAVO SIR....Your 30 years with UPS have been spent learning and growing, just as you had wanted.

d