Working Conditions

redrocker7 · 06-08-2006, 04:11 PM

My hubbie has been a cover driver for a few months now and he's hanging in there. But I'm left with a lot of questions. Yes, the pay is great, but why are the working conditions so bad? The stress is unbelievable. I'm trying to support him the best I can and mgmt. tells him he's doing great. But he gets home at 8:30 every night and he's so stressed it scares me. He hardly eats a bite because he's so tense and it's not until the weekend that he calms down. Now here's my real question -- I thought having a union meant that drivers would be protected from this kind of treatment. Is the union's only job to get better pay? Why can't it keep the load these guys have to carry from going over the top?

palguy · 06-08-2006, 04:46 PM

Dangers Of Becoming A Driver you may want to check this out. Not sure if it's real or not but I wouldn't be surprised if it is. Driving for UPS is not for everyone. On a positive, at least he is gaining route knowledge so if he goes full-time for the same center he'll at least know some routes.

Sarazega · 06-08-2006, 04:53 PM

He needs to find his union rep in the building and ask him whats going on.
Did he quailify yet?
If he already qualified he might wanna complain (file a grievence)

Tell hubby he might want to think about "not doing such a good job"
If hes rolling in at 8:30 he must not have alot of pickups. In our building you have to be back before 7:00 and if your not going to make you need call. The more work he gets done the more work hes gonna get.

If he is still that stressed after another month or so. I would consider finding a new job.

palguy · 06-08-2006, 05:12 PM

talk to his steward about what? the job is what it is. it's hard and physical and there is nothing a steward can do about that. besides he is a cover driver so he doesn't need to quit, he can go back to p/t. it sounds like he should go back to p/t and get a 2nd job to supplement his income.

over9five · 06-08-2006, 05:20 PM

The job is what it is. I, too, get home every night around 8:30. Tonight was an early one (8:00).
It seems to be the way the company is going. It's cheaper to keep us out late than hire another driver. Remember, they only have to contribute to health and welfare for 8 hours, ZERO for overtime.

It is definately a high stress job, and you HAVE to learn how to deal with that aspect. Does he talk to other drivers? Make sure he takes his lunch break with other drivers. The comradeship will be a good stress reducer.

You are obviously very worried. Don't let that high stress go on too long. Make sure he gets some sort of help. As someone else said, the jobs not for everyone. Better a live poorer hubby than... the alternative.

pasfailure · 06-08-2006, 07:55 PM

No need to work untill 8 or later unless you want to. It's in the contract my friend. UPS signed it. Unless you start at 10 of course. $40 an hour after 8!!

diadlover · 06-08-2006, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redrocker7

My hubbie has been a cover driver for a few months now and he's hanging in there. But I'm left with a lot of questions. Yes, the pay is great, but why are the working conditions so bad? The stress is unbelievable. I'm trying to support him the best I can and mgmt. tells him he's doing great. But he gets home at 8:30 every night and he's so stressed it scares me. He hardly eats a bite because he's so tense and it's not until the weekend that he calms down. Now here's my real question -- I thought having a union meant that drivers would be protected from this kind of treatment. Is the union's only job to get better pay? Why can't it keep the load these guys have to carry from going over the top?

Typical woman. Kill your man for the $$.

Ms Spoken · 06-08-2006, 09:57 PM

Hey Red,

disregard what that fool diadlover said... things should get better as time goes on and get used to the late hours it's just part of UPS life..

retired2000 · 06-09-2006, 04:35 AM

also you have to remember as a cover driver he is hardly on the same route for more then two weeks at the most (vacation cover) you do forget somethings when you do not do the same route every day. like where the deliver door is, who signs for the boxes if the regular person is not around or is busy. where some of the short cuts are on the route etc. do not worry though as time goes by things should get better.

redrocker7 · 06-09-2006, 09:58 AM

My husband says not to worry, he's just got a lot of stuff to digest and it can only get better; it's the stress of constantly learning a new route with a truck crammed to the ceiling. He's determined to see it through. But my question remains unanswered....I'm trying to understand this union thing. How come salary wins the day while working conditions are so nasty? Drivers don't complain about their salary apparently because the union has come through for them. Why isn't it the same in regard to working conditions?

ups79 · 06-09-2006, 01:41 PM

redrock:maybe the excellent salary and benefits are made possible because of the working conditions. get use to it, it won't get any better, if you are complaining now let us hear from you a year from now. I believe your husband and you must decide, this is what the job is, are you now interested in him making this his career? this might sound harsh, but it is just the truth.

leastbest · 06-11-2006, 08:17 PM

My advice is to have him go back to college on the weekends and try to make something of himself. There is no future here. Packages are getting bigger and heavier and he will only get older. The money is good but it won't get better.

happybob · 06-15-2006, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redrocker7

My hubbie has been a cover driver for a few months now and he's hanging in there. But I'm left with a lot of questions. Yes, the pay is great, but why are the working conditions so bad? The stress is unbelievable. I'm trying to support him the best I can and mgmt. tells him he's doing great. But he gets home at 8:30 every night and he's so stressed it scares me. He hardly eats a bite because he's so tense and it's not until the weekend that he calms down. Now here's my real question -- I thought having a union meant that drivers would be protected from this kind of treatment. Is the union's only job to get better pay? Why can't it keep the load these guys have to carry from going over the top?

It realy is the nature of the beast red. We are getting paid nicely, with some real great benefits. In return we get more work than the average person can handle. We have, over the past few years, gotten better language in our contract to help us with the continuous abuse of forced overtime, but there is still a ways to go. We now have language that gets us the occasional 8 hour day. Notify your manager you will only work 8 hours on a particular day and they must get you off work by 8 hours. We also can request we not be worked over 9.5 hours and if they work you over 9.5 after that they have to pay you double time. These things were negotiated by our union.

I hope the stress level your husband is showing can be reduced as quick as possible. He has a long career ahead of him, if he stays, and will need to find inner peace with the profession he's chosen. As a cover driver the stress is as others have said. He in constantly having to learn new routes, probably doing the occasional route blind. I would think some of what you think is stress may just be his being tired as hell after a long, and hard, days work. Even those of us that have been around a while get stressed out with the job, but we pull through it and move on to the next day.

I don't know you family situation, stay at home mom with kids, work your own job, etc, but my wife is a stay at home mom, with kids, but when they were in school she would meet me on my route for my lunch hour sometimes, maybe pack a picnic basket and meet me, or bring me a jug of cold lemonaid on the real hot days, or just come out and meet me to spend an hour under the shade of a hugh oak tree. Anything to break up the menotiny of a stressful day. If your able to try some of these things I would highly recomend them. It will give you a little prospective of what he goes through each day, and give him a little down time with his loved one. I also had days where the wife would bring the kids with her and it would be an extra hour with the entire family.

Good luck.