OMS here... my UPS story. (3 years in)

[Senor Forum]

First things first, my name is Alex, and I've been with UPS for 3 years.

I started off as a seasonal driver helper, and got called back right after Christmas to load.

I started loading an area, and did that for 8 months.

One of the fulltime supervisors in the back kept bugging me to go into management (needlessly said, a mistake). I finally agreed, took the test, and became a part time preload sup.

After working on 2 metro and the outbound, they made me an OMS (early morning shift).

I enjoy the job at times, but for the most part it's making me completely miserable.

I really just wish I would have stayed an hourly.

I've seen over 20 of the people I've trained (none have been there as long as myself) go into driving ahead of me (I've been putting in my letter for like 2 years).

All of my friends there are drivers/loaders, because I can't STAND any of the management guys.

I just stick out like a sore thumb. I don't belong in that freaking position.

And of course, working in the office allows me to see the inner workings, and the ridiculous corruption.

Anyone else STUCK like I am?

-Alex

[foundinload]

are you the hatter?

[Harley Rider]

Sorry to hear of your situation Alex. I guess that is why most people on here discourage people from going into p/t supervision or OMS when they ask. I have seen too many people in our center come and go just like you. The ones that stayed a p/t sup thought they would be fast tracking into driving when they actually sealed their own fate of staying p/t.

Management here promises them the chance of driving but then won't follow through. That means they would have to train another person to do the p/t work. Too much time involved plus having to find a person to hire. We don't exactly have many people lining up to be a p/t sup. Even less want to go into f/t management.

Don't have an answer for your dilemma but wish you the best.

[BCFan]

UPS was going to promote me to management, however they told me that because my parents were married I was disqualified !!!! BC (not Bastard Child)

[moreluck]

Boy Clone ??

[Cementups]

Over the 15 years i have been with UPS I have warned many of my loaders not to go into PT supervision. They're all under 21 and think they will be able to go out driving as soon as they turn 21. I haven't seen one switch over yet. It's a shame to see all these kids miserable and stuck in the positions they are. I've never figured out why so mahy of them decide to go this way after seing how miserable the other PT sups are. maybe they just think they can make a change in the system and be the good guy. It never happens though.

Good luck Alex.

[soberups]

Anybody who questions our need for a union needs to look at the way UPS treats its own management people if they want a clue as to what life would be like as a non-union hourly.

[tieguy]

Originally Posted by Senor Forum

First things first, my name is Alex, and I've been with UPS for 3 years.

I started off as a seasonal driver helper, and got called back right after Christmas to load.

I started loading an area, and did that for 8 months.

One of the fulltime supervisors in the back kept bugging me to go into management (needlessly said, a mistake). I finally agreed, took the test, and became a part time preload sup.

After working on 2 metro and the outbound, they made me an OMS (early morning shift).

I enjoy the job at times, but for the most part it's making me completely miserable.

I really just wish I would have stayed an hourly.

I've seen over 20 of the people I've trained (none have been there as long as myself) go into driving ahead of me (I've been putting in my letter for like 2 years).

All of my friends there are drivers/loaders, because I can't STAND any of the management guys.

I just stick out like a sore thumb. I don't belong in that freaking position.

And of course, working in the office allows me to see the inner workings, and the ridiculous corruption.

Anyone else STUCK like I am?

-Alex

Check around in the office. they may have the keys to your chains hidden in a middle drawer or the coffee cup with the ink pens in it. Once you find it run for your life. No one will stop you no will lock the gates on you. Just run and keep running until you are completely out of range of our mind probes.

[trplnkl]

Good post Tie

[bad company]

Hmm...sorry to hear of your troubles. The interesting thing is, I started out just like you did. Helper, to PT hourly, to PT Sup and then OMS. But now I'm driving Full-time. And it took me less than two years to do so. How is your relationship with your division manager? Is he/she aware of your goals and desire to move up to a full-time position?

I had great relationships with all of my management, and my division manager was the one that made things happen for me. It also didn't hurt to know the HR rep pretty well too. While I understand your negativity, your attitude towards your fellow management staff isn't going to help your cause, so you might as well bite the bullet for now to try and help yourself out. I'm not saying you have to brown nose, but try not to "stick out like a sore thumb" as you so put it.

If your full intention is to go driving and stay driving you may have harder time convincing management to let you be the outside hire for a full-time driver position. It may be in your best interest to seriously consider ( or pretend that you are seriously considering) telling them that you are interested in going into full-time management, and would like to get a year or two of driving experience before you do so. You may also want to discuss moving to another center within your division or even district if possible, to expedite this process depending on the availability of a position being open. Communicate with them and let them know what you are willing to do.

Remember, it's not always what you know, but WHO you know. It may not be fair, but that's how the game is played. Good Luck. It can be done though...

[cachsux]

Originally Posted by tieguy

Check around in the office. they may have the keys to your chains hidden in a middle drawer or the coffee cup with the ink pens in it. Once you find it run for your life. No one will stop you no will lock the gates on you. Just run and keep running until you are completely out of range of our mind probes.

I thought the probes went in the other end?

[satellitedriver]

Originally Posted by cachsux

I thought the probes went in the other end?

For many people that would be the shortest route to reach their brain.

[DS]

Heres a suggestion,put in a letter of intent to get out of management and into full time driving.

[pretzel_man]

When someone considers going into management they need to ask themself what it is they really want. There are too many wrong reasons.

Don't go into management if you want:
- A quick path to more money.
- To go into driving.
- For easier work.

Some people actually want to manage however. I did.

A good manager is a planner, communicator, follows up, holds people accountable, etc. He / she gets work completed through others.

Less than 10% of UPSers are full time supervisors. Unfortunately, too many are there for the wrong reasons.

For the right reasons, its a great job with a great future.

One should decide where they want to be in their life, make a decision, and make the most of it.

I'm glad I went into management. Others I knew chose to stay hourly and I respect that.

P-Man

[big_arrow_up]

Originally Posted by Senor Forum

First things first, my name is Alex, and I've been with UPS for 3 years.

I started off as a seasonal driver helper, and got called back right after Christmas to load.

I started loading an area, and did that for 8 months.

One of the fulltime supervisors in the back kept bugging me to go into management (needlessly said, a mistake). I finally agreed, took the test, and became a part time preload sup.

After working on 2 metro and the outbound, they made me an OMS (early morning shift).

I enjoy the job at times, but for the most part it's making me completely miserable.

I really just wish I would have stayed an hourly.

I've seen over 20 of the people I've trained (none have been there as long as myself) go into driving ahead of me (I've been putting in my letter for like 2 years).

All of my friends there are drivers/loaders, because I can't STAND any of the management guys.

I just stick out like a sore thumb. I don't belong in that freaking position.

And of course, working in the office allows me to see the inner workings, and the ridiculous corruption.

Anyone else STUCK like I am?

-Alex

I feel your pain. It never happened to me but I've seen plenty of my friends and co-workers go through the same situation. Most of them eventually left but a few have stayed due to the fact that it's hard to find the pay and benefits elsewhere. At least you are an OMS. That is a much better job than running PDs or unload areas. I suggest putting in letter after letter to get the next "off the street" driving position. If you keep getting passed over then that is where I'd start considering jumping ship. If you tough it out too long you'll have too many years in with UPS to want to leave. You'll really be stuck if that happens. There really isn't much to chose from in your position. Unless you want to be a full-time sup. If you hate being an OMS just imagine how much it would suck to be a full-time sup.

I'm just curious......as an OMS what irritates you more. Getting chewed out by customers on the phone or all the drivers overriding OCAs due to be "out of area" ?

[Fishbulb]

I know 4 OMS people & have talked to them several times personally. 1 of them is miserable & is pulling her hair out on a daily basis because of the workload she gets, new jobs to do & trying to figure out what UPS is doing. The other 3 just stopped caring about their jobs years ago & basically walk around like zombies. I feel bad for them, they're all nice people but everyone has their breaking point & UPS definitely knows how to push them to it.

[soberups]

I have said this before, if OMS's and lower-level management had their own union, life at UPS would be so much better for everybody. Bad supervisors weren't born that way; they are usually acting that way out of fear and desperation.

[1989]

Management do treat each other 100 times worse than hourlies. I was stuck there for 5 years after being told 3 years would be the max. Promotions were done on merit I was told. The problem I had was that I was a cover/training sup my last 3 years. I didn't have a boss. Finally I put in a 2 week notice in early October one year. They talked me into staying through peak if they started a pt sup senority list. Went driving that January.

[Griff]

I was under the impression they are a non-union hourly job, much like the ODC clerks (international) before the union put their foot down. Is the OMS position actually considered management?

[bad company]

Originally Posted by Griff

I was under the impression they are a non-union hourly job, much like the ODC clerks (international) before the union put their foot down. Is the OMS position actually considered management?

Yes, an OMS is considered part-time management. In fact, the term OMS is no longer used officially, and the new term for the position is Part-time Package Center Supervisor (PTPCS).

[westsideworma]

Originally Posted by bad company

Yes, an OMS is considered part-time management. In fact, the term OMS is no longer used officially, and the new term for the position is Part-time Package Center Supervisor (PTPCS).

Because OMS was clearly not enough letters to describe the position

Further proof that sometimes we change things just for the sake of change (I don't just mean UPS)