will employee relations ever get better??

[coldworld]

Will this aspect of the company ever get any better. When will someone start to figure out better employee relations could be a cost cutting measure and do something about it. Its interesting to think about a ups where all employees actually enjoy comming to work without harassment and the threat of being canned on a daily basis. Could this happen in our lifetimes????

[Braveheart]

Only if we take the company back private. Then fire a whole lot of managers. Get rid of James Hoffa Jr. Then make a worker friendly contract and not a pay raise heavy one. They micro-manage every single thing we do. We had a guy threatened with termination for wearing a UPS racing hat. What a joke.

[coldworld]

this stuff was going on for years before selling stock?

[DS]

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be
Will I be pretty, will I be rich
Here's what she said to me.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

When I was young, I fell in love
I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows, day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, what will I be
Will I be handsome, will I be rich
I tell them tenderly.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

[dino]

No, it cannot happen.

[upsdude]

The negative relationship between hourly and management didn’t happen overnight, it took years to develop. I believe the situation will get worse before it ever (if it ever does) gets better. The problem from my perspective is a huge trust issue. Right or wrong, neither party trusts the other. Think of it as a bad marriage, one spouse cheats on the other, or what the heck, they’re both cheating. The cheating spouse because of his or her own actions doesn’t trust the other. No trust, no growth in the relationship.

Bash away at management for being the “root of all evil” but that will solve nothing. Management can bash the hourly folks for being the problem. Again, nothing will be solved.

If our situation were a marriage we would be in serious need of professional help. UPS uses the ERI to measure employee relations. Someone please tell me what was improved by using ERI results. Our center claimed 100% participation in ERI testing. I have a couple of very trusted and dear friends that didn’t take the survey, neither did I. So, who took it for the others and me? If the company truly cares about employee relations they need to hire an outside consultant to survey and make recommendations.

Having typed all that I guess I’m different. I don’t look for UPS to provide anything other than pay for the hours worked. The benefits as well as pay are negotiated items the company agreed to. I don’t expect anything else.

Just imagine how unstoppable we could be if the trust level was improved to just 70%.

[retired2000]

the relationship will never get better. it has been this way for years before you or i started. higher ups what more and more out of us and they are so sneaky that you can not trust them from one minute to the next.

[trplnkl]

I really don't think employee/ employer relations can significantly improve until we can bridge the gap of the US vs Them attitude. However every time I have tried to come closer in that endeavor it has come back to bite me in the backside one way or another.
One definition of insanity is to continue to use the same way of doing a failed task over and over then expecting a different result.

[upsdude]

wrong thread

[Big Babooba]

Treatment by management always seems to improve just before contract time.

[Iggyiam]

if relations got better then the to rate would go down which in fact will benifit the managers and such

[wyobill1956]

Originally Posted by Iggyiam

if relations got better then the to rate would go down which in fact will benifit the managers and such

The only way UPS would change is if they starter to get bad press on a National level. The only bitch I have is show me how to run scratch on my route. An honest time study is all I ask for and not something sent up for a perfect world. Right now my route is physicaly impossible to even come close to running scratch. At this point I really don't care, only 8 days left

[rod]

Originally Posted by dino

No, it cannot happen.

I have to agree with Dino. As long as UPS is run as a "meeting numbers" company there will always be friction.

[sx2700]

I've recently come to the conclusion that I don't really give a rat's ***. I am going to go to work and do my job and they are going to pay me. I used to go to work and worry about stuff discussed in PCM's or get mad because someone questioned a misload or something, but I don't care anymore. If a supervisor confronts me now about something I just kind of smile and shrug my shoulders, I don't even give a verbal answer, that really gets them peeved because they want you to be bothered and intimidated. The sad part is I used to care and now I don't, all because of managements theory that people are motivated by ridicule and humiliation (hanging your monthly mis-load tally up by the time clock for all to see). Maybe if UPS would provide a little positive feedback once in awhile, (and not some 30 cent keychain for reciting the 8 keys either), the morale would improve and production would speed up. Just my opinion and observations.

[filiperuvian]

i don't think it will improve any time soon. my district manager once told me that by having my sporh drop by 2 stops per hour, i cost the company $119k a quarter. So that just validated my feelings that employee relations and all that other stuff doesn't matter to them...it's all about numbers.

[dillweed]

Originally Posted by sx2700

I've recently come to the conclusion that I don't really give a rat's ***. I am going to go to work and do my job and they are going to pay me. I used to go to work and worry about stuff discussed in PCM's or get mad because someone questioned a misload or something, but I don't care anymore. If a supervisor confronts me now about something I just kind of smile and shrug my shoulders, I don't even give a verbal answer, that really gets them peeved because they want you to be bothered and intimidated. The sad part is I used to care and now I don't, all because of managements theory that people are motivated by ridicule and humiliation (hanging your monthly mis-load tally up by the time clock for all to see). Maybe if UPS would provide a little positive feedback once in awhile, (and not some 30 cent keychain for reciting the 8 keys either), the morale would improve and production would speed up. Just my opinion and observations.

There's one thing you can always care about and don't need UPS trinkets to do it. Your own work ethic and self pride mean more than the keychains and atta boys. Don't fret the goals they set for you. Just do the very best you can every day, walk out with your head held high and always tell them you're doing the best you can. Be proud of yourself in spite of them.

[UpstateNYUPSer]

I don't care whether you are 18 and just starting out or are 58 and on your way out, a handshake and a "thank you" can go a long way toward improving morale in the workplace. These gestures become transparent if they seem to increase when the ERI is being done or when a new contract is being negotiated but a sincere sign of appreciation can go a long way to improving relations.

However, if you are working here because you need validation on a daily basis, you are definitely working in the wrong place.

[UPS804driver]

Originally Posted by Big Babooba

Treatment by management always seems to improve just before contract time.

aint that a fact

[UPS Lifer]

Originally Posted by UpstateNYUPSer

I don't care whether you are 18 and just starting out or are 58 and on your way out, a handshake and a "thank you" can go a long way toward improving morale in the workplace. These gestures become transparent if they seem to increase when the ERI is being done or when a new contract is being negotiated but a sincere sign of appreciation can go a long way to improving relations.

However, if you are working here because you need validation on a daily basis, you are definitely working in the wrong place.

Well said!!!

[UPS Lifer]

It will take someone who can bend the ears of the Management Committee to institute a company wide change.

Training doesn't stop no matter who you are. Our management teams need continual and regular training to improve employee relation skills.

Communication and listening skills need to be developed and re-affirmed (refresher) on a regular basis. Supervisors & managers need to learn how to coach with respect as well as learn the skills it takes to motivate people. UPS needs to dust off the "Trust & Teamwork" workbooks and build these concepts into everyday actions.

Supervisors need to continually brush up on their skills to train folks effectively and learn how to confront without disrespect.

Can these things be done... absolutely! But, it will require a top down sincere commitment to embed this way of life into the operation.

I personally believe that classes and workshops be conducted with our non-management folks as well. I would start with the folks that have been identified as informal leaders as well as formal (shop stewards) leaders and the senior employees.

[drewed]

The reason employee relations are so bad is the language in the contract, yea it does a lot of good but on both sides of it everyone needs to man up. Management does something questionable, union yells grieve grieve! Grieving creates an adversereal relationship between management and hrlies, it costs the union and company boatloads of money in lost production, consultation fees, ect. The language in the contract does two things protects people from being singled out, harrassed ect but it also protects dumb irresponsible that shouldnt be allowed to work for UPS, this is what kills management.
Hourlies need to man up and dont grieve stupid things
stealing time
Clear and blatant regulation violations
Negligence
Management needs to truly follow the open door policy and things will get better