Am I an abnormally slow loader?

[Towely]

I got hired 3 weeks ago. This will be my 10th day actually working on the floor as a loader and as it stands im only up to about 210 packages per hour(at the start I was at 165). Am I catching on slower than most or is this an ok pace? My supervisor keeps pushing me to go faster. Thats pretty much all I hear from him. Is he just trying to encourage me or do I really suck?

[westsideworma]

Originally Posted by Towely

I got hired 3 weeks ago. This will be my 10th day actually working on the floor as a loader and as it stands im only up to about 210 packages per hour(at the start I was at 165). Am I catching on slower than most or is this an ok pace? My supervisor keeps pushing me to go faster. Thats pretty much all I hear from him. Is he just trying to encourage me or do I really suck?

You have no obligation to meet ANY numbers via our contract. That doesn't mean you can stand around with your hands in your pocket obviously. 210 is very good, fast even for loading package cars (the brownies). If you're loading trailers (or feeders as they're called) I believe their "target" number is 300pph. If your supervisor keeps on you, go to your steward.

[Towely]

Originally Posted by westsideworma

First off, what are you loading? loading package cars (brownies) or loading trailers (their ideal pph's are diferent)? However, you have no obligation to meet ANY number via our contract regardless. That doesn't mean you can stand around with your hands in your pocket but you're doing 210 per hour so that doesn't sound like a problem for you. 210 per hour is pretty fast (for loading package cars). If he keeps on you go to your steward.

No i'm loading trailers. A my biggest problem is package placement. I do build good walls but I always second guess myself and im having a hard time adapting to 'thinking ahead.' Im catching on(yesterday I think I was at 230 an hour but I wont find out till I go in today) but I just want to be sure im not way slower than the average newbie.

Also before I was loading two trailers and now they have me doing three. I was ok at two but I find myself backed up a lot towards the end of my shift when I have three to take care of.

He doesn't really get on me in a bad way. It's not like he is harassing me but im just having a hard time figuring out if he's disappointed or just trying to encourage me to improve.

edit: yea he told me he wants me to end up at 300pph but right now my goal is to hit 250. All in all the jobs going good though aside from the speed issues.

[1989]

Originally Posted by Towely

I got hired 3 weeks ago. This will be my 10th day actually working on the floor as a loader and as it stands im only up to about 210 packages per hour(at the start I was at 165). Am I catching on slower than most or is this an ok pace? My supervisor keeps pushing me to go faster. Thats pretty much all I hear from him. Is he just trying to encourage me or do I really suck?

If you're a preloader you are doing well. When I was a pt preload sup in the early 90's I expected 220 pph. Your supervisor should be going through your training packet and explaining where you are and where you should be. Your supervisor is probably trying to encourage you to go as fast as you can...Just trying to get you trained with at sense of urgentcy. Don't worry about it, just try your hardest, that's all you can do.

[westsideworma]

Originally Posted by Towely

No i'm loading trailers. A my biggest problem is package placement. I do build good walls but I always second guess myself and im having a hard time adapting to 'thinking ahead.' Im catching on(yesterday I think I was at 230 an hour but I wont find out till I go in today) but I just want to be sure im not way slower than the average newbie.

Also before I was loading two trailers and now they have me doing three. I was ok at two but I find myself backed up a lot towards the end of my shift when I have three to take care of.

He doesn't really get on me in a bad way. It's not like he is harassing me but im just having a hard time figuring out if he's disappointed or just trying to encourage me to improve.

edit: yea he told me he wants me to end up at 300pph but right now my goal is to hit 250. All in all the jobs going good though aside from the speed issues.

I've never done trailers so i can't speak too much for the target pph. The speed will come. As you said you're building good walls and such. The rest (thinking ahead, etc) will come with experience and will aid in gaining speed. If you show up everyday on time and work hard you have nothing to worry about.

From the sounds of it, he thinks you're going to be one of the good guys. They always push the hard workers to compensate for the slackers.

[cino321]

If he's not harassing you I wouldn't question my work ethic just yet, once the constant harassment and threats start then you go see a steward, that is, when you make book.

Does the user name "Towely" give us a hint about your level of concentration and motivation?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=towely

towely:

a pot smoking towel

[RozUPS]

Relax and the speed and ease will come. They are just happy to have someone who shows up everyday and tries his or hers best. BTW Please be kind to us unloaders and try not to put the 40# plus boxes on the top of the wall .

[diesel96]

If there not harassing you and manipulating your brain into thinking your not working fast enough then there not doing their job.They are FOCKERIZING you(like the movie).Just work at a safe steady pace.

[HazMatMan]

Originally Posted by RozUPS

Relax and the speed and ease will come. They are just happy to have someone who shows up everyday and tries his or hers best. BTW Please be kind to us unloaders and try not to put the 40# plus boxes on the top of the wall .

Also, please be kind to us responders too, arrow up stickers are on those boxes for a reason.. those darn spills always find their way to the back of the trailer...lol

[woodsy]

just say' I' doing the best I can !' when you hit 300 pph they will want 325 then 400 just do it safe and use the methods

[705red]

Originally Posted by Heironymous Crunch

Does the user name "Towely" give us a hint about your level of concentration and motivation?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=towely

towely:

At least he/she had the courage and enough knowledge to sign in and open an account! What does that say about you?

[rebel]

As long as you show up for work , be on time, not many misloads you should be fine. What more could they want.

[steward377]

Fair days work for a fair days pay

Thats it man don't kill yourself they do not pay you more

[rebel]

you still have to qualify.

[brazenbrown]

Originally Posted by diesel96

If there not harassing you and manipulating your brain into thinking your not working fast enough then there not doing their job.They are FOCKERIZING you(like the movie).Just work at a safe steady pace.

You must be one of the problem children if you think management is manipulating and harassing all their employees, all the time. Too bad you can't just do your job.

I don't get harrased or have any problems and I'm overallowed when it's called for but they don't really mess with me cause they know I'm giving 100% when I'm on the job and shi/ happens.

Towely,

Just give it your best and communicate with your sup and you'll be ok if your sup becomes a problem then talk with your steward.

[Corrin]

Supervisors telling people to go faster is the way of life around my hub. Most of the time it is directed at people that are slacking, but it also used when the occasional regional/district manager walks by.

A lot of the workers take this personally, but it is generally just the supervisor doing their job. Granted, occasionally they you will come across the power tripping supervisor. Always remember, that once you are union, you can make their job hell a lot easier than they. Not everyone is going to like their boss, but shrugging off comments like "Go faster" can certainly go a long way to not stabbing them in the parking lot after shift.


As for doing 200+ at day ten, you are doing a good job. Keep your misloads down and your tiers pretty, and you definitely have a spot in the business.

[diesel96]

Originally Posted by brazenbrown

You must be one of the problem children if you think management is manipulating and harassing all their employees, all the time. Too bad you can't just do your job.
In America I have a right to disagree with certain managerial tactics as long as you work with integrity.You might see it as"you can't do your job".. I see it as a sign of weakness and vulnerabilty and allowing yourself to be taken advantage of .

I don't get harrased or have any problems and I'm overallowed when it's called for but they don't really mess with me cause they know I'm giving 100% when I'm on the job and shi/ happens.We'll all glad to hear you don't have any problems,however, many other hourly employees share the same views as I concerning harassment and abuse.We all wear brown,however ,some of us don't like it on our noses.
Towely,

Just give it your best and communicate with your sup and you'll be ok if your sup becomes a problem then talk with your steward.

[lost]

210 is good don't worry. I have people that have been loading a year and are at 185. I can document it but my full timer does not do or say anything. My problem is that these people have shown they can pull 230 or better. As long as you are doing your best and dont go backward I would not worry.

[hoser]

Originally Posted by Towely

I got hired 3 weeks ago. This will be my 10th day actually working on the floor as a loader and as it stands im only up to about 210 packages per hour(at the start I was at 165). Am I catching on slower than most or is this an ok pace? My supervisor keeps pushing me to go faster. Thats pretty much all I hear from him. Is he just trying to encourage me or do I really suck?

WHO BLOODY CARES? This isn't like a real place of work where your pay, your popularity, or your morale is based on your performance.

This place gives you no reason to care about your performance, so I suggest doing things properly (hand-to-surface and good ergonomics) rather than trying to impress supervisors. All that you will get out of it is a false sense of wellbeing, a supervisor that hit his numbers, and a sore back.

It's impossible to get fired from this place; they certainly won't do it because you feel your PPH isn't at a level that it should be and that it's a hit to your masculinity.

[brazenbrown]

Originally Posted by diesel96

If there not harassing you and manipulating your brain into thinking your not working fast enough then there not doing their job.They are FOCKERIZING you(like the movie).Just work at a safe steady pace.

Again, I responded to your hostile anti-management advice given to a 10 day employee. Sounds like they're trying to train a productive employee and he had some questions about it. Your immediate assumption that he was being harassed and manipulated was typical of an employee who has his own issues.

Originally Posted by diesel96

In America I have a right to disagree with certain managerial tactics as long as you work with integrity.You might see it as"you can't do your job".. I see it as a sign of weakness and vulnerabilty and allowing yourself to be taken advantage of .

I never said you can't disagree. In fact the last line of my previous post said if he was having trouble with his sup to talk with his steward.

You're actually using your own argument against yourself by trying to munipulate the expectations of a new employee by having him think all management will kick his a$$. What kind of integrity is that??:confused1

Originally Posted by diesel96

We'll all glad to hear you don't have any problems,however, many other hourly employees share the same views as I concerning harassment and abuse.We all wear brown,however ,some of us don't like it on our noses.

Nice!! I guess I wear brown on my nose because I do my job. How clever! Again, I never said I don't have problems.

Your advice to Towely I found to be slanted based on your own problems which are evident by your advice to a new employee. I'm not saying there are not many issues that have to be worked out in the work place, I'm saying that as a new employee maybe Towely would have a better shot at being successful by not thinking that all management it out to get him. Sometimes it's hard to admit but there are some good management people out there and most of them work pretty hard too.

Diesel, just maybe it's time for your TLA!!

Good luck Towely