Uniform Standards

waterboy · 07-15-2007, 06:50 AM

What has happened to pride in our appearance? Has UPS relaxed our standards? I am seeing holes in uniforms, full sleeve tattoos and other tattoos uncovered, facial piercings, and dirty hats. our appearance and high standards is what our customers have come to expect from us as drivers and have earned us the respect that we get from the public and now we are going to scare them to death and they won't even answer the door or even worse dogs attacking us because we look like criminals. is this going on every where? or just my center?

mittam · 07-15-2007, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterboy

What has happened to pride in our appearance? Has UPS relaxed our standards? I am seeing holes in uniforms, full sleeve tattoos and other tattoos uncovered, facial piercings, and dirty hats. our appearance and high standards is what our customers have come to expect from us as drivers and have earned us the respect that we get from the public and now we are going to scare them to death and they won't even answer the door or even worse dogs attacking us because we look like criminals. is this going on every where? or just my center?

WE still look better than Fedex and Especially DHL

upsguysavannah · 07-15-2007, 08:15 AM

I AGREE TOTALLY! And apparently it is going on everywhere because I see the same things in my center... exposed tattoos, dreadlocks, improper footwear and socks, facial hair... Management, if you're watching, know that we don't like how some of our drivers look... and DO SOMETHING about it!

HazMatMan · 07-15-2007, 08:33 AM

How are tattoos on the arm supposed to be covered?? In the sweltering heat of the summer?? Or on the legs for that matter??
I have an air walker with a pony tail down to his butt delivering. Years ago it had to be put under a hat, which this air walker wears. Standards have gone down over the years...

Channahon · 07-15-2007, 08:53 AM

It's been my experience that tatoos have to be covered by either long pants and long sleeve shirts. Or ACE bandages seem to be the favorite of some drivers, so they can wear short sleeves shirts and shorts.

That at least is how the drivers would leave the building, as far as what they did on route, well, that could be a different story.

I'm sure there have been grievances filed by drivers who were asked to cover their tatoos. I personally, have never had one, so maybe someone can advise if they were ever involved in a grievance and the outcome.

Overall, our drivers are well groomed. However, there is no reason why uniform parts should not be replaced when worn. Understanding there was a cost initiative for uniform replacements, it was simply to ensure all drivers had the proper number of uniform parts.

Facial hair can be an exception based on a skin condition an employee may have to deal with.

Now drivers who think they need to wear their caps backwards or off to the side, really send a bad message to our customers, in my opinion.

helenofcalifornia · 07-15-2007, 09:01 AM

Try tell a Samoan that he should cover his tribal tatoo on his legs and arms. My mail carrier has a full beard, the old "airborne" driver had a beard because he was a "native american." It doesn't bother me much as the uniforms that aren't washed regularly. Peeee...U.......!!!

HazMatMan · 07-15-2007, 09:04 AM

Me personally, wouldn't care what the person delivering my package looked like (minus a bad smell of course) as long as my package came to me in one piece.

upsguysavannah · 07-15-2007, 09:53 AM

We have a reputation of being the best-appearing drivers in the industry, so we need to uphold that reputation because it puts us above all the others.

Regarding tattoos, I have tattoos but I got them in places that are covered by our uniforms so that I can wear short sleeves and shorts. If you're a driver and don't want to wear long sleeves and pants in the summer, then don't get a tattoo on your leg or one that runs the length of your forearm. And if you had such tattoos before you became a driver, you knew that you had a choice... keep them covered or don't become a driver. That's the company policy, period.

You have the same choice with your hair - put it under your hat or cut it off if you want to make 70K/year.

And I'm not talking about facial hair for medical reasons... I'm talking about that straggly patch of whiskers on the chin that some of these young guys think makes them look tough. No, it makes you look like an idiot. Or a DHL driver.

ditto44 · 07-15-2007, 10:00 AM

I agree, I am a retired UPSer,I can't believe some of the things I am seeing, the high appearance standards are one of the things that gave us the repitition that we have. They don't even wash the package cars every day any more.
I hope somebody wakes up soon.

over9five · 07-15-2007, 11:18 AM

Also, the NEW uniforms are crap too. It's a shame.

HazMatMan · 07-15-2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cachsux

We had a package driver years back,a very respected guy, who had burn scars on his arms. A woman called in and complained that seeing them upset her so mgmnt,who had worked with this guy for years,told him had to wear long sleeves even in the summer. He said,and this was the first any of us had heard this, that got got these scars from pulling his fellow soldiers out of a burning copter in Vietnam and he viewed them as a matter of pride. He then said if mgmt and the customer didn`t like it they could go f themselves. It was never mentioned again until the day he retired.

That is kind of pathetic for the customer to call and complain about it. I could see being startled at first because it's not something you see everyday but to call in and complain is pathetic..

ditto44 · 07-15-2007, 11:24 AM

I know, it took a lot of hard work to make UPS what it is today, they have made a lot of technical changes which is good, but they also need to know that it is not good to change those things that got them to where they are.

I don't want someone coming to my door with long hair and a beard, and tattoos all over their arms in a uniform that looks like it hasn't been washed for days, if that makes me a bigot, so be it.

The company has attracted a lot of good people, just because of their high work standards and image, myself included. One of the reasons I went to work for them is because their package cars were washed evey day. I can't handle driving a dirty vehicle.

ditto44 · 07-15-2007, 11:27 AM

This driver was correct in his reply, scars are alot different than tattoos or something else that is self inflicted.

upsgrunt · 07-15-2007, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ditto44

I agree, I am a retired UPSer,I can't believe some of the things I am seeing, the high appearance standards are one of the things that gave us the repitition that we have. They don't even wash the package cars every day any more.
I hope somebody wakes up soon.

I still say stop the money we are giving Jarrett and simply wash every package car every night, like old times, and then pocket the difference. A clean package car is much better advertisement than Jarrett not making races or finishing 41st- or worse!

jlphotog · 07-15-2007, 02:43 PM

Things have gotten very laxed at our center lately. New hires are wearing black socks with shorts, black t-shirts, one guy was even wearing a green t-shirt and no socks recently. Shirts have been untucked and ripped. As far as I know, nothing has been said to them by anyone in management.

over9five · 07-15-2007, 02:48 PM

There's a part-time sup doing her 30 days driving in my building. She has tats, black socks with shorts, and no-one says anything.

I guess if it's OK for a sup.....

scratch · 07-15-2007, 03:01 PM

Back when I started driving, you had to keep your hair cut or you were sent home. If you came to work with anything more than a mustache on your face, the Center Manager would hand you a disposable razor and tell you to dry-shave. He also walked around looking at shoes that had to be polished everyday. No tattoos at all. The long pants were washed and pressed on-site every night. And of course the Package Cars were washed every night.

Now people are allowed to look like crap. Management allows it too. Its hard to find shoe polish, some drivers look like they haven't shaved in days. And my old pet peeve, my P7 has only been washed once this year. Its a shame to me that this company has let things slide like this.

mis_load · 07-15-2007, 04:15 PM

Its in our area too. Guys wear thier shirts outside, not the shirt jac. The socks, lack of. Its so bad we have a uniform audit once a week, if you don't have socks our mgnt will give your a pair of ups socks. Facial hair has stop because they gave us a cheap razor and cream made us shave before we could leave the center. And in our center things are getting better appearance wise. We are getting our cars washed atleast 2 a week. My hopes are the mgnt will wake up.

lost · 07-15-2007, 04:54 PM

Yeah I see drivers walk in to my building everyday looking unkept and their uniforms are in bad shape like they got dressed before they went to bed, or wearing yesterdays uniform.

Griff · 07-15-2007, 08:50 PM

No one here goes out on the road unshaven or with damaged uniforms.

I wear black socks, this is my only uniform violation. My CM does tell me to get the official UPS socks, several times now, but I never do. This is an ignorant rule, especially for people who wear black tennis/running shoes. What looks better, goofy long brown socks or black ankle socks? I follow every other appearance standard, but I refuse to pay $6 a pair for horribly made socks that are far too long for sneaker wearers.

local804 · 07-15-2007, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upsguysavannah

Regarding tattoos, I have tattoos but I got them in places that are covered by our uniforms so that I can wear short sleeves and shorts. If you're a driver and don't want to wear long sleeves and pants in the summer, then don't get a tattoo on your leg or one that runs the length of your forearm. And if you had such tattoos before you became a driver, you knew that you had a choice... keep them covered or don't become a driver. That's the company policy, period.

.

I never ever heard or seen this memo that you are talking about or did I sign anything re: this. Where in Gods name does it say we have to keep them covered? I actually know a suit in the Farmingdale bldg that has a few on his arm also. Lets be serious now.

big_arrow_up · 07-16-2007, 08:27 AM

I don't see a problem with tattoos being uncovered as lone as they are in good taste. I don't agree with having beards but I think we should be able to have a well groomed goatee. I think the current hair standarss in the are just fine. The standard mirrors the standards that the Air Force uses. My main issue lately is the drivers that wear their shirts with half of the tio buttons open. It's even worse when they don't have an undershirt on under it. I don't see the point in pressing the uniforms because they get worn out in no time. Especially during the summer heat. I think black socks look kind of silly. For some reason I don't mind how wearing a black undershirt looks though. I guess it's because we wore black with our BDUs in the AIr Force. I stick to brown or white ClimaCool shirts at UPS now.

lovetokayak · 07-16-2007, 08:41 AM

We have one guy at our center who looks like he just rolle out of bed. He wears his uniform, but underneath his "white" shirt is untucked and hanging out. His shoe laces are flying all over the place too. The rest of the drivers look pretty sharp. We have about 2/3 younger drivers and 1/3 older drivers at our hub. Older drivers all have polishable shoes, tucked in uniform shirts with belts, arm watches, closely trimmed mustaches and neat hearcuts. The younger guys mostly have no hair, shaved/cut very short and mostly wear some darker tennis shoe/boots. All of them wear sunglasses and/or baseball hats. They have the "cool dude" attitude.

The lady drivers always wears their hair in a ponytail, no earrings or jewelry of any kind.
As for tattoos, I'm sure there are drivers who have them, but I haven't seen one exposed from underneath a uniform yet.
I think the CM plays a big part in enforcing uniform guidelines and appearance standards. Our CM is a younger guy, but he always looks sharp from head to toe. Not showy, but clean and neat.