Advice For A New Worker

[TN Titan]

Hello Everyone. I recently started working at UPS and any advice would be appreciated.

I'm from memphis tn and while there I was working in the hub for fedex. I just moved to Greensboro NC about 2 months ago. They don't have a hub here so i've decided to try working at the UPS Hub. Right now i'm just in the training process and havn't left the classroom. So I pretty much havn't done anything hands on yet. All I know is i'm assigned to be an unloader. I just wanted to know how is it from a personal perspective because i've heard plenty horror stories. What should I be prepared for?

 

[evilleace]

Congratulations on your empliyment and wleocme to the cafe. As far as unoading goes it is hot physical demanding work. I am not trying to scare you just telling tou the truth in my center when I unloaded I had to do usually 4 trailers a day. Also wear clothes you don't care about they will get dirty and more than likely ruined. Drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep the night before also DON'T PARTY I have worked with plenty of guys who are hung over and it is not fun. The most important work SAFELY don't do anyhting dangerous to get done faster if you are hurt no paycheck becuase of no work. Good luck and I am sure you will do fine.

 

[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

Congratulations on your empliyment and wleocme to the cafe. As far as unoading goes it is hot physical demanding work. I am not trying to scare you just telling tou the truth in my center when I unloaded I had to do usually 4 trailers a day. Also wear clothes you don't care about they will get dirty and more than likely ruined. Drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep the night before also DON'T PARTY I have worked with plenty of guys who are hung over and it is not fun. The most important work SAFELY don't do anyhting dangerous to get done faster if you are hurt no paycheck becuase of no work. Good luck and I am sure you will do fine.

Interesting, but there's nothing in the contract about what you "have" to do. Fair days work for a fair days pay (unless you're non-union). For you to unload 4 trailers a day, it is on you to do that. You set that bar.

To the thread author, it's the same thing as fedex. You just place packages onto a belt or rollers and off they go. Pace yourself, drink lots of water, keep those labels up.

There's no numbers for you to go by. At first your supervisor or manager will tell you "you have to do 1200 an hour", which is the "UPS standard". That's fine, but incorrect. Work an even pace you feel comfortable with, You'll be fine.

 

[evilleace]

No I didn't have to do 4 trailers a day that was my choice but I was trying to get on permanent after seasonal, also I understand fair days work for a fair days pay four trailers for me is a fair days work sorry if I offended you.

 

[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

No I didn't have to do 4 trailers a day that was my choice but I was trying to get on permanent after seasonal, also I understand fair days work for a fair days pay four trailers for me is a fair days work sorry if I offended you.

You didn't offend me! I think it's important that a new employee at UPS knows that they shouldn't be hurried or feel pressured to blow out 2000 an hour. Thats all.

 

[dannyboy]

Greenboro huh? what a place

my suggestion is that you keep a level head, work to the best of your ability, follow the instructions of the sups as well as you can, and most of all, keep a sense of humor. it will see you though a lot of tough times.

d

 

[sortaisle]

I don't know what Fed Ex wanted from you, but I assume they operate like ups and make you think you need to kick a trailers butt all night long. You should work at a good steady pace, and by all means, if you were born to be a butt kicker and that's how you operate, then by all means. Just make sure you use proper methods and don't get hurt, because you'll be considered damaged goods after your first injury. It's not worth getting hurt to unload recklessly. Good Luck!

 

[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

Look out for the other guy. (the person sorting you)

They have many more things to worry about than you do. If there's a jam or the belts are shut off, stop your belt or stop unloading.

There are little things you'll pick up on along the way, just a heads up to check on your sorter every now and then to make sure you're all up to speed.

 

[moontheloon1982]

Welcome to the big-league's my friend!
Unfortunately most of those horror stories are probably true. This job is just about as physically demanding as it gets. At first, and for a while, it will hardly seem worth it, especially when you look at your paycheck, but don't be discouraged. If you plan on having a long career with UPS then you have made a good decision. Becoming a Teamster provides you with a certain amount of security which you will find to be invaluable in the long run. You are going to have to be patient though. Think of it like you've just pulled a number and taken your place at the end of a very long, slow moving line. You dont move up until the guy in front of you moves up(or dies). At first it seems daunting, but as people start to get in line behind you, you begin to realize that the time you've put in has value that transcends money. You will learn that, like anything else in the world, the union system has it's good points as well as some fundamental flaws. You'll learn that it does'nt matter how much better you are at you're job than the guy next to you, he is you're superior simply because he got his application in the day before you did. You'll learn that many people take advantage of their job security and don't mind watching others pick up the slack for them. Your motivation to do the best job you can do has to come from somewhere other than the prospect of advancement in position or pay. Take satisfaction and pride in the knowledge that not everyone has what it takes to stick with this job, whereas anybody can go work at wal-mart. Grind your way through the first couple years and keep telling yourself that in the end it will be worth it. The first time you put on that brown uniform you instantly become a respected, trusted member of society, it is a very rewarding feeling.
Most importantly, think of your job description like this, your first duty and priority is to avoid accidents!the only way you will succeed in doing so is by following your training methods.... moving the packages is secondary.

GOOD LUCK!!