Buying your socks.

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bigbrownone

Guest
Anyone else think that this is a stupid thing? Especially since we are issued everything else in the uniform?

I wouldn't mind if they weren't so overpriced!

Or if you could buy them straight from your center instead of waiting MONTHS like I have the last two times that I ordered them.

Plus the damn things only last about 6 months before they start falling down all the time.

what a crock!!
 
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over9five

Guest
Dude, They're socks! You'd have to buy socks anyhow! You make $65,000 a year! You can afford them!
 
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archibald

Guest
Hey I just paint my ankles brown every week, saves money and no one can see all the bulls@#* I have to wade through before I leave the building everyday!!!
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Anyone else tired of the 10hr dispatches because of the "cutbacks"?
 
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abuckover

Guest
A great idea (that I unfortunately can't take credit for) is to wear your socks until they wear out and then cut them off at the ankles. You can then wear whatever damn socks you want and just slip the "socklets" on over top. Plus the don't get smelly so you can wash them whenever you feel like it. You guys make 65,000$ down there?!?! Up here in Canada its about 45-50,000$ Cdn for a full time driver.
 
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bigbrownone

Guest
abuckover, I thought about doing that with my socks, but didn't think that it would work that good since they lose their "elasticity"......mainly they just plain suck.


over9five Posted on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 02:52 pm:

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Dude, They're socks! You'd have to buy socks anyhow! You make $65,000 a year! You can afford them!


Read my original post again.

It doesn't matter how much I make. It is stupid that we have to buy the socks from an outside company for such a ridiculous price,,,,,,and they take for ever to be shipped out.
 
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upsr

Guest
QVC sells this stuff called Tear Mender if you want to attach the cuffs to other socks w/o sewing! It's also great for repairing leather.

F29791 Tear mender fabric & craft adhesive w/ applicator. $18.27

TIA!
 
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abuckover

Guest
True, they did lose their elasticity after a while, and eventually you could see my bright white socks peeking from underneath, however I stretched one pair of socks for almost 4 years this way.
 
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upsdude

Guest
This is what kills me about the socks..

We are issued a black belt. We can wear black shoes. The DIAD and Package Car are trimmed in black. We can wear brown or white T shirts. Why the %ell cant we wear just plain black or brown short socks with the friggin shorts????
 
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steamheat

Guest
If you're going to stress out about the socks, wear long pants and eliminate the problem altogether.
 
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dannyboy

Guest
I filed a greivance on the matter about two years ago. Went all the way to the panel. Filed it under the section of "the company shall provide" all the clothes that they make you wear, ie the uniform. Your work shoes are not identifiable as UPS uniform, but those brown socks are. So if they can MAKE you wear specific socks, they must buy them for you. Also the fact that you have to go through a "company store" to get these socks at a fairly high price, and they are really of a poor quality, makes it a bit of a scam. hall personally told me that if I droped the grievance, he would see to it that it would be in the next contract. Damn, I guess he lied!
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Ah guys, for those of us in the US, 45,000 in cannuck play money is just over 29,000 in our bucks. So we do have it some better.

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dammor

Guest
Is the SOCK issue really all that important at this time? HELLO, have ya'll seen the news?
 
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bigbrownone

Guest
"Ah guys, for those of us in the US, 45,000 in cannuck play money is just over 29,000 in our bucks. So we do have it some better"


Man, I made 35,000 as a part-timer,,,,,,but I still don't feel bad about complaining about the socks,,,,,,,they still SUCK!

"hall personally told me that if I droped the grievance, he would see to it that it would be in the next contract. Damn, I guess he lied!"

I do remember seeing this early on in the contract negotiations last year. I am sure that along with the one about us being able to wear beards, and being issued allowance for boots, they were among the first ones to be flushed.
 
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upsdude

Guest
"If you're going to stress out about the socks, wear long pants and eliminate the problem altogether"

steamheat.........

I work as instructed and follow the companies rules. I have a nearly empty driver folder in my sups desk to prove it! LOL!

I think what irritates folks about socks and shoes is this..

We are the nations 4th largest employer, the company is in a position to get us a much better price on the extras. Ive found that 30 dollar shoes last and provide the same comfort and stability as 100 dollar shoes. For some reason however, management will point out my shoes as a potential hazard. 16 years, Ive yet to experience a shoe related/foot injury. If the 100 dollar shoes are that much safer, get me a better price and Ill buy them.

Socks

Short socks of the same color as the shoe presents a much more professional look than a sock with stripes and or logos. I really dont think the customer gives a flip either way.
 
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archibald

Guest
Well they can make me wear the "evil" company socks but I will never give up my leopard skin thong underwear! Oh crap did I say that outloud?!?
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rushfan

Guest
I bought some socks 3 years ago. The acrylic type. The toes wore out, but the tops were just fine. I'm a cheap person, and this no joke.

My wife has a surger (type of sewing machine). I cut the foot of the sock off so I had only the top left. I took the top of the sock and sewed it to the white sock. The white of the socks don't show, only the brown part.

I spent 1 hour working on 6 pair. In that amount of time, I could have placed an order for some new ones.
 
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steelheader69

Guest
Have you guys forgotten what happened??? I thought some of you were old timers????? Do you not remember when we were REQUIRED to wear long pants ALL YEAR!!!!!!!!!!! Danny, I thought you would remember that. That's another reason why if it went to national panel, you'd lost. I'm really surprised it went to panel. It was negotiated between the Teamsters and UPS that drivers be allowed to wear shorts, but only under condition that we BUY our shorts and BUY the official UPS socks that go with them. Luckily, UPS started upkeep on our shorts as well. They issue/reissue now. They never did in past (I know, I still have a set of old UPS shorts that are worn out that I couldn't replace since I had to pay for them). But there was still agreement that UPS socks still be bought. What would you rather have, free shorts and pay for socks or back to the old days where NO shorts were allowed. Trust me. I'd rather buy a pair of socks then go back to wearing long pants (I haven't been issued a pair of long pants since the day UPS went to issuing them to us at THEIR cost). Trust me, it was alot more expensive back then buying shorts/socks then buying now. Plus, socks are better now. I'd go through those old gold striped socks every 2 months. now, a pair last me about 6-8 months. Much better.

Just remember. It was a negotiated deal. If you want socks paid for, then I'd have them renegotiate it in next contract. Right now, it's always been a handshake deal that we pay for it. You never know, UPS could say "pants only" again. Would you want that? I don't. They only have to issue shirts, pants, and jackets. Shorts were in the accessory catalog when they first came out. I'd hate to see it revert back.
 
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wigman

Guest
I remember when it was pants only. I used to roll them up on hot days. There is no way that UPS would revert back. What would poor Mahoney do? Plus all my customers would be horrified. Last week I started wearing the shorts again to pacify all my customers who missed the legs all summer!!
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dannyboy

Guest
Steelheader

Interesting thing about a contract like ours, you allways "gain" and never give back (yeah right)

The basis for the greivance was that any specific item that the company REQUIRES you to wear needs to be bought by the company. What if they would require you to buy your shoes from them. At 80-100$ a pair. And you could get the same without the UPS logo for closer to $30. Especially if the REQUIRED you to wear just those shoes. Same thing with socks. AS long as you wear black or brown socks without any other logos or colors, whats the big deal.

They did say that shorts were optional. But we got that logic thrown out. How could you offer something as a dress option that is incomplete? Kinda like offering pants without a zipper fly. Ya wanna wear pants, purchase the zipper fly and we will let you. That kind of logic is so childish. Im just waiting for them to outlaw the striped socks and make every one wear the ones with the logo.

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