Calling it Quits after 17 years

The-UK-Guy

Tea anyone ?
After 17 years of service, 13 of which were great I decided to call it quits. I was once proud to say I worked for UPS and proud to be a Teamster but my opinion of both has been going downhill rapidly since 2005 and I thought perhaps it was best to part company while I had some respect left .
I never had a problem at Ups , at least not for the first 14 years or so, I would hear other UPSers bad mouthing the company and tell horror stories of how they had been harassed or mistreated and I didn’t understand how they could become so bitter working for such a great company that paid so well and offered such great benefits . It was my opinion that we were fortunate to have such a job and if they worked half as much as they bitched they would have no problems.
Of course that was before I got on the “Radar “.
The “Radar” is the worst thing that you can get on at UPS, once on its really difficult, if not impossible to get off. Some people ask to be put on it, some deserve to be on it and others, ( I`m sure some will disagree with this ) through no fault of their own are put on it.
No matter how you get on the Radar though, the effects are the same for all members. Harassment, unfair treatment, scrutiny, more audits , shown less respect as a person and all in all being made to hate showing up for work ,constantly looking over your shoulder and second guessing everything you do and every choice made through the day.
Let me give an example from my experience being on both sides;
1 Off Radar Driver. Driver knows that am bulk stop (Dock) is always full between 9 30 and 10 30 with 7 to 8 trucks waiting to unload. Driver calls dock manager from his cell phone and explains he has 16 packages 2 air and asks if there is room at dock. Driver is told by dock Manager that dock is very busy could he come at 11. Driver does the best thing for everyone and delivers at 11 as per request . Driver finishes day at work returns to hub slapped on back by center manager, told “ great job off Radar Driver, keep up the good work see you bright and early “ Driver goes home to his hot wife and white picket fenced house eats steak dinner and goes to bed.
2 On Radar Driver. Same as above but after returning to the hub in the PM is greeted by center manager who has a big Cheshire cat grin on his face, rubbing his hands together says “GPS says you were 2 blocks away from the dock when you sheeted them up “ Go home and don’t come back see you in 8 months when an arbitrator realizes we broke the contract again and decides to give you back your job , minus back pay you lost though because you’re lucky to have a job like this.
Well there`s one example.
That’s not why I quit though, I quit because I was just disgusted at how low UPS will go, and how dirty they fight …. I`ve been in some nasty barroom brawls with some really nasty guys but they don’t even compare to the tactics UPS used to force or Bully me out. I wasn’t prepared to fight such a dirty low down fight but I`m glad I lost.
I hate typing so here`s the condensed version, you ready?
August 2008, wife calls me at work and tells me doctors have discovered she has a brain tumor. I lose it , call office explain situation .I go home. I use all my vacation and sick days leading up to wife’s operation and save 1 week for after. Leaving only 2 days not covered the week prior to her being admitted. I apply for emergency family leave. Call in sick to work week before operation ( I have no sick days left) and am told I have to report . I explain that I am in no mental state to work , I make my first delivery at 10 15 after showing up 45 minutes late. Have worst day on road of my life. Call in sick following day. Go to pick up my check on Thursday with my daughters, 8 and 9 and am escorted out of the building by Loss prevention, terminated Friday for GPS discrepancies. Check in at USC neurosurgery center Sunday, Wife`s operation ( complete success thank god) on Monday , released from hospital on Thursday ALL MEDICAL BENEFITS CANCELLED WEDNESDAY , yep, my insurance is canceled 5 days after being fired leaving one day of hospitalization to be covered by me.
Once again I find myself waiting for an arbitrator, with a really good case this time, probably good enough to get back pay , September passes, October, November , Christmas is right around the corner and yet again my house is in foreclosure and we have no money to get Christmas gifts for our 3 kids but in all honesty my wife’s health was all that mattered and she was doing fine … December 20th I get a call out of the blue from my attorney who was handling a worker’s comp claim I had from back in 2005 when I hurt my arm on route. UPS wants to settle, 50,000 dollars but you have to resign.
The average settlement for rotator cuff surgery is about 7 thousand dollars, it was 5 days until Christmas and they were waving a 50g check under my nose…. What would you do?
Funny thing is it wasn’t the money that made me quit, I just didn’t want to work for a company that treats its employees like this anymore, a company that would stoop that low, knowing how much I love my family, knowing I had morel visits to the hospital and knowing the financial situation I was in they through the biggest sucker punch my way and landed it perfectly.
It was the best choice I ever made, I choose to remember the good times I had at work now, you know, drinking beer in the office, doing lines and smoking dope on route, LOL just kidding (about the lines and dope ) I will miss being a driver and I will miss California , we are moving back to the UK where medical care is free and I have a job as a computer tech. lined up already .
Does anyone know if there’s any way to get my retirement out early?? And would it be ok to pop back on here to say Hi once in a while even though I am not a UPSer any more?
It’s been real Y`all but I have a pocket full of cash and a plane to catch … God Bless
Jamie Wall
heres the link to recording I took of LP harrasing me I can finally post it without fear of losing my job.:happy-very:

{Warning: this video contains an image which is not family friendly so the embedded video has been removed out of respect for our members that may have children looking over their shoulder. ~ Cheryl}

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1ZEtttty6c&feature=channel_page"
 

Jones

fILE A GRIEVE!
Staff member
At least you'll always be able to get a pint of the good stuff back in the motherland :wink2:. Good luck and I hope things work out for you and your family.
 

dannyboy

From the promised LAND
I did not realise that they had the family leave act in England as well........hmmm.....and by getting your retirement out early, you talking 401K or teamster retirement. the first is yes, the second is no.

As for leaving UPS, the job is not for everyone. Sometimes it is just better to part ways. There is life after brown.

d
 

sortaisle

Livin the cardboard dream
I did not realise that they had the family leave act in England as well........hmmm.....and by getting your retirement out early, you talking 401K or teamster retirement. the first is yes, the second is no.

As for leaving UPS, the job is not for everyone. Sometimes it is just better to part ways. There is life after brown.

d

He wasn't in England when this happened, he was in SoCal.
 

daedalus

Member
I worked for UPS and proud to be a Teamster but my opinion of both has been going downhill rapidly since 2005 and I thought perhaps it was best to part company while I had some respect left .

So I guess those of us that are still here have no respect left huh?

How come the same people have all the problems? Maybe you need an attitude adjustment.

Good riddance!
 

chev

Nightcrawler
So I guess those of us that are still here have no respect left huh?

How come the same people have all the problems? Maybe you need an attitude adjustment.

Good riddance!
Amazing that you could make that statement about someone you know NOTHING about. Read his statement carefully "Forrest". That is not what he is saying at all. I think my confidence would slip a good bit too if the union did not fight tooth and nail for me on an issue like this.
The company claims to be family friendly but won't afford you the time to take care your sick wife? Something should have been done to give him the time he needed. That is how the family leave act is supposed to protect you.
This sup seems like a royal bitch trying to show her feminazi power. "I am woman, hear me roar"

Best of luck to you The-UK-Guy.
 

The-UK-Guy

Tea anyone ?
So I guess those of us that are still here have no respect left huh?]



not at all, I`m not pushing my personal opinion down anyones throat, you should respect the company that you work for. I still respect UPS for running the best shipping buisness in the industry and for many other acheivments and standards that they have set. Like I said ,I had many great productive and happy years with them. Its just to cut throat for me.

[quote= How come the same people have all the problems? Maybe you need an attitude adjustment.

Good riddance![/quote

Maybe I do, but not from you or big Brown !
Ive had enough attitude adjustments recently to realise people like you and the comments you make are of no importance significance or relavance to me and hold no weight in the scale of things. I pray you dont become one of the " same people" with problems and are able to answer your own question.
God Bless:happy2:
 

The-UK-Guy

Tea anyone ?
Amazing that you could make that statement about someone you know NOTHING about. Read his statement carefully "Forrest". That is not what he is saying at all. I think my confidence would slip a good bit too if the union did not fight tooth and nail for me on an issue like this.
The company claims to be family friendly but won't afford you the time to take care your sick wife? Something should have been done to give him the time he needed. That is how the family leave act is supposed to protect you.
This sup seems like a royal bitch trying to show her feminazi power. "I am woman, hear me roar"

Best of luck to you The-UK-Guy.


Thankyou.
 

sano

Well-Known Member
UK Guy, I wish you the best. Sorry it didn't work. But then again 17 years is a long time. Hope your next career treats you well.
 
A

anonymous6

Guest
We have had 4 guys quit early here in the last 3-4 years and ALL have regretted it.

They wish they had taken a month off straight on vacation and thought about it more.

"Change your attitude and change your life."

i have been there dude and am still there at times. I read a book called "Laws Of Life" by John Templeton which has practically save my sanity.

Another thing I do is picture myself as a sub contractor for UPS and not as an employee. This helps me me at my work from a different perspective.

Good luck in whatever you decide.
 
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