cost cutting

[under the radar]

Last week my center had the usual "compliance training" but this year it came with a twist. We had the hazmat video with the wise-cracking little punk but this time they had all 40 of us together in the shop area and it was a predictable free-for-all of jokes and derisive laughter. The next day the sup is yelling out the answers without going over the questions telling us that if we had questions to see him afterward. Then I go to my truck that hasn't been washed in several days and start to wonder what is going on.

The next day I talk to my ctr mgr. and he tells me he was ordered in writing and by phone by a much higher up to get the training done by Jan 1. and to not wash trucks for 3 weeks. He also had to lay off a porter.

After 30 years I hate to see the farcical training and the dirty trucks. Is this just in my district or is it company wide?

 

[helenofcalifornia]

What area are you in? 3 weeks without washing? Fedex hires a carwash outfit to come and wash their trucks once a week here. Sounds like a good idea considering our carwash people are always having to do other jobs.

 

[Load Stand]

It may seem funny now, but this company is under tremendous stress to meet our financial goals and the Street's expecatons to grow. Our cost to serve is much above the competition. The union employees can laugh all they want, but eventually it will come down to their jobs/wages. Unions can only protect so many things, but without competitve pricing, volume will not grow or will decline.

It is sad to see us so tight, but we really have no choice. You can see how much that the union-free portion of the company is being not only squeezed/cut but asked to give back more (with the terrible exception of the grade 20's and above getting much more in stock options -- disgusting).

Unless we get a more level playing field to compete, which there are signs of such with the unionization efforts at FedEx and the contractor scheme falling apart, we will continue to be this tight. The Teamsters must understand what we are collectively up against. It is no mirage. We have to watch every penny to survive this unfair competitive advantage thinga and try to keep what we have, which are very good jobs without needing a lot of college training/cost!

 

[SmithBarney]

The company is just positioning itself for 08... if they show a year of "tight" budgets, they'll try and tell the teamsters they have no "money" for negotiating. In the meanwhile they'll hire some new drivers that won't make top rate by 08, which means they'll be able to lock them in at a lower $$, and they'll wait for the old dinosaurs to die off...

 

[disneyworld]

When us "old dinosaurs" die off,that is when UPS is really going to be hurting. To find workers like the old breed(ones who actually care and work hard) is going to be difficult for UPS,we are few and far between. "Kids" nowadays don't want to work hard or long hours.

 

[CTOTH]

It may seem funny now, but this company is under tremendous stress to meet our financial goals and the Street's expecatons to grow. Our cost to serve is much above the competition. The union employees can laugh all they want, but eventually it will come down to their jobs/wages. Unions can only protect so many things, but without competitve pricing, volume will not grow or will decline.

It is sad to see us so tight, but we really have no choice. You can see how much that the union-free portion of the company is being not only squeezed/cut but asked to give back more (with the terrible exception of the grade 20's and above getting much more in stock options -- disgusting).

Unless we get a more level playing field to compete, which there are signs of such with the unionization efforts at FedEx and the contractor scheme falling apart, we will continue to be this tight. The Teamsters must understand what we are collectively up against. It is no mirage. We have to watch every penny to survive this unfair competitive advantage thinga and try to keep what we have, which are very good jobs without needing a lot of college training/cost!

How about the fact that top manager's and officers are making 500 times the average full-time hourly. That kind of money is not necessary for any job. Cut their salaries by 25%. There's your competative pricing!
Mike Eskew makes $1.21 million/year. If he's spending that much, he needs to apply some his cost cutting measures to his personal life.

 

[CTOTH]

When us "old dinosaurs" die off,that is when UPS is really going to be hurting. To find workers like the old breed(ones who actually care and work hard) is going to be difficult for UPS,we are few and far between. "Kids" nowadays don't want to work hard or long hours.

Every generation has slackers and workers. I can out work you anyday of the week, I'm not saying you're lazy but I'm only 24.

Your last statement wasn't very fair.

 

[disneyworld]

Every generation has slackers and workers. I can out work you anyday of the week, I'm not saying you're lazy but I'm only 24.

Your last statement wasn't very fair.

And if you read it you would have seen it said "Few and far between". Which means there are few exceptions. And trying to outwork someone,especially at UPS,doesn't get you a badge on honor. It gets you more work or hurt.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Cost cutting is going on here. They are REALLY pushing for reload to be off the clock at around 3.5 hours each night. NO WASHING! Drivers are going out with loads that resemble what they were leaving with a couple of weeks ago. It's a fight just to get new uniforms for drivers and equipment needed for reload. Preload seems to be unaffected by all this. Only the drivers and reload are taking it.

 

[under the radar]

How about the fact that top manager's and officers are making 500 times the average full-time hourly. That kind of money is not necessary for any job. Cut their salaries by 25%. There's your competative pricing!
Mike Eskew makes $1.21 million/year. If he's spending that much, he needs to apply some his cost cutting measures to his personal life.

I don't have a problem with executive compensation. If I had to make the sacrifices (family, free time, moving from town to town etc.) and I was gifted enough to be CEO of the largest transportation company in the world, I would say they are getting a bargain at 1.21 mill. I just hope the company doesn't stop doing the things that set it apart; the things that make me proud to tell people where I work and what I do.

 

[under the radar]

No one has yet addressed the wise cracking little weasel in the hazmat training video.

 

[Leftinbuilding]

No one has yet addressed the wise cracking little weasel in the hazmat training video.

When UPS takes hazmat training seriously, and gets rid of that video, maybe the employees will also take it seriously. That video is a disgrace and an insult to intelligence!!

 

[disneyworld]

No one has yet addressed the wise cracking little weasel in the hazmat training video.

He needs a fork jammed in his eye.

 

[under the radar]

I would settle for a backhand in mid-sentence/wise-crack!

 

[p1000]

When us "old dinosaurs" die off,that is when UPS is really going to be hurting. To find workers like the old breed(ones who actually care and work hard) is going to be difficult for UPS,we are few and far between. "Kids" nowadays don't want to work hard or long hours.

I agree Disney. Driving now compared to the late 70's is day and night. Not all but what with some drivers get away with would have been gone back then. Same as mgmt. These guys do not have a clue.

 

[30andout]

Cost cutting suggestion, you would think they would check the time studies. I am in a bonus center and we have at least two drivers that run 2 hours or more daily under, how the heck can anyone do that?

 

[Responder]

A new hazmat DVD came out 2 months ago. You shouldn't be watching the wisecracking weasel.

 

[Foamer Pyle]

Cost cutting has been going on in my area for quite some time. I can not remember the last time the cars were washed. Today we had more routes than drivers; nothing unusual there. I really dont understand how UPS can expect drivers to produce sales leads when we can't handle the volume we have. Remember when UPS used to say that "X amount of new volume equals X amount of new jobs?" Yea right! X amount of new volume means more overtime.

 

[vandura]

Perhaps I have a different view than most UPSers. I have worked for FedEx. Now I can say I have worked for UPS--as Seasonal Feeder Driver. Thought I might stay on with UPS after the "season." Now I'm not sure if UPS even knows what a peak season looks like. The package volume is NO WHERE close to FedEx's! Did anyone else besides me notice that for every lonely UPS tractor trailor on the road, you saw 5 FedEx. Maybe most UPS drivers simply ignore this fact. And, it could just be like that here in the VA valley.

But, fact is three friends/family went with UPS for thier Christmas shipping because I worked there this season...came to me astonished at the high price UPS charged them.

Seems UPS is sitting on cruise (smug in thier former 100 years' trophies) and thus no longer practicing to win the upcoming game! I note most of the views on this very site are re: dinosor issues like pension, job seniority )

Could it be that UPS has seen its best/final days?
Could it be that UPS is getting left in thier tracks (even in NASCAR)?

Please understand I went with UPS because of its reputation. However, now I wonder if a reputation is all UPS offers.
I take time to write this not out of a mean spirit, not trying to start a dumb union vs nonunion distraction. I kindly make these observations because I learned in my former position (before my CDL) that when everyone begins to focus on (1) keeping the past alive and (2)maintaining the position they have then...closure has ALREADY begun.

 

[Griff]

Now I'm not sure if UPS even knows what a peak season looks like.

"FedEx Corp., Memphis, TN, expects to make history with a record 9.8 million packages moving through its global FedEx Express and FedEx Ground networks Dec. 18. This is projected to be FedEx's busiest night ever, surpassing the 8.9 million packages on Dec. 19, 2005."

Fedex is the minor leagues, seriously. We probably delivered almost that many air shipments alone this year (peak day).