Do you derive a sense of purpose from UPS?

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
He is a good guy, I'm happy that he got into a career that he enjoys. The cut in pay amazed me, he had made it through three years of driver progression and was making top pay. I think he works maybe three 12 hours shifts a week and gets to ride around in the A/C all day. Recently got married and gets to spend a lot of time with his pretty wife.:yesssmileyf:
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
That's old school thinking. I used to agree but circumstances have changed. Putting that stress on myself isn't in my pay band description. Atlanta is handcuffing us and taking over local decisions like hiring and I'm not going to pretend they're not. It's no big deal, UPS is just changing management styles. Atlanta wants to run things and I'm content to let them.

Since when did a manager become a glorified supervisor? Don't you still get 2 units?

This is a defeatist attitude and an excuse not to do the job you are assigned to do. I was a manager for 20+ years in my 35+ year career. As a manager, I saw 20 years of change in "management style(s)".

You may call it "old school", but I call it experience. The benefit of having a mentor is the ability to acquire knowledge without having to go through the sometimes tough journey that brings you experience or wisdom.

I actually remember when a preload could shut the rear door of every vehicle and turn off the lights a half hour before the drivers started. I knew it could be done and was able to take that knowledge to other areas and work hard to make it happen again. There was no defeatist attitude because I actually HAD succeeded in doing it.

I know that the easy answer is "well you have been gone for 5 years so you don't know what you are talking about." BUT, I heard the exact same thing you posted above before I retired. You need to have the attitude that your center is your responsibility. Use out of the box thinking to reach your goals, fight for your activities to reach the goals. Show your bosses how you are making gains.

You want to know how to do this? Treat your people with dignity and respect and ask them for their help. Show them how to help. Give them an at-a-boy when they do it. Create challenges and rewards - take it out of your own pocket if you have to.

As a manager, I would be embarrassed to make the highlighted comment above.
 

ymelord

Well-Known Member
As a manager, I would be embarrassed to make the highlighted comment above.
(I agree with SignificantOwner)

I had reached my goals. They have all been trashed by the incompetence of two DMs, one center manager, and one on car sup who was too scared of losing his job to be any help. I still care about the job I do for my customers, but as far as UPS, it's by the methods, in trace, no favors. 30 years of experence, I have never seen this company in such a mess. Crazy dispatches, huge days, lots of misloads, incompetant people ripping our azzes, why would we be committed to the job. You have to fight UPS, and Fedex to keep customers. It's not worth the fight anymore.
 

leastbest

LeastBest
Twenty five years into my career I had a new supervisor take all my pickups off me to try and improve my performance. I complained to him and my center manager that the pickups had been my customers for twenty five years. They both told me that I didn't have customers, UPS had customers. Since the pickups had no driver they were given out as best they could and I'd get them back once in a while. After a few weeks they forgot to tell me that I had them that day and we missed most of the sixteen pickups. Customers were angry and we lost some business.

I had worked very hard to build that customer base but they were right. They weren't my customers. After that the job got much easier. I had a service job with no customers.
 

no more than 9

"Livin' the Dream"
I'm a old time UPSers, 22 years, I'm a lifer. I'm happy with the the job. However, I'm glad that I'm not starting out with the co. It' s not the same.
 

728ups

All Trash No Trailer
I've seen a center manager berate and embarrass drivers withe 25+ seniority over performance in the PCM, I find this unacceptable.

There is a good way to handle people like that. We had a center manager pull stunts like that( he is now the Pre load supe in Scratch's building) and after BURYING that man in grievances the harassment stopped torwards the hourlies. Of course after that our driver supes got beaten twice as hard,as they had no protection
 

PASinterference

Yes, I know I'm working late.
Im an old timer and Ive seen how the company has changed... for the worse in my opinion. I see new hires who are scared to death to take 5 minutes lunch and the drive like a weapon on the road, having 99% of all accidents in our center. The newer hires dont care if the packages get delivered or not.They spend more time trying to find a reason to bring the package back than it would take to deliver the damn thing.I hope this is what UPS wanted because it sure is what they are stuck with.
 

spankyup

mister blister
Old timer 36 years... retired..When I began we worked together. If a center manager or dm needed to put their browns on...they did it and we would get it all delivered.. now weather conditions bs, all on different agenda. Service not important.. Safety ! memorize key points .. should spend the monies and repair the worn or defective equiptment brown guys use every day, that would be safety...On the good side..miss my customers every day...Circle of H was best thank you UPS ever gave . Have a fine retirement and still bleed brown but its hard to watch the change..
 

UPS Lifer

Well-Known Member
1) So.... of those of you who are still working, point to a good operation - some center that you think that gels and works well. Some place you would rather derive a sense of purpose. What makes that center stand out from the "New UPS"? -

2) Another question .... What do you think your manager should be doing to make you want to work for him/her?

3) One more question (sorry) .... Do you think that the basic principles and policies of running a successful operation (One that can make money and be an enjoyable place to work) have changes in the last 50 years? Do not give me the answer that corporate America or UPS thinks works.... what do you think works?

Note: Your answers probably will be influenced by your generation. - Baby Boomer (about 48 and up) - Gen X (approx 34-47) Gen Y (approx 21-46)
For the purpose of this - include yourself in Gen Y if you are under 21.

An experienced manager has to be able to manage all 3 generations using a different style. You absolutely cannot treat every employee the same. Each generation has a different value system.
 

curiousbrain

Well-Known Member
Since when did a manager become a glorified supervisor? Don't you still get 2 units?

This is a defeatist attitude and an excuse not to do the job you are assigned to do. I was a manager for 20+ years in my 35+ year career. As a manager, I saw 20 years of change in "management style(s)".

You may call it "old school", but I call it experience. The benefit of having a mentor is the ability to acquire knowledge without having to go through the sometimes tough journey that brings you experience or wisdom.

I actually remember when a preload could shut the rear door of every vehicle and turn off the lights a half hour before the drivers started
. I knew it could be done and was able to take that knowledge to other areas and work hard to make it happen again. There was no defeatist attitude because I actually HAD succeeded in doing it.

I know that the easy answer is "well you have been gone for 5 years so you don't know what you are talking about." BUT, I heard the exact same thing you posted above before I retired. You need to have the attitude that your center is your responsibility. Use out of the box thinking to reach your goals, fight for your activities to reach the goals. Show your bosses how you are making gains.

You want to know how to do this? Treat your people with dignity and respect and ask them for their help. Show them how to help. Give them an at-a-boy when they do it. Create challenges and rewards - take it out of your own pocket if you have to.

As a manager, I would be embarrassed to make the highlighted comment above.

I'm not sure how things ran when you were there, but the air doesn't arrive until ten to fifteen minutes before the drivers go on the clock in my area; so, how can you wrap before the air even arrives?

Teach me, because I want to know that trick; if the air arrived earlier, I could rip through more in the unload faster, and then go after the air, but as it is, I have to "baby" certain trailers because if we went all out, we would have no work and the entire unload would be hanging bags or doing some equally useless thing.

At least in my area, I am shackled by the feeder inbound times - that's not a knock on the feeder drivers, obviously, but more just a result of the scheduling.
 

Jigawatts

Well-Known Member
As a tweener I believe the purpose of working at UPS is to take care of yourself and your family, whether your FT making the $$$ or if you have another job and you're grinding PT for the benefits. You'd have to be mad to work at UPS just for the fun of it. In the few short years I've been here, I can see the change, mostly stemming from PAS. New hires walk through a revolving door, tweeners feel stuck in the middle, and near retirees are disgusted in what the job has been reduced to. UPS has become the poster company for corporate greed.

I still have my purpose, but the pride is gone. So all I do is try my best and smile because at the end of the day it's just a job.
 

old brown shoe

30 year driver
34 years in and pc driver all but one year. I was so proud to tell anyone that I worked at UPS at first and helped some get jobs there. I would not wish this job on my worst enemy now. When asked at peak if we know anyone looking for work I will not respond. I love many aspects of this job and my customers are the best. Just hate it when their delivery times change so much or other drivers get that work and they cannot depend on us like they use to. The kindergarten nit-picking micro managing BS is getting as old to the customers as it is to the drivers. I only care about my service to my customers at this point. I could leave at any time and it may come to a point that will happen when the brown gets too deep and I'm done getting my nose pushed into it.
 

SignificantOwner

A Package Center Manager
Since when did a manager become a glorified supervisor? Don't you still get 2 units?

This is a defeatist attitude and an excuse not to do the job you are assigned to do. I was a manager for 20+ years in my 35+ year career. As a manager, I saw 20 years of change in "management style(s)".

You may call it "old school", but I call it experience. The benefit of having a mentor is the ability to acquire knowledge without having to go through the sometimes tough journey that brings you experience or wisdom.

I actually remember when a preload could shut the rear door of every vehicle and turn off the lights a half hour before the drivers started. I knew it could be done and was able to take that knowledge to other areas and work hard to make it happen again. There was no defeatist attitude because I actually HAD succeeded in doing it.

I know that the easy answer is "well you have been gone for 5 years so you don't know what you are talking about." BUT, I heard the exact same thing you posted above before I retired. You need to have the attitude that your center is your responsibility. Use out of the box thinking to reach your goals, fight for your activities to reach the goals. Show your bosses how you are making gains.

You want to know how to do this? Treat your people with dignity and respect and ask them for their help. Show them how to help. Give them an at-a-boy when they do it. Create challenges and rewards - take it out of your own pocket if you have to.

As a manager, I would be embarrassed to make the highlighted comment above.

Ok.
 

satellitedriver

Moderator

[h=2]Do you derive a sense of purpose from UPS?[/h]

No.
My purpose, when I became employed by UPS, was to make cents out of it.
Sense of purpose?
Remember "The Pretenders"?
Everybody chokes
When they see someone cut down in their prime
It may not show when you look at me
But I know I'm in mine
I'm potent, baby, I'm potent
Dangerous to the naked eye
Rest your head on this bed of mother's pride
And find out why

Don't you wanna take me home?
Don't you wanna take me home?

Give me a sense of purpose
A real sense of purpose now
Give me a sense of purpose
A real sense of purpose now
[ Lyrics from: Sense Of Purpose Lyrics - Pretenders ]
Bully boys don't bother me
I purse my lips and they run away
Guys like you who are gentle and true
Don't come around here everyday
I'm potent, baby, I'm potent
Just one swing of me would get most guys smashed
But a drop of yours makes me stagger and swerve
I guess I'm outclassed

Everybody chokes
When they see someone cut down in their prime
Take this plea to your heart
- lift me in mine

Don't you wanna take me home?
Don't you wanna take me home?

Give me a sense of purpose
A real sense of purpose now
Give me a sense of purpose
A real sense of purpose now

Give me a sense of purpose
A real sense of purpose now
Give me a sense of purpose
A real sense of purpose now

 

SignificantOwner

A Package Center Manager
I'm not sure how things ran when you were there, but the air doesn't arrive until ten to fifteen minutes before the drivers go on the clock in my area; so, how can you wrap before the air even arrives?

Teach me, because I want to know that trick; if the air arrived earlier, I could rip through more in the unload faster, and then go after the air, but as it is, I have to "baby" certain trailers because if we went all out, we would have no work and the entire unload would be hanging bags or doing some equally useless thing.

At least in my area, I am shackled by the feeder inbound times - that's not a knock on the feeder drivers, obviously, but more just a result of the scheduling.

He's referring to that one Monday when he started the sort early and finished the sort before the drivers started.
 

SignificantOwner

A Package Center Manager
Those are considered Pay Grades. As a general rule, an E does not report to an A within a Level.

My understanding is that package division managers and package operations managers are both in the same level. Is this not true? If it is then every district would have Ds reporting to Fs (just an example, don't know the actual letters).
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
My understanding is that package division managers and package operations managers are both in the same level. Is this not true? If it is then every district would have Ds reporting to Fs (just an example, don't know the actual letters).

Some of the Ops Managers are 19's and some are 20's.
20's are your next District managers or have a "leg up".
 
It is a manager's job to buffer the pressure that the division manager throws at him/her... AND it is the division manager's job to shield his managers from his boss. SO - The direct responsibility falls on the manager if your center is dysfunctional. Don't blame corporate - don't blame the region - your manager is there to make your unit functional. My guess is that if you think that it is someone else's fault other than the manager, than the manager has led you to believe that. To me, that is the sign of a weak manager and is the reason your center is dysfunctional.
I couldn't agree more. We have a 1st time center manager that has no clue how to manage anything. Our center's a mess. I have 23 years and have never looked at UPS as anything more than a job. I do it so I can enjoy my life outside of work.
 
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