Feeders impacted by new contract?

brett636

Well-Known Member
The affect will be this. Any and all loads going to and from the rail will be put on subcontractors. Runs will be lost. Some lost forever. The agreement allows UPS unlimited subcontracting for the next 5 years of all rail work. Now there is language to hire new drivers and bring those loads back to feeders in the form of new sleeper team runs. I will not be holding my breath for any sleeper team work to come here. The agreement says 2000 new sleeper team runs by 2023, and some have tried to say that there will probably be more than that. I say UPS MIGHT honor the 2000 jobs, but will not create one job more as everything after that will be on subcontractors. My building has over 430 feeder drivers and we have zero sleeper team runs. My guess we will lose a significant number of road runs almost immediately and may never see them come back as larger buildings both to the north and south of us run the lions share of the sleeper operations for our area.
 

Knothead

Yep.
The affect will be this. Any and all loads going to and from the rail will be put on subcontractors. Runs will be lost. Some lost forever. The agreement allows UPS unlimited subcontracting for the next 5 years of all rail work. Now there is language to hire new drivers and bring those loads back to feeders in the form of new sleeper team runs. I will not be holding my breath for any sleeper team work to come here. The agreement says 2000 new sleeper team runs by 2023, and some have tried to say that there will probably be more than that. I say UPS MIGHT honor the 2000 jobs, but will not create one job more as everything after that will be on subcontractors. My building has over 430 feeder drivers and we have zero sleeper team runs. My guess we will lose a significant number of road runs almost immediately and may never see them come back as larger buildings both to the north and south of us run the lions share of the sleeper operations for our area.
I agree with most of what you are saying, except it is not 2000 sleeper teams, it is 2000 jobs. 2 men (women too, jeez) to a team.
 

Knothead

Yep.
Screenshot_20181004-112517_Drive.jpg
 

Knothead

Yep.
Subsection 4 of the above is what bothers me most, and should have been a non-starter for everyone. Wtf?? How is the Union ok with this? And why was it never brought up??
 

Rick Ross

I'm into distribution!!
Subsection 4 of the above is what bothers me most, and should have been a non-starter for everyone. Wtf?? How is the Union ok with this? And why was it never brought up??

Exactly.

Also, doesn't it seem that subsections 2 and 4
contradict each other?

The only good thing I guess is that they kept "rail" loads in, but at some point or another in history i would bet most loads have traveled between all large buildings by rail, at least once.

This is gonna be an absolute mess and will be abused as bad as the 22.4's. We have people filing for contractors pulling loads off the yard all the time and I've never heard of one grievance being paid out.
 

Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
To be honest, the rail is more efficient, cheaper and creates less road hazards. Plus, the rail might be a different union, but they're our Union brothers and sisters. I get it that Teamsters wants to create more full time jobs, but let it be more full timers on our end. Combination split inside jobs or 22.3's, more full time package driver's, air drivers,etc. We really already have enough semisson road and the rail is more efficient cross country and cheaper while supporting Unions, not trading a union job between Unions. Basically we're talking about stealing work from the union rails for less effective distributions. Don't forget, the Union rails would back us in Strikes and other union fights. We should do the same. The switch between rail to feeders actually will damage a fellow Union Organization which is self defeating in the long term.
 

Rick Ross

I'm into distribution!!
To be honest, the rail is more efficient, cheaper and creates less road hazards. Plus, the rail might be a different union, but they're our Union brothers and sisters. I get it that Teamsters wants to create more full time jobs, but let it be more full timers on our end. Combination split inside jobs or 22.3's, more full time package driver's, air drivers,etc. We really already have enough semisson road and the rail is more efficient cross country and cheaper while supporting Unions, not trading a union job between Unions. Basically we're talking about stealing work from the union rails for less effective distributions. Don't forget, the Union rails would back us in Strikes and other union fights. We should do the same. The switch between rail to feeders actually will damage a fellow Union Organization which is self defeating in the long term.

If you Google it you will see UPS is/was the single biggest shipper by gross revenue on the rails. I've been told UPS pays a premium for expideted service and I believe it. I've waited with 20 other drivers at a railyard and when our train comes in they will bring multiple cranes to our track and offload all UPS trailers first.

The railroads are at capacity and are now being paid as much or more by other shippers without having to get loads from A to B with such time constraints. I mean ups can ship one railcar with one semi because it's light. It would take multiple semis at max capacity to take the weight of one railcar of coal or other heavy items.

We regularly have drivers go 3-4 hours to the railyard only to have the train breakdown. The driver waits, runs out of hours and comes back without the load and another driver has to go get it. That's a lot if wages plus the trailer has missed it's assigned sort.
 

Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
I know. I have friends in Norfolk Southern and they remind me how weak our union members are compared to them. It's because we are passive and give the company exactly what it wants mostly due to not being involved in voting, etc. Also, because we are hindered because we allowed such a large part time work force instead of fighting for majority full time work force. That's our fault as members. Not the fault of Part timers. I don't want any mis understanding because if the only way in is bottom part time, of course that's what they'll be and it's hard to want involved in a minimal committed job that works you like a dog.
 

FrigidFTSup

Resident Suit
If you Google it you will see UPS is/was the single biggest shipper by gross revenue on the rails. I've been told UPS pays a premium for expideted service and I believe it. I've waited with 20 other drivers at a railyard and when our train comes in they will bring multiple cranes to our track and offload all UPS trailers first.

The railroads are at capacity and are now being paid as much or more by other shippers without having to get loads from A to B with such time constraints. I mean ups can ship one railcar with one semi because it's light. It would take multiple semis at max capacity to take the weight of one railcar of coal or other heavy items.

We regularly have drivers go 3-4 hours to the railyard only to have the train breakdown. The driver waits, runs out of hours and comes back without the load and another driver has to go get it. That's a lot if wages plus the trailer has missed it's assigned sort.
Yet even with those delays the rail is still significantly cheaper. It’s 60% cheaper on average to put a trailer on the rail compared to putting it on a sleeper team.
 

Rick Ross

I'm into distribution!!
Yet even with those delays the rail is still significantly cheaper. It’s 60% cheaper on average to put a trailer on the rail compared to putting it on a sleeper team.

I'm sure that number is accurate but that's kind of comparing apples to oranges. Sleeper teams are almost always carrying air...what is the cost of a sleeper team vs. flying the same load?


Also, if rail is so much more cost effective, why add sleeper runs to take some of the work? What is the reasoning to make that happen if you aren't trying to advance work?
 

silenze

Lunch is the best part of the day
If it were more cost effective to use sleeper teams ups would already be doing it.
They have cut sleeper jobs in Chicago.
UPS is only interested in using coyote logistics to subcontract loads. That is their intention. There is no penalty if UPS subcontracts every load.
 

FrigidFTSup

Resident Suit
I'm sure that number is accurate but that's kind of comparing apples to oranges. Sleeper teams are almost always carrying air...what is the cost of a sleeper team vs. flying the same load?


Also, if rail is so much more cost effective, why add sleeper runs to take some of the work? What is the reasoning to make that happen if you aren't trying to advance work?
A lot of sleeper teams start their run carrying air, but it’s becoming less and less mandatory. In the Northeast they are used to jump service and put us on par with FedEx than eliminate a flight.

The new sleeper teams are specifically just to take work off the rails in a deal with the union. If it were up to the company they’d keep the air on the sleeper teams and keep it pretty static.
 

Rick Ross

I'm into distribution!!
The new sleeper teams are specifically just to take work off the rails in a deal with the union. If it were up to the company they’d keep the air on the sleeper teams and keep it pretty static.

I'm not calling you a liar but I find it hard to believe UPS is allegedly going to add 2000, $135k plus jobs because of a deal with the union. If they made that deal it was only because of the sweet contractor language they forced onto us.

In a few months I'll probably read online that Hoffa and Taylor started a truck leasing company and got their first order for 1000 semi's. Then this will all make sense. :)
 
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