god help me

Yesterday was my first day at work as a package handler. I was doing the unloading, I only do one shift of 4 hours work. I don't understand why all my co workers dislike me.

At first I was told to unload packages from a trailer, with a parnter who was suppose to train me, however all he did was putting the packages on the belt with insane speed. We got all the inrregulars, and packages out of the trailer within 35-40 minutes.

The guy, my parnter told me this is the pace we work at. He said the last guy who started working here was trainned by him as well, and quitted in one hour because he can't handle the job. After I did two trailers of unloading with him, it was break time.

After break time, I was partnered with a shorter guy, who looked a little stronger than me, he also worked at insane speed. he taught me that the proper way to get packages from the top is to pull a package from the bottom so everything comes tumbling down(once the things fell on my nose). The person doing the scanning complainted twice about how I work, he tells me that I'm not working fast enough.


I collapsed 30 minutes before finishing my shift. I asked the supervisor if I'm capable of doing this job at all? the supervisor said "don't quit, you're just not used to it yet, come back on monday". my supervisor is a nice guy. I just don't understand my co workers. Why are they all trying to get rid of me? aren't we all in a union? by keeping up with the pace my co workers handle the packages, I cannot practice the safe method on lifting, my back hurts :(



What do you think I should do? stay there and give it a try? or what? I'm working for experience, money is not important to me.
 

IDoLessWorkThanMost

Well-Known Member
Yesterday was my first day at work as a package handler. I was doing the unloading, I only do one shift of 4 hours work. I don't understand why all my co workers dislike me.

At first I was told to unload packages from a trailer, with a parnter who was suppose to train me, however all he did was putting the packages on the belt with insane speed. We got all the inrregulars, and packages out of the trailer within 35-40 minutes.

The guy, my parnter told me this is the pace we work at. He said the last guy who started working here was trainned by him as well, and quitted in one hour because he can't handle the job. After I did two trailers of unloading with him, it was break time.

After break time, I was partnered with a shorter guy, who looked a little stronger than me, he also worked at insane speed. he taught me that the proper way to get packages from the top is to pull a package from the bottom so everything comes tumbling down(once the things fell on my nose). The person doing the scanning complainted twice about how I work, he tells me that I'm not working fast enough.


I collapsed 30 minutes before finishing my shift. I asked the supervisor if I'm capable of doing this job at all? the supervisor said "don't quit, you're just not used to it yet, come back on monday". my supervisor is a nice guy. I just don't understand my co workers. Why are they all trying to get rid of me? aren't we all in a union? by keeping up with the pace my co workers handle the packages, I cannot practice the safe method on lifting, my back hurts :(



What do you think I should do? stay there and give it a try? or what? I'm working for experience, money is not important to me.

Make your trial period. Don't hurt yourself but go quickly and hustle.

After your trial period. Work safely, use loadstands, and work an even pace. There are no numbers that you can be fired for. Do not let supervisors intimidate you to work fast and unsafely. If they harrass you, talk to a shop steward and tell him/her about it. Make it known that you will not hurt yourself nor work unsafely in efforts to get done quickly.

Remember, working fast only reduces your hours and can hurt your body. Surely supervisors and managers benefit from your speed, but don't let them bully you around.

One important thing is that most new hires do not understand that "so and so pieces an hour" is not in any contract and is only numbers that managers go by to rate performance. You cannot be fired for not doing so many pieces as they want.
 

Babagounj

Strength through joy
I'm working for experience, money is not important to me.

What kind of experience are you looking for ?
If you plan to study on becoming a physical therapist, then you are in the right workplace. Broken bodies happen daily . These jobs are killers to your body and soul. The work pace & demand create stress like you will never find anywhere else. Only the few who either love this kind of abuse, or the really dumb survive .
 
What kind of experience are you looking for ?
If you plan to study on becoming a physical therapist, then you are in the right workplace. Broken bodies happen daily . These jobs are killers to your body and soul. The work pace & demand create stress like you will never find anywhere else. Only the few who either love this kind of abuse, or the really dumb survive .


I keep telling my parnter this, man just take it easy it's my first day. but he just say something like"Welcome to UPS", and go even faster. You're right they are really dumb. My first partner was a huge person who have a college education, but he told me he couldn't keep a computer/related job.

The second guy couldn't speak very well, I asked him how the heck do you do twelve hours? He told me he's going to do twelve hours since they needed people. He told me to drink beer before work, I told him "nah my parents would kill me if I drank alcohol". I was surprised at what he told me, what kind of idiot will say out loud that they drink before they work?


I'm a high school graduate, and I'm 21 years old. I decided that work experience might be more important than education. At the end it don't matter what education you have, you'll still need a job eventually. UPS is a good place for a career is it?



Will I ever get to go to another department?I really can't handle package handling for long, my back is killing me, and my fingers got jammed handling stacks of tires.
 
Make your trial period. Don't hurt yourself but go quickly and hustle.

After your trial period. Work safely, use loadstands, and work an even pace. There are no numbers that you can be fired for. Do not let supervisors intimidate you to work fast and unsafely. If they harrass you, talk to a shop steward and tell him/her about it. Make it known that you will not hurt yourself nor work unsafely in efforts to get done quickly.

Remember, working fast only reduces your hours and can hurt your body. Surely supervisors and managers benefit from your speed, but don't let them bully you around.

One important thing is that most new hires do not understand that "so and so pieces an hour" is not in any contract and is only numbers that managers go by to rate performance. You cannot be fired for not doing so many pieces as they want.



The supervisors are really nice people, because it was my first day at work the supervisors came to see if I can do my job correctly. They didn't tell me to work faster, in fact one supervisor didn't said anything even when he saw me slowing down a bit(I was almost at my limit).

Funny thing is, the people treating me poorly, and saying crap to me are the co workers... I don't believe it, they are in the same union, why are they doing this?


One co worker, the person who is only doing the scanning stopped the belt twice, came to me, and said that I was too slow, I needed to keep up the pace with my parnter.
 

Channahon

Well-Known Member
You are 21 years old and working part time job at UPS. If you can handle it you may want to stay. You may also want to get an education, while working part time.

This company may not be for you, as it is very physical work and you are having aches and pains after one day. As far as your co workers/partners I think they are just having some fun with the new guy.
 

Babagounj

Strength through joy
I keep telling my parnter this, man just take it easy it's my first day. but he just say something like"Welcome to UPS", and go even faster. You're right they are really dumb. My first partner was a huge person who have a college education, but he told me he couldn't keep a computer/related job.

The second guy couldn't speak very well, I asked him how the heck do you do twelve hours? He told me he's going to do twelve hours since they needed people. He told me to drink beer before work, I told him "nah my parents would kill me if I drank alcohol". I was surprised at what he told me, what kind of idiot will say out loud that they drink before they work?
I spent most of the 80's doing just that, and after work too.

I'm a high school graduate, and I'm 21 years old. I decided that work experience might be more important than education. At the end it don't matter what education you have, you'll still need a job eventually. UPS is a good place for a career is it?
If you have or plan on getting degree then yes you could have a career here. I would suggest that you look into going full time driving or management support ( not on car supervision ) .



Will I ever get to go to another department?I really can't handle package handling for long, my back is killing me, and my fingers got jammed handling stacks of tires.
 

tieguy

Banned
Make your trial period. Don't hurt yourself but go quickly and hustle.

After your trial period. Work safely, use loadstands, and work an even pace. There are no numbers that you can be fired for. Do not let supervisors intimidate you to work fast and unsafely. If they harrass you, talk to a shop steward and tell him/her about it. Make it known that you will not hurt yourself nor work unsafely in efforts to get done quickly.

you didn't read his post. He said the sup was a nice guy. He said his co-workers are the ones working him to death.
 
you didn't read his post. He said the sup was a nice guy. He said his co-workers are the ones working him to death.


The guy doing the scanning stopped the belt twice. The second time he stopped the belt, he came into the trailer. He said I was too slow, and I'm doing everything wrong.


The supervisor, however, only said nice things to me like "don't give up, you'll get used to it, you can go home early, and try again on monday" I'm just being honest with you.


comparing the two, I say the supervisor is a really nice guy.
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
I would casually mention to the two "co-workers" that I don't work for them, I don't take orders from them and that they should worry about their job and let me worry about mine.
What's in it for these two "co-workers" anyway?
And since when does a new employee have to participate in "rites of passage" dictated by other hourly employees?

I would go to the "really nice guy" supervisor and say that you don't know who these two "co-workers" are or who they think they are but you are doing the best you can and you would appreciate it if they would take their harassment elsewhere.
 

IDoLessWorkThanMost

Well-Known Member
you didn't read his post. He said the sup was a nice guy. He said his co-workers are the ones working him to death.

Don't play this game Tieguy.

You know as a fact that it's the supervisors that instill unresasonable expectations of speed and "pulling down walls" and rushing to get done early.

Did you read his post? He claimed that one co-woker pulls boxes from underneath the load "cascading" everything down. You have nothing to say, Tieguy? That this is inappropriate, dangerous, and plain and simple wrong? And you call yourself a manager, someone with integrity? Laughable!

And you won't address this; instead you come back with that?

All of these newer employees get peaches and cream ( even I years ago) from supervisors when they see people hurrying dangerously to unload trailers


After he makes book, adn he's not pushing out 1500/hr from the trailers, those same sups will not be such nice guys.

This is the nature of the beast and undisputable.

To the author; work safely and effectively and rememeber this- management is only on your side if you break the rules, break the contract, work unsafely and push out numbers (pieces per minute) that are above average (and not an AVERAGE instilled by an average worker; an average that management instilled that is still a red-line on personal performance!). Once that disappears (average or below), and you are a permanent employee, they won't be so nice anymore!
 

MR_Vengeance

United Parcel Survivor
The supervisors are really nice people, because it was my first day at work the supervisors came to see if I can do my job correctly. They didn't tell me to work faster, in fact one supervisor didn't said anything even when he saw me slowing down a bit(I was almost at my limit).

Funny thing is, the people treating me poorly, and saying crap to me are the co workers... I don't believe it, they are in the same union, why are they doing this?


One co worker, the person who is only doing the scanning stopped the belt twice, came to me, and said that I was too slow, I needed to keep up the pace with my parnter.

your co-workers are bunch of dumb crack weed smoking teens, don't let them set you up like that. They are just picking on you, trying to get you to quit since you are so damn green. If you ever want to joint the military, UPS is a great place to start. If you wanna be a driver for UPS, bring some KY jelly and let the time pass until the day you get the call. BTW, please stop using the word "supervisor" and "nice" in the same sentence , it's just too funny ........:wink2:
 
I would casually mention to the two "co-workers" that I don't work for them, I don't take orders from them and that they should worry about their job and let me worry about mine.
What's in it for these two "co-workers" anyway?
And since when does a new employee have to participate in "rites of passage" dictated by other hourly employees?

I would go to the "really nice guy" supervisor and say that you don't know who these two "co-workers" are or who they think they are but you are doing the best you can and you would appreciate it if they would take their harassment elsewhere.


I pray to god that I don't have to go through with the "rites of passage" tomorrow. I hope my days in the future will be easier. I don't have the guts to say anything to the supervisor about the way my co workers talks to me.

If only I have an unloading partner who's more like you. MY LIFE WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER. I think the same way you do, I don't see how it benefits my co workers if they get rid of me. It just makes no sense. They're evil.
 
When I woke up this morning, not only did my back hurt, but my foot feels sore too. my foot didn't felt any pain yesterday, but now I have trouble walking.

I got to honestly say, working as a package handler is quite an experience. In my life, I never experienced what's it like to be a slave. I'll think of this as a history lesson. Now I truely understand how it feels to be a slave in ancient Rome. I don't have to watch the discovery channel about slaves in ancient rome to learn about them, because I'll be getting the education again tomorrow.


If I make it back alive from tomorrow's shift. I'll tell you guys about it.
 

Fnix

Well-Known Member
Your body will get used to it man. You are aiming for a bullseye but you wont hit it the first time. Over time you will.

Secondly your co-workers are dumbasses for pulling the walls out from the bottom. It it dangerous and harder since you have to pick up the boxes all over again and also find the labels over again. Sounds like they are the newbies here.
 

tieguy

Banned
Don't play this game Tieguy.

You know as a fact that it's the supervisors that instill unresasonable expectations of speed and "pulling down walls" and rushing to get done early.

Did you read his post? He claimed that one co-woker pulls boxes from underneath the load "cascading" everything down. You have nothing to say, Tieguy? That this is inappropriate, dangerous, and plain and simple wrong? And you call yourself a manager, someone with integrity? Laughable!

And you won't address this; instead you come back with that?

All of these newer employees get peaches and cream ( even I years ago) from supervisors when they see people hurrying dangerously to unload trailers


After he makes book, adn he's not pushing out 1500/hr from the trailers, those same sups will not be such nice guys.

This is the nature of the beast and undisputable.

To the author; work safely and effectively and rememeber this- management is only on your side if you break the rules, break the contract, work unsafely and push out numbers (pieces per minute) that are above average (and not an AVERAGE instilled by an average worker; an average that management instilled that is still a red-line on personal performance!). Once that disappears (average or below), and you are a permanent employee, they won't be so nice anymore!

I'm sorry all of that does not change the point that you did not read the mans post. He said the coworkers were the mean ones and the sup was the nice guy.
 

Leftinbuilding

Well-Known Member
You might want to keep in mind that these guys unloading beside you are probably newbys themselves. Very few stay in the unload one day longer than they have to. They are trying to make an impression and seem to think that making you look bad helps them. Just hang in there. You will work yourself into "UPS Shape" in a few days.
 
My shift starts in about an hour. I can barely take a step without intense pain. I feel like a crippled person, everytime my left foot touches the floor it hurts. I cannot use my left foot.

I pray, and hope that I make it through today.
 
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