Going Postal

[area43]

The post office has a history of shootings in the work place. Thus the phrase "Going Postal" has been instilled in our pop culture. What I find to be interesting, is that they(The Postal authorithy) claim that the violence in the work place is caused by pressure and stress. We here at UPS, I believe have the same amount or more pressure and stress(we handle pounds,they handle ounces,lol). Seriously, but to my knowledge we have not had the shooting or killings that they have experienced in the work place. This is my opinion and observation(so I could stand to be corrected) of UPS mgt on how they avoid such a dangerous situation. I assume in their training that they are told to push the envelope(in a disciplinary case), Then fall back or even retreat in some cases where the employee might so signs of becoming irrational or mentally unstable(in the disciplinary case). The last stage, Mgt than takes on a more reconcilable approach(example:Hi how are you doing?friendly,positive). A break the ice, type of thing. Mgt and hourlies of this site, what is your answer to why UPS does not have the type of work place violence as the Post Office does?

 

[GuyinBrown]

The fact that we have to pass through a metal detector and open up our lunch boxes for the guard might have a little something to do with it too...

 

[upsgrunt]

Might also be that everybody's just too damn tired to do anything!!

 

[Griff]

Might also be that everybody's just too damn tired to do anything!!

 

[RockyRogue]

I assume in their training that they are told to push the envelope(in a disciplinary case), Then fall back or even retreat in some cases where the employee might so signs of becoming irrational or mentally unstable(in the disciplinary case). The last stage, Mgt than takes on a more reconcilable approach(example:Hi how are you doing?friendly,positive). A break the ice, type of thing. Mgt and hourlies of this site, what is your answer to why UPS does not have the type of work place violence as the Post Office does?

This would make sense to a certain extent. I was written up once during my first UPS stint. My boss gave me a lecture about the importance of sorting packages to the proper belts to make service, etc, etc. I half listened, pretty p*ssed at myself for having screwed up. Not even fifteen minutes later, the guy came up and started playing what I still call "good buddy games." He was acting like nothing had happened or that he was my best friend! I caught on in a hurry. I looked at the guy right behind him, shaking his head as he sorted packaged. I screamed, "Door X!! SHUT IT OFFFF!!! NOWWWWW!" The unloader came to the rear of the trailer at a sprint and cocked his head to the side, asking an implied question of what was wrong. I waved him back. My boss had been sorting a package at the time I told the unloader to turn it off. He asked, "Why did you...?" My eyebrows slammed together and I said, "X, get the H*LL away from me! I'm not in the mood!" He spun smartly on his heel and walked away. Didn't bother me the rest of the night. I wasn't showing signs of being mentally unstable or anything like it. I just didn't want to play his games. Next night, came in and it was like no write-up had ever been issued. Never had another problem. Indeed, we became great friends. -Rocky

 

[toonertoo]

The fact that we have to pass through a metal detector and open up our lunch boxes for the guard might have a little something to do with it too...

Not all places have those, we dont
And being too tired to fight may be a good one also.

UPS keeping negativity out of the news may be another

I think (pat on the back to all of us) we are a higher standard of employee. Mgmt and hourly included. Most with degrees or higher education. And have learned how to deal with stress and anxiety better. We do it all day, every shift. PT/FT. We arent basically hotheads, we have a degree of protection, that I dont think USPS have. Remember they are run by the govt, and how much protection do any of us have from say any govt agency? They probably have less.
Most postal stories stem from involvement with each other or unfair terminations (at least in their minds) OUr system for the most part is set on seniority, so not too much grey area. We dont all spend too much time together, and as we have learned on the road, we can get through 5 minutes of anybodies bullcrap, and say CYA. Bad customer, deal with it, and hope you dont see them for a few days. Working side by side with someone you have a conflict with would be harder. I would have to leave anywhere that I worked where I felt working with someone could possibly incarcerate me. I think mentality here is the thing in question. Will tomorrow be better if you shoot 5 employees, who p***ed you off, then kill yourself? Not much satisfaction in your days work there. Probably not the right answer. How about tell them to go to H***, go home and tomorrow is a better day?JMHO

 

[trickpony1]

do you think there is a reason the grievance panel decisions that used to be given while the grievant and his/her BA were present in the room are now faxed back to the grievant's local after everyone has gone home?

 

[Sammie]

Area,

Funny you should bring this up. Going a step beyond the "Goin' Postal" comment you made, I've had room mates, relatives, neighbors and co workers who currently work or have worked for the Post Office and what I've seen and heard from the '60's on regarding the USPS pretty much blows the lid off of what a sane person would consider normal.

And in comparison, I've also come across just a few UPSers
in my many years here but nothing I saw or heard at UPS compares to the Post Office shenanigans.....

There's lots of pressure among mail carriers because there are no replacement drivers. If one or more carrier in an area doesn't show up for work, the other carriers absorb the volume. Last winter in our area there were a lot of slips, falls and fractures among the mailmen due to homeowners not keeping up with shoveling snow and for about three weeks, in between our weekly Whopper snow storms, my neighbors and I received mail about every 3 days. The guys just couldn't keep up. We as customers understood, but that would be hateful for the mail people.

USPS is teaming with folks having affairs with each other but I won't even go there. I could write a book about some of my Postal ex room mates and relatives and all their "goings on" but somebody would read it and have me locked up.

I heard about incredible drug use while they worked in the mail facilities and how folks would go out to the parking lot at lunch to smoke a doobie or to continue that affair in their car...

Any many, many suicides. I knew of one suicide (not to say there weren't more, of course) in all my years at UPS.

My mouth would drop open a little bit more and more as time went on from what I heard. We, UPS and USPS, are both in the same industry and our facilities are much the same. And we both withstand enormous amounts of pressure.

I'm no Pollyanna and I know people misbehave, but come on.

Area, your question is also the same one I've been wondering about for years...

 

[wadep]

Up here in northern Canada, we have drivers running into moose. We don' go postal, we commit moose murder

 

[DS]

The post office was the first good job I ever had but I had to quit...because nobody wanted to work...they were teaching me how to build a false wall in a trailer to make it look like it was half full...taking off 20 minutes early to go to the bar at lunch...my dad said I was nuts to quit.But I did.15 jobs later
here I am at ups...and I like the fairdays work for a fair days pay...no false walls here.

 

[rod]

I think everybody at one time or another has had the urge to choke the snot out of one of their sups or managers (yes even a fellow hourly also) but those feelings seems to pass come around payday. Usually it's the younger guys that are the hotheads. The longer you have been around the more you develop a sense of humor along with an "I don't give a crap" attitude because you realize there ain't nothing you can do to change the Brown Machine. Work by the methods- collect your pay and one day bingo- retirement! Life is good.

 

[hoser]

you think UPS controls the media, or has any sort of influence into the media? ahahahahahaha.

if that's so, why the hell are there articles from the Mobile Alabama Journal about a sleazy employee that got busted for racketeering after stealing post-it notes from packages during his lunch break?

 

[Channahon]

The vast majority of UPS management and hourly treat each other with respect. Holding ourselves accountable to the contract and UPS standards. This is itself provides for a safe workplace.

We all know our roles, we do the job to the best of our ability through teamwork. As much as we sometimes, feel there is no teamwork, there is, otherwise we would not be servicing our customers at the levels that we provide.

UPS also has Violence in the Workplace training, along with a Threat Response Team.

The Violence in the Workplace training is very comprehesive and and takes at least 1/2 day. The Threat Response Team role is, if a catastrophic event occurred, to provide all resources necessary to bring the workplace back to normal.

That is also why violence in the workplace is not taken lightly at UPS. Threats amongst employees are taken seriously. Some times employees get their jobs back and other times terminations can occur.

 

[beatupbrown]

I think it has more to do with the fact that UPS was always run as a military camp.
The USPS was kicked back type of atmosphere talk to your customers no rush no numbers to meet.
USPS is under pressure to meets numbers now, with folks who have worked there many years and freak out at the new way of doing things.

 

[upsdude]

Probably a couple reasons...............

IE has yet to study and provide a time allowance for workplace shootings.

How would the time be coded out?

Finally, we try at all cost to NEVER EVER work off the clock.







Disclaimer: The above is written as satire and in no way condones workplace violence. Besides, I don’t know anyone at work that’s worth going to jail over.

 

[dillweed]

...how to build a false wall in a trailer to make it look like it was half full....

Back when I was preloading they slammed the heck out one of my drivers every day. I used to finish his truck up by making it look full but there was a hole in the middle.

Sup eventually caught on but driver and I had lots of laughs over it.

Anyway, the job is very high stress but we're working it off. Tape guns and yes, even boxes get slammed but it sure beats popping a co-worker.

 

[hoser]

The vast majority of UPS management and hourly treat each other with respect. Holding ourselves accountable to the contract and UPS standards. This is itself provides for a safe workplace.

We all know our roles, we do the job to the best of our ability through teamwork. As much as we sometimes, feel there is no teamwork, there is, otherwise we would not be servicing our customers at the levels that we provide.

UPS also has Violence in the Workplace training, along with a Threat Response Team.

The Violence in the Workplace training is very comprehesive and and takes at least 1/2 day. The Threat Response Team role is, if a catastrophic event occurred, to provide all resources necessary to bring the workplace back to normal.

That is also why violence in the workplace is not taken lightly at UPS. Threats amongst employees are taken seriously. Some times employees get their jobs back and other times terminations can occur.

 

[area43]

Area,

Funny you should bring this up. Going a step beyond the "Goin' Postal" comment you made, I've had room mates, relatives, neighbors and co workers who currently work or have worked for the Post Office and what I've seen and heard from the '60's on regarding the USPS pretty much blows the lid off of what a sane person would consider normal.

And in comparison, I've also come across just a few UPSers
in my many years here but nothing I saw or heard at UPS compares to the Post Office shenanigans.....

There's lots of pressure among mail carriers because there are no replacement drivers. If one or more carrier in an area doesn't show up for work, the other carriers absorb the volume. Last winter in our area there were a lot of slips, falls and fractures among the mailmen due to homeowners not keeping up with shoveling snow and for about three weeks, in between our weekly Whopper snow storms, my neighbors and I received mail about every 3 days. The guys just couldn't keep up. We as customers understood, but that would be hateful for the mail people.

USPS is teaming with folks having affairs with each other but I won't even go there. I could write a book about some of my Postal ex room mates and relatives and all their "goings on" but somebody would read it and have me locked up.

I heard about incredible drug use while they worked in the mail facilities and how folks would go out to the parking lot at lunch to smoke a doobie or to continue that affair in their car...

Any many, many suicides. I knew of one suicide (not to say there weren't more, of course) in all my years at UPS.

My mouth would drop open a little bit more and more as time went on from what I heard. We, UPS and USPS, are both in the same industry and our facilities are much the same. And we both withstand enormous amounts of pressure.

I'm no Pollyanna and I know people misbehave, but come on.

Area, your question is also the same one I've been wondering about for years...

Funny how things work out sometimes. Today I happen to meet up with one of our newer drivers at a convience store. I Never really had a chance to talk to him before. I told him about the thread I wrote and he said he had worked for the post office for 3 years, before coming to UPS. Sammie, he mentioned alot of the same things you mentioned in your post. He also admits, the work is harder at UPS, but that out weights any of the Pyscho problems at usps. Too many politics and not enough work getting done.

 

[BCFan]

Probably a couple reasons...............

IE has yet to study and provide a time allowance for workplace shootings.

How would the time be coded out?

Finally, we try at all cost to NEVER EVER work off the clock.

code that out as 38 special under other workBC





Disclaimer: The above is written as satire and in no way condones workplace violence. Besides, I don’t know anyone at work that’s worth going to jail over.

 

[1989]

In my old center in 2002 a prelaoder murdered another preloader. I think it was over drugs though. They were friends, one was missing for a week or two, then one morning the cops came in and arrested the other. He never came back.