Got the job. I have a few questions now.

anonymous4

Well-Known Member
Unloading is not more physically demanding. I'm one of the best at both and loading (PUTTING **** UP) is more physically demanding than TEARING IT DOWN. Common sense on that one. Both suck, but being in a bad load is hard to top for ****ty positions @ UPS.
 

cosmo1

Perhaps.
Staff member
The REAL problem is that those "little people" don't care for themselves. The part-timers could own and run the Union and dictate their own pay just by the simple fact that they overwhelmingly outnumber the full-timers.

Unfortunately, 99.8% of them don't go to Union meetings and are basically non-participants in any Union business.

Just to surprise a lot of the new people around here, Jim Casey (know who he was?), invited the Teamsters to represent his employees.
 
Unfortunately the Union has gotten greedy. If they don't change their ways and how much they want to charge the part timers for their dues they will be obsolete. Out of all the states 23 are right to work. The union needs to wake up or they will be gone. That may be good, may be bad- Depends on how they handle themselves. Most part timers in my building are not Union and have no plan on becoming union. Most can't wait for the old timers to get out of there. Especially the ones that think that since they are Union and have been there 30+ years they don't have to do their full jobs. The thought of the Union is good, but slightly outdated. If they really did care they would listen to the part-timers and help to build the foundation of the next generation of workers.
 

Earion

Member
Hi, I got the job as a permanent package handler and have a few questions. One is about signing up for the Union. Is the union worth it? What does signing with the Union offer? How much money will they take out? Secondly, I'm working the midnight shift. I get to chose between loader and unloader. For someone who's not in good fitness shape at the time, which of the two would it be least tough to adapt to physically starting off? I have to decide on the two topics by tomorrow so any help/tips would be appreciated. Thanks for the help.


Regarding union: I was hired as a peak employee and hired on perm in January. I was told the union rep would let me know when I could join. I was approached by the shop steward with paper work sometime in February maybe. I had to pay 205.00 initiation fee up-front. I was told joining the union was non-negotiable. I was told if I did not join, I would probably be pressured into quitting or fired. The last time I worked in a union shop was for AT&T over 25 years ago. I was in a closed shop which meant you were a member and had to pay dues whether you participated or not. I assumed I was again in a closed shop. Union dues of 21.00 a month are taken out of my paycheck, usually the third week. Union membership was sold to me because of the benefits, health and life etc.. I already have very good health insurance through my wife so that was not an issue really for me.

Now.. Where I get peeved about all this: Back dues were taken out of my pay dating back to my initial (temp) hire date of October 2011. None of the union rights were afforded me during that time, but four months later I had to pay for four months of union membership. I would only get benefit coverage if I worked a certain number of hours for each quarter. If I did not work those hours, no coverage. I would need to average apx 17.5 hours a week, or the so called guaranteed 3.5 hours a night in order to get those benefit coverages. I am lucky if I get ten hours a week at my shop.
 

working up a sweat

Well-Known Member
In my local, we are guaranteed 4 hours credit toward health and pension every time we punch in. Some people in my hub average only 7 hours a week and get full medical bennies and pension credit for 20 hours worked. I work in an air hub, no guaranteed 3.5 hours pay. You get paid for actual hours worked.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately the Union has gotten greedy. If they don't change their ways and how much they want to charge the part timers for their dues they will be obsolete. Out of all the states 23 are right to work. The union needs to wake up or they will be gone. That may be good, may be bad- Depends on how they handle themselves. Most part timers in my building are not Union and have no plan on becoming union. Most can't wait for the old timers to get out of there. Especially the ones that think that since they are Union and have been there 30+ years they don't have to do their full jobs. The thought of the Union is good, but slightly outdated. If they really did care they would listen to the part-timers and help to build the foundation of the next generation of workers.

If the union goes those PT will be making even less..... Pick your poison. You can't have your cake and eat it too....
 
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