Is PAS the Union buster?

[dilligaf]

They won't implement PAS in our building. There is not enough room for the computers and there is not enough room on the property to add on to the building.

T B

this is the exact reason why we don't have PAS either!!!!!!!!

 

[IWorkAsDirected]

I am in mgt and the PAS Coordinator for a district out west.

In all discussions I have been involved in, and in all presentations that I have recieved, PAS as a union buster has never been mentioned.

It is a system that if set up and maintained properly (and it is alot of work) it will determine the most efficient and effective routes possible. Where it is set up and maintained properly, the system IS saving that center significant costs, especially in miles.

The vision of PAS continues as part of UPSs overall plan to track each package from the moment of pickup through each step of it's travel until it is delivered. Some of those steps are missing. However, as it currently stands, it is far above anything our competitors have. If and when FedEx unionizes, they will either have to do something like PAS, or driver costs will become so high they cannot afford to remain in business. Other competitors that do not deliver the large volume of pkgs that we do still can get away with inefficient delivery processes.

As an FYI, in our district, we actively encourage drivers to sit down with the PDSs in the center to discuss better trace in their routes. Where this is done, the majority of drivers have found it very beneficial.

Hope this helps. Service Providers are the most important part of this company. To keep it successful, we are going to need to work together. This goes for both sides.

From reading about others' experiences as well as what we are going through, I am dumbfounded at your post. PAS costs a fortune in overtime, lost time, service failures, and miles. You must be in some kind of fantasyland.

 

[dannyboy]

The problem here with PAS is that while some of the drivers were able to input information, management here largely ignored what was offered. It was we will do it our way, by the map, and the way it looks good on the computer, and that is it. The driver has very little lattitude to make decisions on their own. And as a result, several routes have been added, the paid day is up, and customer service really has taken a hit.

Its pretty easy for someone behind a screen to make changes, but how those changes effect the real world.......

And of course, as has been mentioned, the routes, which had been relooped about 3 years ago at much cost and service failures, had to be relooped once again, causeing more issues with service. This service loss to the customer has played right into the arms of the postal service and fedex.

Pas is just one technology that will make area knowledge something of the past. With the other technologies, anyone can be trained in delivery within a day or so, and the system will keep management from having to cross train. One version has a windshield that actually has a "map/photo" of the area you are driving through, much like you get when you use Google street level. It will tell you which corner to take, and the house, along with any special delivery information will be highllighted.

While it can be used in the event that the drivers decide to walk off the job during a strike, that is not the reason it was created.

But if you think about it, strikes are very much outdated methods of protest. It hurts the workforce much more than it does the company. Especially the newer drivers and those trying to get into driving.

Commitment by management to do it the right way, input from the drivers that actually do the job, with the whole process being customer focused. Anything that is totally focused inward might look good on paper, but will cost us business.

Just my thoughts.

d

 

[UgotStabekiddinPeople]

from a Preload sup's view point, no one seems to be pushing anyone to pay attention to the union anymore. They just put 20-30 people low senority on ALO, tryin to save on money. The PAS system works well in its ways, it takes the skill out and the speed in as a preloader.

i hate it over all, it causes way way too many LIB's (left in buildings). u have the classic example of 101 East 4th st. on the shipping lable and 101 West 4th street on the pal lable. the loader is trained to match last 4 numbers of the tracking. they match, they go on the drivers route. the driver then comes in 5 minutes before he leaves and see's it in his board, realizes it doesnt go to him. he sets it behind his truck, leaves. the chances of me actually getting this down to the cleck, scanned and corrected, taken to the right route all before that other route leaves is slim. this happens at least sixty times a day in my hub.

 

[westsideworma]

from a Preload sup's view point, no one seems to be pushing anyone to pay attention to the union anymore. They just put 20-30 people low senority on ALO, tryin to save on money. The PAS system works well in its ways, it takes the skill out and the speed in as a preloader.

i hate it over all, it causes way way too many LIB's (left in buildings). u have the classic example of 101 East 4th st. on the shipping lable and 101 West 4th street on the pal lable. the loader is trained to match last 4 numbers of the tracking. they match, they go on the drivers route. the driver then comes in 5 minutes before he leaves and see's it in his board, realizes it doesnt go to him. he sets it behind his truck, leaves. the chances of me actually getting this down to the cleck, scanned and corrected, taken to the right route all before that other route leaves is slim. this happens at least sixty times a day in my hub.

While I agree with a lot of what you say, I don't think its that much faster. They want people pulling ever single PAL at my building. That extra second or two to get that PAL pulled adds up over the course of 800-1200 packages. My manager doesn't seem to think so, he knows everything of course (lol), but I loaded for 3 years before becoming a supe so I know he's full of it whether he thinks so or not.

 

[mattwtrs]

My manager doesn't seem to think so, he knows everything of course (lol), but I loaded for 3 years before becoming a supe so I know he's full of it whether he thinks so or not.

wedtsideworma; Did you look at his eyes and see that they were brown and then you knew for sure he was full of it? Did his people skills confirm your suspicion? Have a nice weekend!

 

[looper804]

PAS definetly makes it easier to load the trucks.Is it a Union buster,I say no.When PAS was installed in our facility routes were broken up and divided.Regardless of seniority you got what they gave you.If you were #1 in seniority and the guy next to you was #50 he may have got the cream of your route when it was divided and you couldn't do anything about it.So Union buster no,a way to get around seniority-perhaps.

 

[1989]

While I agree with a lot of what you say, I don't think its that much faster. They want people pulling ever single PAL at my building. That extra second or two to get that PAL pulled adds up over the course of 800-1200 packages. My manager doesn't seem to think so, he knows everything of course (lol), but I loaded for 3 years before becoming a supe so I know he's full of it whether he thinks so or not.

It's quicker than the 10-15 seconds it might take to look up an address on an alpha chart, find the seq range on the load diagram, and wright the sequence number on the package. It turns a skilled labor job into an unskilled labor job.

 

[IWorkAsDirected]

PAS definetly makes it easier to load the trucks.Is it a Union buster,I say no.When PAS was installed in our facility routes were broken up and divided.Regardless of seniority you got what they gave you.If you were #1 in seniority and the guy next to you was #50 he may have got the cream of your route when it was divided and you couldn't do anything about it.So Union buster no,a way to get around seniority-perhaps.

I'm thinking, if there is a strike next contract it would make it possible for the company to continue deliveries without driver knowledge.

 

[rod]

I'm thinking, if there is a strike next contract it would make it possible for the company to continue deliveries without driver knowledge.

Oh oh---------there's that S word again and there's still 5 or 6 years left on the contract?

 

[trickpony1]

I'm thinking, if there is a strike next contract it would make it possible for the company to continue deliveries without driver knowledge.

.....if there is a next contract and if our union doesn't sell us down the river again.

 

[govols019]

It's quicker than the 10-15 seconds it might take to look up an address on an alpha chart, find the seq range on the load diagram, and wright the sequence number on the package. It turns a skilled labor job into an unskilled labor job.

What you say is true only if a preloader is new to the trucks he is loading. After a few days the alpha chart is just a pretty decoration hanging on the back of the truck.

 

[PDS]

PAS is to leverage technology that we currently collect daily to provide the best service. Also don't think someone who makes $10.00 per hour and no benefits would be motivated to fill your shoes in a NY minute. The technology will catch them up pretty darn fast....solution is not to strike.....good luck

 

[ImpactedTSG]

Actually , from a management standpoint, Id be a little more worried than a union employee/

That is a simple yet excellent statement. The packages will never deliver themselves so drives will always be necessary. So that just leaves management, administrative, and technical employees to trim when they want to save money. It's already started to, BD and the helpdesks consolidated and downsized, TSG cut back on staff, the East Coast Region dissolved, managers that once oversaw one district are now asked to manage more than one district. That leaves the supervisors left to handle more of the day to day stuff and the number of sups is also shrinking.

 

[browniehound]

That is a simple yet excellent statement. The packages will never deliver themselves so drives will always be necessary. So that just leaves management, administrative, and technical employees to trim when they want to save money. It's already started to, BD and the helpdesks consolidated and downsized, TSG cut back on staff, the East Coast Region dissolved, managers that once oversaw one district are now asked to manage more than one district. That leaves the supervisors left to handle more of the day to day stuff and the number of sups is also shrinking.

In my center we just went from 4 on-car sups. to 6 in the last year.

 

[ImpactedTSG]

In my center we just went from 4 on-car sups. to 6 in the last year.

That's probably due to the extra PAS roles. TSG in my old district went from 1 manager, 5 sups, and a specialist to a 1/2 manager (split between two districts and three sups.

 

[freeloader]

That's probably due to the extra PAS roles. TSG in my old district went from 1 manager, 5 sups, and a specialist to a 1/2 manager (split between two districts and three sups.

I learned that my old manager is now running TSG in 2 districts as well and the sup head count went down (PE, Automotive, Security and other departments are doing the same thing). I predict they will start consolidating tech assignments between the 2 districts soon to cut the tech head count down.

 

[trplnkl]

Cutting back on what makes an 8 hour day then loading up routes to the max everyday is very effectively cutting back on drivers. If you don't believe that just ask some of the cover drivers that used to deliver everyday and are now having to work inside to try and earn a living. That doesn't even take into account for the PTers misplaced by the cover drivers.