Is UPS really this bad to work for, or are people exaggerating??

[Ms Spoken]

...... Drivers on this board is this true? Would you rather have a tight load (mostly sequenced stop for stop as space allows as well) with a misload now and then (every other day or two or so) or no misloads and a big mess of boxes down the middle of your truck everyday? I am honestly curious.

For me a tight load is not one of my top concerns, yes it would be nice but lets get real it will never happen. All I ask of my loader is to hit the correct shelf in halfway order. As for that one misload yes I have a HUGE problem with it. That one misload most of the time will cost me one hour to run and thats one more hour I do not get to spend with my family. So lets do the math. 1misload x 40miles @ 6 mpg(Gas Hog) at 1 1/2 drivers wage = way to much $$$ being spent on a resi that could have waited till tomorrow but, we do not have missed pkgs. So that customer that had to pay lets say around $7.00 to ship this box ended up costing UPS how much money for me to run?
I'm not metro so all my misloads are a huge burden on my route.

 

[tieguy]

I know I am being a bit sarcastic, but my point is that I think it is a stretch to compare the 1940's or even the 1980's to what the reality of UPS is now.
Some things are better, some are not. I personally think the operation reports are a useful tool if the folks setting the bar had a clue. We had time studies done here a few months ago and they were done by those educated ones that have never delivered a package in their young life. They rode with us for one day and counted our steps. I want that job.

you totally missed the point.

 

[cpio]

Does sexism run rampant? I don't know about that, but I have heard a few colorful comments about the anatomy of some of my more attractive female co-workers. Every workplace is like that. Does the work stink? Frequently. Management? Some of the managers think they are drill instructors, just like everywhere else.

 

[diehard]

Dude its a great place to work and the only people that say its not are the people that don't work hard, care about their job, or feel they are passed over for a job. So take that job work hard and do what people tell you and you will love your job make great money and have a long career that will be rewarding and fun. It can be tough at times no doubt but what job is tough. Just do not listen to the neg, people. That are why this company gets bad rap. Good luck in your career.

 

[upsguysavannah]

Dude its a great place to work and the only people that say its not are the people that don't work hard, care about their job, or feel they are passed over for a job. So take that job work hard and do what people tell you and you will love your job make great money and have a long career that will be rewarding and fun. It can be tough at times no doubt but what job is tough. Just do not listen to the neg, people. That are why this company gets bad rap. Good luck in your career.

I second that, diehard... the biggest complainers are the laziest ones. Just do your job as you are asked to... and appreciate the income and benefits that most workers in this country don't enjoy. Stop the whining.

 

[Kramer'sTongue]

I second that, diehard... the biggest complainers are the laziest ones. Just do your job as you are asked to... and appreciate the income and benefits that most workers in this country don't enjoy. Stop the whining.

I hated the complainers and whiners, too, at one time. Later in my UPS career, I realized that they aren't such bad people. They are just people who cannot or will not be pleased with the environment at UPS. They are almost like new atheist locked in a church full of the righteous. The more you listen to them, the more they enrage you. Then again, you listen enough, an the whole god-thing seems a little farfetched, too.

Truth is, the complainers fall into a couple of categories; the lazy ones, you spoke of, and those that see that UPS has real issues.

We can all come to work, put in a 100% effort, enjoy the pay and benefits and go home daily without ever questioning a thing. In fact, we the drug companies actually come up with a pill to produce this same effect, you can bet big companies like UPS will buy it all and put in the drinking water.

Fact is, UPS is a big company with a lot of hourly and management people who, by god only knows why, keep their job from day to day and year to year.

In my experience, UPS is a bad place to work, but a great place to receive pay and benefits from. Otherwords, I would shovel for the same money, but I probably would like it even less than UPS. So it all comes down to a matter of tolerance and settling. You and I have settled for a step above shoveling. Other at UPS see it as a great company with a lot of promise that never really rises much above shoveling.

I have worked for a number of companies and, yes, UPS is worst place I have worked. It does have so much promise. It does pay so well. It does give benefits that are so good. But, it ain't a great place to be.

A homeless person can get three hots and a cot in jail, but I bet he doesn't find this a great place to be. Just because you are being taken care of, doesn't mean the caregiver is a good person/entity.

 

[Bulkstop]

I've been a member of this forum community for two days now, as a result of starting a part-time position as a driver helper next week.

And I was just curious from reading most of the posts, is UPS really as horrible as people make it out to be?

Some of the things I've seen people say:
1. You don't get paid overtime.
2. You work 13 hours a day.
3. You have to work part-time doing backbreaking work as a preloader for years before you get a position in management or as a driver.
4. Supervisor's rule their stations with an iron fist and threaten people with false accusations.
5. Sexism is rampart.
6. You can be "on call" for months, meanwhile you are expected to call in every single day just to see if any work is available for you.
7. You retire with a blown back, bad knees, and in poor health.
8. A much higher than average divorce rate attributed to being a UPS employee.
9. If you get in an accident you are fired no questions asked.
10. Blackmail.
11. Mental anquish.
12. Etc, etc.


Also, I visted the website Vault: The Most Trusted Name in Career Information and looked up "UPS". This website is great for a job seeker, because you get to see what employees of a company have to say about working for this company. For UPS, most of the comments are horrendous....let me quote a few:

"UPS allows and encourages it's center managers to push, degrade, humiliate, find fault"

"Unfair treatment, overwork not rewarded, for hard work we are asked to perform 100% each and everyday"

"Most unprofessional place I ever worked, run like a prison."

"A horrific experience probably equivalent to Iraq (without the blood and gore). Not fun at all."

"Non-stop stress, upper management is never satisfied with anyone's performance, no matter how good your center's performance is".

"Very bad all around"



From what I have read about UPS in the last two days of researching the company, my stomach feels sick. Should I look elsewhere and not start next week? Or are the comments I am reading from a very minor percentage of UPS employees?

1. You get overtime pay for any time worked over 8 hours on any given day. For example, if you worked 9 hours on Monday and didn't work any more that week, you would be paid for 8 hours of straight time and 1 hour of overtime.

2. Not likely. During Peak, or "Safety Season", you can see 12 hour days. The rest of the year you'll average 10 to 11 hrs.

3. It depends on your location. At my hub, part-timers are going into driving after 6 months or less! (This is extremely rare. We're in a very high growth area.)

4. Some managers are worse than others. Do your job and they're not likely to bother you. Once you learn what motivates them, you'll get better at playing their game. If you do feel you're being personally harrassed, however, speak with your union steward.

5. In an organization as large as UPS I'm sure it exists. I've not personally witnessed or heard of any sexual harrassment.

6. I'm not aware of anyone being in this situation.

7. A blown back and bad knees are definite possibilities. Your overall health on the other hand, should be better than average due to a lifetime of physical activity.

8. The divorce rate in general in the U.S. is high. Long hours will warrent some adjustments in your personal life but if your relationship is strong your marrage will survive. (I will be married for 25 years this year.)

9. Only for certain types of accidents. For most accidents you must have 3 within a 12 month period to put your job in jepardy.

10. ?

11. Only if you allow it to happen. You're in control of your own mental attitude.

12. All jobs have positives and negatives. The pay is fair, the work is steady and the health benefits are excellent. The work is hard, the stress level can be high and you occasionally have to deal with jerks, both within and without the company. Try it out. If you can deal with it stick around. If you find it intollerable, move on. One of my favorite quotes about this job is "anybody can do it, but not everybody can do it."

 

[hoser]

...... Drivers on this board is this true? Would you rather have a tight load (mostly sequenced stop for stop as space allows as well) with a misload now and then (every other day or two or so) or no misloads and a big mess of boxes down the middle of your truck everyday? I am honestly curious.

For me a tight load is not one of my top concerns, yes it would be nice but lets get real it will never happen. All I ask of my loader is to hit the correct shelf in halfway order. As for that one misload yes I have a HUGE problem with it. That one misload most of the time will cost me one hour to run and thats one more hour I do not get to spend with my family. So lets do the math. 1misload x 40miles @ 6 mpg(Gas Hog) at 1 1/2 drivers wage = way to much $$$ being spent on a resi that could have waited till tomorrow but, we do not have missed pkgs. So that customer that had to pay lets say around $7.00 to ship this box ended up costing UPS how much money for me to run?
I'm not metro so all my misloads are a huge burden on my route.

You're right.

Here's the thing, however:
You work in a fordist model or production. Like an employee in an auto plant whose job for 30 years is to put a decal on the hood of a truck and nothing else, your job is to drive and deliver. Nothing else. Not to think, not to industrially engineer, not to find ways to do your job right. You're to work as directed. Let the industrial engineers catch onto this. If you try to correct things yourself (like many other drivers are), nothing positive is going to change on the pre-load side.

Feel better?

 

[dammor]

you totally missed the point.

Tie, please enlighten me.

 

[chocolate]

UPS is an excellent company to work for.

 

[BigBrownPoop]

It all depends on what city you work, what department you work, and what position you work. I work In Las Vegas, Nevada in the TSC Help Desk as a call center agent. They say I am a "Critical Operations Technician" but it's just a fancy name for a phone tech. I like the physical aspects of the job since I don't lift packages, but the political drama at work is non stop. In a call center, anything you say makes it to the other side of the call center before you even finishing saying the sentence! If you said it, the person already knows about it! If I had a second job, I'd stop trying to be somebody at this place but I can't seem to make enough friends with management to make coach or supervisor! I guess I don't go home and play in the same guild on World of Warcraft that they do so I'm not management material. Besides that, I love sitting and taking calls... Getting my 3 breaks... the pay I'm currently making after 1 year. I like the people I work with! UPS at least hires interesting and good people for the most part. Sometimes they hire crazy people that get in your way, but for the most part, since I can put up with the promotion politics here, I am happy! I know I can't be in a position of authority until I make friends with all of management, but I am happy with what I do and I can work here for about 5 years tops. Then I might get tired of it when I'm looking to go up with the company!

 

[dammor]

Seems the puppies have taken over here. Live and learn.

 

[JohnnyPension]

Just retired after 26 years, 17 as a driver and the rest as a clerk. Never saw a lay off in all that time. Tough company to work for. Keep track of your hours. In fact keep track of everything! I always kept a little note book with what went on in my day (stuck behind an oil truck etc) .I was told by an old timer when I first started do as much work now as you think you can do in 20 years. Worked for me but you have to DO THE JOB properly. That will be your best defense. My knees are not in the best of shape. I think the divorce rate is much worse for supervisors. Mental anguish for the first couple of years than you learn to ignore of alot of what your told. Good luck!

 

[tieguy]

Tie, please enlighten me.

The post you responded to pointed out that any business needs to have the means to measure itself . It appears your questioning the accuracy of the measurement.

 

[JohnnyPension]

YOU THINK?????

 

[max350]

UPS used to be a great company to work for but those days are gone. UPS management will make you quit they do not fire just make your life a living HELL until you break.

 

[hoser]

UPS used to be a great company to work for but those days are gone. UPS management will make you quit they do not fire just make your life a living HELL until you break.

Why do I always hear this.. "things were so much better back then"

 

[Slothrop]

Why do I always hear this.. "things were so much better back then"

Perhaps it is because 'things' have gotten progressively worse over the last two generations.

 

[EAM_Master]

Perhaps it is because 'things' have gotten progressively worse over the last two generations.

I've seen things get progressively worse over the last 8 years.

 

[toonertoo]

Why do I always hear this.. "things were so much better back then"

Because they were........