Made in China: Uniform Problems!

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
Anyone else having problems with your uniforms? Since UPS switched suppliers I've had to turn in uniform items once every month or so due to holes or tears. The poor quality is due to the fact that they are produced in China. It also doesn't help that corporate has become so cheap with their cost cutting crusade. We've had problems getting replacement shorts, pants, and especially jackets because the people in corporate that have the final say in what gets ordered has been real tight lately. It's frustrating enough to be out on a route and have a hole open up in the croch or a tear forms down the side or inside of the leg. Its even more frustrating to not have enough uniform items because some jerk won't approve replacements. If UPS would have chosen a better company to make our uniforms then this might not be happening as much. If they really wanted to cut costs I think it actually would have been cheaper in the long run if they had chosen a uniform supplier that costs a little more. Higher quality would probably mean less returns.
 

Impex

Member
my biggest thing is the buttons falling off! every time i do laundry i'm missing a button. or the colors dont match with from old supplier, so the shirt is slightly different than the pants...haha
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
my biggest thing is the buttons falling off! every time i do laundry i'm missing a button. or the colors dont match with from old supplier, so the shirt is slightly different than the pants...haha
And I thought it was just me! Yes, the new uni's are cheaper and thinner. I also wish that the summer shirts were longer so that us guys with big bellies wouldnt "stick out" of them.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
I also wish that the summer shirts were longer so that us guys with big bellies wouldnt "stick out" of them.

I'm on the losing end of my battle to fight middle age spread. I like to think my expanding waist size is due to a bigger fuel tank for a Love Machine!:happy-very:
 

IDoLessWorkThanMost

Well-Known Member
The cintas weren't bad, but the new ones are awful. Clipper is it? God, all of my pants have rips down the sides....funny if I was fat, but at 5'9 149 and wearing a 32 (which is a bit loose) and tearing....asinine!
 

959Nanook

Well-Known Member
Was chatting with the next senior part-timer clerk (he is on road about three-four days a week now that things are slower but has not done his packet yet) and we got to wondering: Why is that drivers in brown uniforms can deliver a customer's uniform next day (or even ground by next week) but UPS can't get brown uniforms to drivers by next month or even this fiscal quarter in many cases?

I don't know much of anything about anything at UPS but I do know that getting uniforms (new or replacement) takes longer at UPS than it did in Iraq. We sent monthly logistics convoy through Baghdad and into the heart of the Sunni Triangle (some of which were attacked) to get some of our supplies (which included replacement uniforms) and I could get a uniform part faster over there.

Oh well, just as well I suppose. My Center Manager (who was on vacation last week) showed up in his brown uniform and went on road delivering yesterday because of driver shortages (vacation, sick, no show) but can't find time to finish up my driver training (I need the on car portions like the Buddy Ride). I told one of our regular customers yesterday, "Someday I'll grow wings and drive too", when she asked if I was a permanent clerk or gonna move on eventually like the rest.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
Our uniforms are Twin Hill. The first pair of pants I got from them started unraveling in the crotch at the inseam before I put them on for the first time. Made in China, Twin Hill is owned by Men's Wearhouse. I guess George Zimmer doesn't guarantee this stuff......
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
Was chatting with the next senior part-timer clerk (he is on road about three-four days a week now that things are slower but has not done his packet yet) and we got to wondering: Why is that drivers in brown uniforms can deliver a customer's uniform next day (or even ground by next week) but UPS can't get brown uniforms to drivers by next month or even this fiscal quarter in many cases?

I don't know much of anything about anything at UPS but I do know that getting uniforms (new or replacement) takes longer at UPS than it did in Iraq. We sent monthly logistics convoy through Baghdad and into the heart of the Sunni Triangle (some of which were attacked) to get some of our supplies (which included replacement uniforms) and I could get a uniform part faster over there..

It is because UPS is being tighter on costs. They don't care if a driver is short of uniforms. I've threatened to file grievances over this and I'm not even sure that is possible. LOL! It's not that UPS can't get replacements faster. They just won't.


Our uniforms are Twin Hill. The first pair of pants I got from them started unraveling in the crotch at the inseam before I put them on for the first time. Made in China, Twin Hill is owned by Men's Wearhouse. I guess George Zimmer doesn't guarantee this stuff......

Twin Hill here too. Since we changed to them my wife has had to bring me a change of pants/shorts 4 times. There have been so many more incidents (monthly) where I had tears that weren't quite bad enough so I had to change. My wife just laughs when I call her to ask her if she'll bring me a new pair of shorts or pants.
 
B

by the way

Guest
The older uniforms were made by Riverside in Moultrie Georgia and were far superior to the crap we have now.
 

helenofcalifornia

Well-Known Member
Nothing wrong with girly parts if you were born with girly parts. And I get on the sewing machine when I first get my new shorts and sew over the seams again so they won't rip out.
 

pkgdriver

Well-Known Member
The older uniforms were made by Riverside in Moultrie Georgia and were far superior to the crap we have now.


Hell, Ive got uniforms that are almost 10 yrs old from them. They still are in good condition but wrong logo though. I make sure they arent worn when visitors are in the center. ;)

Id pay for them myself If I could. Screw this China crap.
 

surviv'n_it

Well-Known Member
The biggest problem I have been having lately is my jacket will not stay zipped. If you zip it all the way up, the zipper comes apart in the middle. Then when I try to unzip it, it is stuck on me. I am waiting for a new one but I am told I will have to wait. It has already been a couple times where I have to pull the jacket over my head to just get it off. Now I wish I could just wear a helper pull over.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
The contract clearly states that the company is responsible for supplying uniforms. If yours are torn or missing and they wont give you new ones in a timely manner...just show up without a uniform at your posted start time, clock on, and inform them that you are reporting for work but you have not been provided with a suitable uniform and that you are still entitled to your 8 hr. gurantee. Believe me, they WILL find you a uniform and they CAN have new uniforms delivered overnight if the right person gets their ass chewed. Its all a question of motivation.
 

Coldworld

60 months and counting
So basically they are going to end up spending more money on uniforms because of the cheaper fabrics and instead of a driver replacing shirts every 5 years its now replacing them every year......story of our lives...step over a dollar to grab a penny.
 

tourists24

Well-Known Member
...just show up without a uniform at your posted start time, clock on, and inform them that you are reporting for work but you have not been provided with a suitable uniform and that you are still entitled to your 8 hr. gurantee.


You can also simply show up ready to work in the uniforms that need replacing (holes, tears, etc). If they say anything just tell them you cant get replacements. If they are really concerned they will get you a suitable uniform... sounds absolutely silly that we have these kind of conversations, but Ive learned over the years that nothing suprises me anymore.

It's kinda like UPS rain jackets or the lack thereof anymore... I have a blue rain jacket from walmart that I wear when it rains
 

Harley Rider

34 yrs & done!
The older uniforms were made by Riverside in Moultrie Georgia and were far superior to the crap we have now.

Riverside and G.A. Rivers uniforms........ That brings back the memories. They had some nice stuff. My long sleeve shirts are all Riverside. Had them for years since I don't wear one often.
 

stealth8

Well-Known Member
I seem to recall that back in the 80's the contract stated that uniforms provided to drivers had to be made by in the U.S.A. by a union company. I guess with all the textile companies going overseas there is no such thing as a union textile company left in the good old U.S.A.!
 
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