Making tha transition (pros and cons of managment)

[UPS Lifer]

Brownboss,
Worldwide gave you some good advice. When he referred to being "always on", I liken that to being in a fishbowl. Every move you make is held under the microscope and reviewed (more so than any other employee). There are only three ways for a management person to go back to the non-managment (hourly) ranks.

1) A PT supervisor may be promoted to driver. This is never a guarentee and if you do not make it as a driver you will be dismissed.
2) A mgmt person quits at one location and hopes to get rehired in another location. You would have to be held in high regard to even be considered again.
3) Extraordinary life changing circumstances - highly unlikely but plausible.
More plausible would be a mgmt position to fit the life changing circumstance

PROs
The experience and skill that I developed as a mgmt person has been invaluable to me in all other areas of my life. I never regretted going into mgmt. Some of the best advice that I learned was that a good leader has to be a good follower first and foremost. A good leader has to aquire excellent listening skills and treat all people with respect. You are always challenged.
If you have what it takes, you will be recognized for.

CONS
If you don't have what it takes. Your "career" will be miserable.

You are always "on".

"Part time is full time, and Full Time is all the time!" !!

There are those people who will try to keep you from being successful. It could be mgmt or non-mgmt for different reasons.

Every skill you posess will be constantly challenged and those that you do not posess will be stand out!

You need to balance work and home. Don't wait for the company to do it for you.

 

[lost]

I went part time sup a few years ago and have not enjoyed it at all. I love the job and the hourlies, cant stand upper bosses.
I remember how hard it is and understand everyone has bad days therefore I STAY in trouble because I have not forgotten. I make small talk with my employees and every time my boss sees me smile on the line I get yelled at. Going management you have to be thick skinned. As far as the pay you get better raises now and they may not have told you but you will also have to pay for part of that better insurance. I dont see myself leaving UPS but I wish I had not gone up. Keep in mind too that no matter how well you do you will still do something wrong EVERYDAY. Think about before you do it.

 

[1989]

I was a part-time sup for 5 years. I wouldn't advise it. Management treats each other twice as bad as they do to hourly. Some drivers will pms over 10 stops or a misload in their car. It's no fun being caught in the middle.
I was told it was a 2 year commitment, and wouldn't be stuck there more than 3 years. 5 years later I raised enough stink that they started a part-time sup seniority list to go driving. I lost 8 years service towards my pension, and have to work 4 more years toward peer 80.

 

[brownboss]

yeah wow...those were some of the things ive heard negative about it....fri i spoke with a manager that im on good terms with...hes someone i can talk to on diff issues...and he basically said some of things you just mention (directed to "lost" and "1989")....i honestly think hes talkin me out of it bc he just wants me to drive for his center..but he tells me i should give driving a try bc atleast if i dont like it...or i fail at that..theres a wayout...but as ive been told once imake that transition into bein a sup...theres just so much to lose...And the hub i work in i have a substantial amout of senority to go drivin in less than 6mths....its just ive had my small fears of doin that bc i never wanted to actually go that route...but its worth a shot considering the money...and im only 25 with 7rys on the job there...so its not set in stone as of yet but im pretty sure im going to give driving a shot 1st

 

[lost]

Brownboss,

I have talked to my drivers and they all like what they are doing. I have often thought about it and if I did not have panic attacks in traffic I would try driving. Good Luck!!! Let us know how it goes.

 

[1989]

Driving is the easiest job at ups. I've done about 90 routes. (may have to transfer again to learn more) the methods are the same no matter what route you do, or state you live in. And you are paid well for the work.

 

[UPS Lifer]

Driving is the easiest job at ups. I've done about 90 routes. (may have to transfer again to learn more) the methods are the same no matter what route you do, or state you live in. And you are paid well for the work.

You are either full of it or a rare individual. I have known about 4 drivers like this (but that is over 36 years)! All of whom ended up in management!

I shouldn't talk about how other drivers view their job. There is a lot of skill involved and takes a well rounded individual to service our customers day in and day out. I respect what our drivers do out there.

It sounds to me like you need to be challenged! You should go into mgmt and train new drivers to be just like you. Think about it! You could go from center to center training drivers on new routes without ever losing seniority! You might even become the foremost district driver trainer showing these rookies how to make the job "easy". You could even train supervisors too!

You should think about it!!!

 

[area43]

Curious, If anyone would have the stats(percentage) on the number of people that have retired, from the mgt ranks. Ive been with UPS for 22 yrs and in our center there has been none. In 2000, UPS brought in a head hunter,center manager(Basically one of their own hired Guns) to clean house. Within 2 years all ft and pt sups were gone. One ft sup had 30 yrs(16 ft driver and 14 as ft sup) his numbers were good, but a dishonest act got him into trouble. Before anyone jumps on the band wagon on the "dishonest acts" subject let me just remind you. Ye who are without sin cast the first stone. This sup was well liked by all. That does not justify it. As far as the "Hired Gun". He committed a cardinal safety sin. He went out on the lot,pulled a pkg car that had been red tagged. He started it, inspected it(as if he were a mechanic), then told a newby driver to take it and go make some pick ups. Long story short the problem with the red tagged vehicle was that it was leaking fuel above and on the engine(diesel). Went to panel all he received was a slap on the wrist. He was their "Golden Boy". On the flip side as we see on this site there are mgt people that have made it. I take my hat off to them. They took the risk, came out of their comfort zone and played the game. Sometimes as drivers we forget the(sups) hazardous plight and(ours) vice versa. My Dad and Mom were both school teachers(like sups to a degree), so I saw first hand what they go through, unruly students, crazy parents and over bearing admin. Life is a journey, and then we die.

 

[clue11]

Think about it this way if you stay union once you earn top pay you will never actually make anymore money. However, if you go into management there is always an opportunity to make more money, earn a higher status and take advantage of opportunities that you are not even aware of. The others are definitely right that you must present yourself well at all times; ie, text messaging, shorthand whatever must go. Driving will become part of your job at some point so don't go into management thinking that you will get out of doing things. Decide what your goals are and go after them!

 

[1989]

No mgmt for me, was a pt sup too long. Dealing with crabby drivers suck. I do need to be challenged tho.

 

[UPS Lifer]

Curious, If anyone would have the stats(percentage) on the number of people that have retired, from the mgt ranks.

Corporate could tell you exactly what the stats are. I can tell you that in my last ten years (since the early retirement offer) which ended in March, I paid more attention to what was happening with folks close to retirement. There was not a pattern that I could see for any mistreatment. Most of the management folks I knew did retire. I can't think of anyone who left early.
However, I was a manager for 20 years. I saw a lot of fellow managers and division managers get demoted or ask to go back to supervisor. There are only 4 managers in the district I came from that currently have more than 20 years BUT you have to have been promoted before you were 35 years old also (I was 34). Most mgmt retire as soon as they hit 55 years old unless they have kids, started career late in life or don't have anythng else to go to.

I would feel very confident in saying that besides gov't type jobs (which include teaching), UPS has one of the top retirement programs and number of people that retire, especially at early ages.

 

[area43]

Corporate could tell you exactly what the stats are. I can tell you that in my last ten years (since the early retirement offer) which ended in March, I paid more attention to what was happening with folks close to retirement. There was not a pattern that I could see for any mistreatment. Most of the management folks I knew did retire. I can't think of anyone who left early.
However, I was a manager for 20 years. I saw a lot of fellow managers and division managers get demoted or ask to go back to supervisor. There are only 4 managers in the district I came from that currently have more than 20 years BUT you have to have been promoted before you were 35 years old also (I was 34). Most mgmt retire as soon as they hit 55 years old unless they have kids, started career late in life or don't have anythng else to go to.

I would feel very confident in saying that besides gov't type jobs (which include teaching), UPS has one of the top retirement programs and number of people that retire, especially at early ages.

UPS Lifer, It seems you have a very positive outlook on your career and life at UPS. I have found in my own life, that at times it is easier to dwell on the negative than positive. Interesting, I remember reading an article on people that have lived to be a hundred. They asked them, What was your secret in living so long? The answer wasn't exercising,dieting,yoga,etc, etc. It was always keeping a positive attitude, having forgiveness(not holding grudges) and moving on. The stress that is produced from not having these attributes(for use of a better word) that are mentioned is the sure killer. Have your ever seen someone that is 30 but looks like 50, stress,anger, bitterness,hatred, etc, etc. has alot to do with it, but it dosent have to be.

 

[diesel96]

Driving is the easiest job at ups. I've done about 90 routes. (may have to transfer again to learn more) the methods are the same no matter what route you do, or state you live in. And you are paid well for the work.

=1989
No mgmt for me, was a pt sup too long. Dealing with crabby drivers suck. I do need to be challenged tho.


90 different routes 1 ...NOT.....
Never met a swing driver that ran more than 20/30 routes b4 bidding on one...
Every time you transfer you lose your senority ...
So tell everybody ..How many transfers?
Need a challenge? Crabby drivers suck?Driving's easy?
You probably never driven a day in your life!~

 

[1989]

I did about 80 or 90 routes in Seattle. I won 2 bids on routes there. Only have transfered once. Here I only do 7, but hopefully a new on tomorrow. covering routes is much more fun than doing the same thing day in and day out. come on, we all know that drivers are the crabbiest people on earth. Nearly everyday you can hear a driver YELLING about an extra 10 stops or a misload. I just think we should keep it professional.

 

[Channahon]

I did about 80 or 90 routes in Seattle. I won 2 bids on routes there. Only have transfered once. Here I only do 7, but hopefully a new on tomorrow. covering routes is much more fun than doing the same thing day in and day out. come on, we all know that drivers are the crabbiest people on earth. Nearly everyday you can hear a driver YELLING about an extra 10 stops or a misload. I just think we should keep it professional.

How and when did you transfer as a driver from Seattle to where you are now?
Just wondering what process you used?

 

[1989]

I signed up in October 2005 on the tranfer list. In late January on 2006 the center manager said my transfer went through. I had 24 hours to accept or decline. Three weeks later I was working in Montana. A month later another driver in Seattle (different center) tranfered here. Then in June 2006 another driver transfered from Oregon.

 

[Channahon]

I signed up in October 2005 on the tranfer list. In late January on 2006 the center manager said my transfer went through. I had 24 hours to accept or decline. Three weeks later I was working in Montana. A month later another driver in Seattle (different center) tranfered here. Then in June 2006 another driver transfered from Oregon.

Did you tranfer as a full time or part time employee?

 

[1989]

Full time driver

 

[Channahon]

Full time driver

I wasn't aware that UPS afforded that opportunity to full time drivers. I thought transfers were only for educational purposes for part time employees.

Something unique to the Region your work in?

I have been retired from UPS since 2006.

 

[1989]

I wasn't aware that UPS afforded that opportunity to full time drivers. I thought transfers were only for educational purposes for part time employees.

Something unique to the Region your work in?

I have been retired from UPS since 2006.

I think it was put in the last contract. You can transfer within the Western Confrence. You have to sign up for the building you want togo to and if an off the street hire comes up in that building they can look to the seniority list for that building. In 2005 four drivers turned down Hawaii.