A
AikenRooster
Guest
Warning: long thread. Any and all answers would be appreciated. Thanks.
First, a little about myself, so you know where I am coming from: I’m 44 years old and drove a truck for 20 years. I lost my wife and parents in the span of 2 years and got sick of the b.s. on the road and quit(lack of parking, people shooting me the bird, trying to wreck me, being woke up at night by prostitutes). I got up to 477 pounds, but spent the last 1.5 years losing 225 pounds and I took a job at our local UPS on the preload shift ....
It’s a small place and we work from approximately 2am to 9:45am, but we sometimes get off early, and they’ve got me loading 3 trucks and a small trailer off of a belt. The physical work is definitely hard, but I prepared for that losing weight, but mentally it’s a little tough for me, because I’m a Virgo and I want to do it perfect ....
1) I just got an ID today and can log in. I’ve noticed that the computer is showing a start time of 2am. Does that mean that I don’t start getting paid until 2am, even though I come in early? Also, I’ve noticed that the start times are staggered on a chart, and some of the kids are telling me that your pay doesn’t start until THAT time. However, they want us all there at 2:00am for the “cover our butts, safety talk.”
2) When will I get paid? I started on April 14. Do they pay weekly or every two weeks? If weekly, shouldn’t I have received a check, already?
3)Are you allowed to work multiple jobs within the same facility? I’m used to making more money than this and 30-35 hours, per week, @ $14.50/hour ain’t my kind of money. Or, do I need a side job?
4)The lady who runs the entire night shift is adamant about writing numbers on boxes. I only see the need to write the number if I can’t peel the tag and face it out. When I asked her, the response was,”It makes the load look good.” The drivers say they’d rather have the PAL sticker out, if possible.
5)Should I put small boxes and tee shirts, with the same PAL in front of or behind the bigger boxes? My supervisor says in front, but that makes no sense, since it seems like they’re gonna just fall off. I talked to one driver and he said he was okay with them being put in the back.
6)Everyone says the drivers are “pissy,” but they’ve all been nice to me. Is that because I’m wearing the blue vest, or because I’m doing a good job? Two of them said, “this is loaded better than it has been in a long time.”
7)Why doesn’t everyone work as a team? I notice that I walk down to get “blow byes” and take them back up to the next section, but no one does this for me. Also, I try to help others out when I can, to take items off the belt and place it by their car, but only one other person(another trainee) has done this for me. Also, I seem to be the last person leaving everyday.
8)What’s up with some of the drivers coming in early? Aren’t they Union drivers? I know they’re not working off the clock?! If so, why? We’re in SC, which isn’t exactly the bastion of Unions. Why would anyone work for free?
9)How long does it take to become a driver and do I really want to do this? I notice some of these guys are still running after dark andome of the cars are packed to the gills in the morning. How do I go about “bidding” for this opportunity, once my 30 days are up?
10)Would a better alternative be to try and drive the feeder trucks, since I have a CDL? Does it pay good? If so, how would I go about going in that direction?
11)What do you guys mean by a “runner?”
12)What is the “9.5” that y’all are talking about on here, all the time.
13)Should I join the union as a package handler, or wait until I become a driver? As dumpy as our facility is(that’s an honest assessment, as it is nasty, dusty, and very leaky), I don’t see what they’re doing for our small place.
14)Any tips to load more efficiently would be appreciated. I try to at least get everything off the belt, but sometimes I get huge piles in front of my door or have “blow byes.” Last night, I, literally, had about 50 boxes in a row for one car. The supervisor had to help me out, which was embarrassing. I’m trying my best to play “Tetris” and pack the cars more efficiently to leave room down the middle. Do I really need EVERY single box in exact sequential order?
15)Thanks again for any and all tips/answers.
First, a little about myself, so you know where I am coming from: I’m 44 years old and drove a truck for 20 years. I lost my wife and parents in the span of 2 years and got sick of the b.s. on the road and quit(lack of parking, people shooting me the bird, trying to wreck me, being woke up at night by prostitutes). I got up to 477 pounds, but spent the last 1.5 years losing 225 pounds and I took a job at our local UPS on the preload shift ....
It’s a small place and we work from approximately 2am to 9:45am, but we sometimes get off early, and they’ve got me loading 3 trucks and a small trailer off of a belt. The physical work is definitely hard, but I prepared for that losing weight, but mentally it’s a little tough for me, because I’m a Virgo and I want to do it perfect ....
1) I just got an ID today and can log in. I’ve noticed that the computer is showing a start time of 2am. Does that mean that I don’t start getting paid until 2am, even though I come in early? Also, I’ve noticed that the start times are staggered on a chart, and some of the kids are telling me that your pay doesn’t start until THAT time. However, they want us all there at 2:00am for the “cover our butts, safety talk.”
2) When will I get paid? I started on April 14. Do they pay weekly or every two weeks? If weekly, shouldn’t I have received a check, already?
3)Are you allowed to work multiple jobs within the same facility? I’m used to making more money than this and 30-35 hours, per week, @ $14.50/hour ain’t my kind of money. Or, do I need a side job?
4)The lady who runs the entire night shift is adamant about writing numbers on boxes. I only see the need to write the number if I can’t peel the tag and face it out. When I asked her, the response was,”It makes the load look good.” The drivers say they’d rather have the PAL sticker out, if possible.
5)Should I put small boxes and tee shirts, with the same PAL in front of or behind the bigger boxes? My supervisor says in front, but that makes no sense, since it seems like they’re gonna just fall off. I talked to one driver and he said he was okay with them being put in the back.
6)Everyone says the drivers are “pissy,” but they’ve all been nice to me. Is that because I’m wearing the blue vest, or because I’m doing a good job? Two of them said, “this is loaded better than it has been in a long time.”
7)Why doesn’t everyone work as a team? I notice that I walk down to get “blow byes” and take them back up to the next section, but no one does this for me. Also, I try to help others out when I can, to take items off the belt and place it by their car, but only one other person(another trainee) has done this for me. Also, I seem to be the last person leaving everyday.
8)What’s up with some of the drivers coming in early? Aren’t they Union drivers? I know they’re not working off the clock?! If so, why? We’re in SC, which isn’t exactly the bastion of Unions. Why would anyone work for free?
9)How long does it take to become a driver and do I really want to do this? I notice some of these guys are still running after dark andome of the cars are packed to the gills in the morning. How do I go about “bidding” for this opportunity, once my 30 days are up?
10)Would a better alternative be to try and drive the feeder trucks, since I have a CDL? Does it pay good? If so, how would I go about going in that direction?
11)What do you guys mean by a “runner?”
12)What is the “9.5” that y’all are talking about on here, all the time.
13)Should I join the union as a package handler, or wait until I become a driver? As dumpy as our facility is(that’s an honest assessment, as it is nasty, dusty, and very leaky), I don’t see what they’re doing for our small place.
14)Any tips to load more efficiently would be appreciated. I try to at least get everything off the belt, but sometimes I get huge piles in front of my door or have “blow byes.” Last night, I, literally, had about 50 boxes in a row for one car. The supervisor had to help me out, which was embarrassing. I’m trying my best to play “Tetris” and pack the cars more efficiently to leave room down the middle. Do I really need EVERY single box in exact sequential order?
15)Thanks again for any and all tips/answers.
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