New Air driver on the Block

Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
New to the site and forums.
:thumbup1: Yes!!! I was just hired this week as an Part-time Air Driver
(5a.m.-12p.m.).
I only had one interview and the head of HR walked in during my interview for something she overheard my background experience and hired me right on the spot telling my HR to Skipp the second interview and orientation. Sent me for my D.O.T. test same day, road test days later and I start my fire training at the air port this coming Wednesday the 6th. with the rest of my training starting Thursday.
I've got a few years experience driving expedited delivery(sucks)subcontracting and no benefits. Unpredictable pay/work hrs. never real home time cause you get called in for P/U and drop offs at any time. Lay off period's with no unemployment so home time is just stress time cause then your not bringing home money and bills start piling up. When you are bringing in the cash your just playing catch up on bills and the cost of being a contractor just eats that cash up. maintenance, insurance, gas/toll fee, etc...
Needless to say I'm ecstatic about the job. Yea, I've read some posts that say don't be so excited but I can't help it.
Predictable hours and predictable pay and benefits. Can you blame me.:w00t:
 
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Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
I see a lot of complaints about working to much overtime.
Though I'm hired as a part time Air Driver
(5am-12pm=7hr day,M-friend).
Am I going to be able to get some of that Over-Time??? Or is part-time just that? Maybe after I'm at my top rate I wont want it but I'm in need of some real hours. Hungry/Hard working man here.
Also is it a long process in moving in to fulltime?
:lol:
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
Backlasher, who did you work for before you came to UPS out of curiosity? I have never heard of a seven hour part-time driver, part-time is usually under five hours a day. The wait for you to go full-time varies from location, anywhere from a few months to five+ years depending on the seniority of people ahead of you. With all the new Feeder jobs that Fast Lane opened up, we have a lot of new Package Drivers in my building. Good luck, be safe.
 
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Braveheart

Well-Known Member
I see a lot of complaints about working to much overtime.
Though I'm hired as a part time Air Driver
(5am-12pm=7hr day,M-friend).
Am I going to be able to get some of that Over-Time??? Or is part-time just that? Maybe after I'm at my top rate I wont want it but I'm in need of some real hours. Hungry/Hard working man here.
Also is it a long process in moving in to fulltime?
:lol:
Most of the air drivers here work about 4 hours a day Tuesday-Saturday so there is no overtime. Once in a while they will get more hours with late airplanes but that means 6-7 hours once week. You will get more hours a XMAS but be careful there. They had our air drivers fooled last XMAS into extra hours and then cut there pay to the helper pay of $8.50 an hour for those extra hours. That despite their regular pay being between $12.50 to $19 an hour. Talk about Scrooge.
 

Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
Most of the air drivers here work about 4 hours a day Tuesday-Saturday so there is no overtime. Once in a while they will get more hours with late airplanes but that means 6-7 hours once week. You will get more hours a XMAS but be careful there. They had our air drivers fooled last XMAS into extra hours and then cut there pay to the helper pay of $8.50 an hour for those extra hours. That despite their regular pay being between $12.50 to $19 an hour. Talk about Scrooge.

I'm a nice guy but if I get only 4 hrs. when the HR. told me
5-12 = 7hrs. then I'm sending my avatar karate kitty after her.
Get her kitty. He has a black belt.

Honestly though, I hope I get the 5am to 12pm. It's what they had showing for this position on ups.com and it's what she said I'm working during the interview.

Is there a chance that I got pulled in being lead to think 7 hr. day. and only get 4 Hrs. cause I can't support a family on that.
That's a pretty dirty hiring tactic but after my last experiences with other Co.'s I guess I shouldn't be surprised.:confused:1
She also said I'm starting off at $11.50 an hour.
Getting a little nervous now.
It does seem odd to work a 7 hr day???
 
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CTOTH

Not retired, just tired
I'm a nice guy but if I get only 4 hrs. when the HR. told me
5-12 = 7hrs. then I'm sending my avatar karate kitty after her.
Get her kitty. He has a black belt.

Honestly though, I hope I get the 5am to 12pm. It's what they had showing for this position on ups.com and it's what she said I'm working during the interview.

Is there a chance that I got pulled in being lead to think 7 hr. day. and only get 4 Hrs. cause I can't support a family on that.
That's a pretty dirty hiring tactic but after my last experiences with other Co.'s I guess I shouldn't be surprised.:confused:1
She also said I'm starting off at $11.50 an hour.
Getting a little nervous now.
It does seem odd to work a 7 hr day???
You're guaranteed 3 1/2 hours, anything over 5 and you'll be paid time and a half.
Yes, it's very possible that you'll be lead to think that 7 hr days are common but aren't actually. I'm going to say you'll be closer to 5hrs because UPS hates paying part-timers OT.
Find the steward on the first day, introduce yourself and ask for a copy of the contract.
If you find your working 7+ hrs a day, do your best to stretch it to 8 after you hit seniority. Do this 30 days in a row and you're guaranteed a full time position.

Good luck
 

Overpaid Union Thug

Well-Known Member
Air drivers are gauranteed 3.0 hr/day. They are paid overtime for over 8 hours. Not 5. If you were to work 30 days at 8 hours/day then UPS would have to create another full-time job but you would not get it. The most highest seniority part-timer would get it. Or maybe another full-timer somewhere would take it. I'm not sure how that works. I dont know what would happen to you since your job would be given to someone else. Maybe they'd put you in the building loading or something. Don't worry about it though. I seriously doubt you'll get anywhere near 8 hours/day for 30 days in a row. Not even during peak.
 

teamsterdan

Well-Known Member
props for "karate kitty",FNG, but if I was @ your center I'd be trying to make your job a combo-job..........I suspect UPS HR is giving you the reach around.................
 

Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
props for "karate kitty",FNG, but if I was @ your center I'd be trying to make your job a combo-job..........I suspect UPS HR is giving you the reach around.................
Thanks alot 4 the incite.
Combo job as in working 2 part time???
If I can do that then I will.
How do I go about getting a combo??
Do I bid for another part time position after I start this one???

She also said that even if things got slow and there wasn't enough work for my driver position at times they would still keep me working loading or something else but that I would still get my air driver pay of 1.5 an hour. Should I take her word for it??
does that still come into play if I combo in a 2nd part time position as in still get paid my $11.50 in the 2nd combo job?

Thanks again. Still hopeful with this position even if it is part time.
Don't think I can pay the bills on a 4 hr a day pay though so a little uneasy with it but at least I don't have to worry bout getting laid off. Been done that road enough.

Start my fire training at the air port tomorrow.
 
Hey, good luck on the job. The only advice I've got is that the HR person, at least in my case, was not the most knowledgable person to take advice from regarding "the job". I was told alot of things and then stuff changed, I was told I would be making a certain amount of money after 3 months, but it turned out to be a year and a number of other things that weren't as I was told when originally hired on. All I can say at this point is stick with it and eventually it will all work out. Talk with your steward and other drivers in your depot to get an idea of what the real picture is.
 

Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
I looked at the contract and it says "for part time air drivers" You get a raise at seniority date. if you work 30 days and then you reach seniority at day 31.

That would meen I get a raise after my 1st 30 days. Does that sound about right????

Also, I was wondering am I in the union right on my 1st day on the job??? Cause I've had a few people mention that I should meet up with the union stewert my 1st day in. Other places I've worked at didn't have me in the union till after a 90 day probation period. So am I in the union right on my 1st day then at UPS?????
I'm going to hold them to that seniority raise in the contract.
If I'm mistaken about the semiority date then when do I reach it??????
You guys have giving some good points and I appreciate it, thanks again.
 

helenofcalifornia

Well-Known Member
Good luck. It's "steward" not stewart. I might confirm with your supervisor the hours they promised you. It just doesn't sound quite right. You are not going to be driving at 5 a.m. are you? Won't you be unloading or loading?
 

Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
LoL, that tired eyed keyboard syndrome. "Steward", my bad.
I'll probably be loading or something sense I'm starting at 5a.m. The HR at Middleburgh Hts, Ohio. seems like she's always in a jam with task overload so I didn't get much info other than my work revolves a lot at the airport. I'm either loading or unloading from planes to truck/vice versa.
 
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teamsterdan

Well-Known Member
it just occured to me that it may all be an "honest mistake" so to speak.....for example he's being hired OTS to be a P/T air driver (5a.m.-12p.m.) as we all know pre-load start times vary throughout the yr. depending on volume; so as a "air driver" the hrs. you'll most likely be utilized is between 5am - 12pm depending on for example 1. no drivers available for EAM's; you get the call.....2. late air you get the call 3. air left in bldg. your in........I'm sure they'll make every attempt to keep you on the schedule so you'll know your start time and keep your hrs. p/t........ good luck.... a good way to get extra hrs. is to tell the pre-load sup's they can call you in if their short......you'll get calls mon/fri for sure......
 

MacLeod82

Disgruntled Pkg Handler
Hey, my wife is interested in appling for a part time "Air Walker"
Anyone know the starting pay on that???

According to 40.6.b 2h air walker gets air hub rate, which is the non-sorter inside rate (unless your region/district has a diff. payscale for air, which I wouldn't think is likely).
Start = $8.50, Start + 90 calender days = $9.00

This is the national agreement, there are also regional, and a few district supplements but this is the bulk of our union contract. Read it, learn it, know it.
http://www.browncafe.com/community/threads/ups-teamsters-national-master-agreement.335360/
 
i have worked at ups for 9 years i beeen a partime airdriver for two for the past year i have averaged 50 hours a week with quite a few 59.9 hour weeks, i aslo aveaged 3 gound days a week, so i would get top ground pay at 28.71/ hour and 41.00 for ot. you probedley wont get this many hour or as much ground. but if you ever get any ground make sure you get top grond pay.
 
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