package handling interview...

[LKLND3380]

thats good to hear for me atleast because i do need the benefits for my tuition and plus id rather be moving around then being bored pouring coffee. im wondering if ill feel the same after a few weeks on the job though (that is, if i get the job). so many people saying that package handling is a crap job due to the crazy work pace. "run the other way!" so many people has said that. is it really that hard?

Imagine a game show run by ex-military... You have some supervisors constanly yelling to move faster... We had a supe last week actually bump up the speed of the belt to increase the flow of packages. You have some supes with stop watches telling you that your packages per hour is down...

Less than half of the new hires stick around it seems... Not that management fires them - THEY QUIT BECAUSE OF THE NONSENSE... Many walk off before their second hour of work... Others leave during break... Others leave before they reach 30 days...

Not a month goes by that I do not think of walking out...

 

[westsideworma]

Imagine a game show run by ex-military... You have some supervisors constanly yelling to move faster... We had a supe last week actually bump up the speed of the belt to increase the flow of packages. You have some supes with stop watches telling you that your packages per hour is down...

Less than half of the new hires stick around it seems... Not that management fires them - THEY QUIT BECAUSE OF THE NONSENSE... Many walk off before their second hour of work... Others leave during break... Others leave before they reach 30 days...

Not a month goes by that I do not think of walking out...

wow, I guess i don't have it bad. My supe leaves me alone really. I'm not sure if its because she knows I don't care about my PPH (I load at about 200-220 an hour depending on volume etc) or what. I can go faster, but why risk my safety. The manager comes around to talk about misloads (which I rarely have, until lately as they moved my damn cars around again....and YES it DOES matter) now and then and how PAS is supposed to eliminate misloads (more like multiply), but other than that, they really just let me be. 1

 

[aspenleaf]

wow, I guess i don't have it bad. My supe leaves me alone really. I'm not sure if its because she knows I don't care about my PPH (I load at about 200-220 an hour depending on volume etc) or what. I can go faster, but why risk my safety. The manager comes around to talk about misloads (which I rarely have, until lately as they moved my damn cars around again....and YES it DOES matter) now and then and how PAS is supposed to eliminate misloads (more like multiply), but other than that, they really just let me be. 1

Well you load fast but not fast enough for my boxline. 228 is the min. I don't think I have ever hit that mark. Kinda hard when they cut about an hour of work from me after I have loaded it. So I don't really care about my PPH only because I have no control over what packages stay on my trucks. I found out the other day the drivers end up with add/cuts after they are on the road so I lose more volume. So until they fix that issue I won't work any faster. We have a gal that thinks she is around 300 an hour but that is only because she gets credit for tons of stuff that she may or may not do. As for me and my cage I do what I can and focus on getting my air in the right place/ order and not having misloads.

For the most part the sups leave me alone also. I don't get into too much trouble.

 

[westsideworma]

Well you load fast but not fast enough for my boxline. 228 is the min. I don't think I have ever hit that mark. Kinda hard when they cut about an hour of work from me after I have loaded it. So I don't really care about my PPH only because I have no control over what packages stay on my trucks. I found out the other day the drivers end up with add/cuts after they are on the road so I lose more volume. So until they fix that issue I won't work any faster. We have a gal that thinks she is around 300 an hour but that is only because she gets credit for tons of stuff that she may or may not do. As for me and my cage I do what I can and focus on getting my air in the right place/ order and not having misloads.

For the most part the sups leave me alone also. I don't get into too much trouble.

The fastest I did was 270ish and that was helped by the fact that all my bulk stops were blown out so it was easy to load too haha. you could try telling them that there is no standard of productivity ;-) the whole honest days work for an honest days pay...however they probably wouldn't like that. Like you said it also depends on what stays on the truck and such. I probably do load at about 230 (as I am often helping other people in addition to my own pull) most of the time. However I don't care. Whether its 190 or 241...makes no difference to me so long as I'm done before the driver leaves and its done right.

 

[aspenleaf]

The fastest I did was 270ish and that was helped by the fact that all my bulk stops were blown out so it was easy to load too haha. you could try telling them that there is no standard of productivity ;-) the whole honest days work for an honest days pay...however they probably wouldn't like that. Like you said it also depends on what stays on the truck and such. I probably do load at about 230 (as I am often helping other people in addition to my own pull) most of the time. However I don't care. Whether its 190 or 241...makes no difference to me so long as I'm done before the driver leaves and its done right.

I think everyone loads faster than they are told. They just want us to do even more. To get my PPH up they have me coming in later. Today it worked out so I hope it will next week also. I didn't have too many mis-sorts to deal with and that is always a hassle. I get a lot of top yellow in my cage and never the 2 pounders. . .they will be over 50 pounds. So I either send it down the belt or stop the box line and yell at the chargers to take it out of my cage and put in the top cage or I sometimes can get them to the middle yellow cage and let that loader move it. . .no matter what I pick it is not correct. My sup has not told me what to do with them. I once left them in a pile at the end of the belt and that of course was wrong and I knew that but I had to keep loading my trucks. I don't have time to baby-sit packages that don't belong in my cage. I did vol to take the package going to Hawaii to the correct preloader (but they said the travel time would really hurt my pph!) . . .that one they let me let go on the belt. Do you have to keep track of your time when you are out of your cage or does your sup do that? I have tried to keep track but I usually forget and just work. I figure if it becomes a issue they will tell me.

 

[westsideworma]

I think everyone loads faster than they are told. They just want us to do even more. To get my PPH up they have me coming in later. Today it worked out so I hope it will next week also. I didn't have too many mis-sorts to deal with and that is always a hassle. I get a lot of top yellow in my cage and never the 2 pounders. . .they will be over 50 pounds. So I either send it down the belt or stop the box line and yell at the chargers to take it out of my cage and put in the top cage or I sometimes can get them to the middle yellow cage and let that loader move it. . .no matter what I pick it is not correct. My sup has not told me what to do with them. I once left them in a pile at the end of the belt and that of course was wrong and I knew that but I had to keep loading my trucks. I don't have time to baby-sit packages that don't belong in my cage. I did vol to take the package going to Hawaii to the correct preloader (but they said the travel time would really hurt my pph!) . . .that one they let me let go on the belt. Do you have to keep track of your time when you are out of your cage or does your sup do that? I have tried to keep track but I usually forget and just work. I figure if it becomes a issue they will tell me.

the fact that I have no idea what you're talking about (no offense intended at all) when it comes to time out of my cage should say everything haha. I dont know if they do or not. I've never heard of it before. Today they pulled me off my cages to do all kinds of other things (they normally do) like work the slide, drive bulk for a couple swings of the boxline, whatever. I really don't mind, breaks up the monotony of working in place over and over again, and they bring me in at the same start time because they'll just use me elsewhere.

BTW: driving bulk is cake, if you get sick of the boxline, go for it. also the real reason they want your PPH up is so they can cut your time. people can say oh you union hourlies milk the clock..but when they're complaining about misloads, I don't wanna hear it. Its been proven more time to check the labels = less or no misloads and the loads look a hell of a lot better...kinda the way the used to.

 

[LKLND3380]

wow, I guess i don't have it bad. My supe leaves me alone really. I'm not sure if its because she knows I don't care about my PPH (I load at about 200-220 an hour depending on volume etc) or what. I can go faster, but why risk my safety. The manager comes around to talk about misloads (which I rarely have, until lately as they moved my damn cars around again....and YES it DOES matter) now and then and how PAS is supposed to eliminate misloads (more like multiply), but other than that, they really just let me be. 1

I think I am what they call a "least best employee..." LOL I don't know... For the most part the supes don't hassle me because they know I "work to the best of my ability and I work safe..." If they can do it faster I ask them to show me and then point out the unsafe methods they are using.

Optimum Carry is my favorite - most packages you can handle WITHOUT setting them down in the package car to srt and load...

I have one supe that says I need to carry more in and I pointed out that the three packages combined weight would be OVER 70...

They moved one of your cars??? Friday I was told my last car was moved to be my first car... I caught a few ALMOST misloads but who knows what I did not catch... I will find out in 5 hours

 

[LKLND3380]

BTW: driving bulk is cake, if you get sick of the boxline, go for it. also the real reason they want your PPH up is so they can cut your time. people can say oh you union hourlies milk the clock..but when they're complaining about misloads, I don't wanna hear it. Its been proven more time to check the labels = less or no misloads and the loads look a hell of a lot better...kinda the way the used to.

They had the unload blow out first thing Friday even the full time supe looked down the belt and said "What are they doing back there..." We had a tsunami coming down the belt... Anyway our start time was 4:15am and they were out at 7:30am airs were due in at 8:15... So they told everyone to bulk out and go home... I made sure to get my 3 1/2 but depending on the drivers start times who was there to load the airs???

Now since there are the two day and three day packages mixed with airs plus the others that baffle me how they are mixed in with airs... Since I was not there to load all this I am not taking ANY nonsense about misloads... Even if it was in the building before I left, I don't know where it was before it was place in my Package cars... Maybe someone misloaded in another car, found and sent down the belt at 8:30. Then someone put it in my car at 8:35am...

Unless I see the cars doors close and drive off - REFUSE TO SIGN on any misloads...

 

[yummy]

im turning in for now, i need to get some rest for todays interview. ill update on how the second interview turns out. and if anyone has some last minute advice for the second inerview itd be much appreciated. still little nervous... eh, i should be fine though, right? if they have people quitting from just 2hrs of work and got people leaving the job during break... wow~
i was also wondering, what's pph?

 

[westsideworma]

im turning in for now, i need to get some rest for todays interview. ill update on how the second interview turns out. and if anyone has some last minute advice for the second inerview itd be much appreciated. still little nervous... eh, i should be fine though, right? if they have people quitting from just 2hrs of work and got people leaving the job during break... wow~
i was also wondering, what's pph?

not to discourage you but the record in our hub is 20 minutes....I'm not kidding.

PPH = Packages Per Hour

UPS really is what you make of it. If you know you're doing a thankless job and don't mind busting your ass for no one other than yourself then you'll excel. Do i think my job is amazing? absolutely not, but its stress relief, its health bennies, its extra money and its money for school. While the money ain't so great, the people you meet are what makes the job seem less like a job if you will. I swear sometimes the only reason I put up with it is because you make friends with people there and that carries with you. Hell one time someone at a restaurant saw my UPS ID and started chatting me up about how they were there for 35 years etc. Its like a club almost (ok maybe making it sound too upbeat haha) but if you encounter someone else that works at UPS its like you already know them cause you'll start talking about work and what lame-brained "trend" they're implementing in their district or whatever.

If you want to make a career of UPS whether management or hourly (driver, 22.3 combo [fulltime inside jobs]) you can earn a decent living it just may take time to get there (depending on where you work). There are worse places to work than UPS and there are certainly better ones too, but its all in what you make of it. People respect me when I tell them I work at UPS (not sure why) some because they tried and couldn't make it, others because they buy into the "Americas Most Admired" stuff.

I am actually somewhat proud to say I am a UPSer because while they say anyone can do this job, if you've worked there and seen many a newhire come and go you know that couldn't be farther from the truth.

You sound like you want to make it though, just bust your ass, be safe and show up everyday on time and you'll make it. One other thing, learn the contract and get to know your shop steward. UPS considers the contract as more of guidelines than rules when it suits them best. The management on my shift seem to be if nothing else fair. Just do your best and the rest will take care of itself.

 

[LKLND3380]

im turning in for now, i need to get some rest for todays interview. ill update on how the second interview turns out. and if anyone has some last minute advice for the second inerview itd be much appreciated. still little nervous... eh, i should be fine though, right? if they have people quitting from just 2hrs of work and got people leaving the job during break... wow~
i was also wondering, what's pph?

pph is Packages Per Hour... UPS has guys that sit behind a computer and estimate how many packages per hour you should be loading... In the unload they have how many packages per minute you should unload... These numbers do not factor in size and weight of the packages and other variables... The numbers are never met as far as I know...

 

[aspenleaf]

the fact that I have no idea what you're talking about (no offense intended at all) when it comes to time out of my cage should say everything haha. I dont know if they do or not. I've never heard of it before. Today they pulled me off my cages to do all kinds of other things (they normally do) like work the slide, drive bulk for a couple swings of the boxline, whatever. I really don't mind, breaks up the monotony of working in place over and over again, and they bring me in at the same start time because they'll just use me elsewhere.

BTW: driving bulk is cake, if you get sick of the boxline, go for it. also the real reason they want your PPH up is so they can cut your time. people can say oh you union hourlies milk the clock..but when they're complaining about misloads, I don't wanna hear it. Its been proven more time to check the labels = less or no misloads and the loads look a hell of a lot better...kinda the way the used to.

What I mean is that when you do other things they have to keep track. Otherwise your PPH goes down. If you work 5 hours a day but your volume is only 4 hours your pph is affected. So my sups usually ask if I was out of my cage and for how long etc.

 

[westsideworma]

What I mean is that when you do other things they have to keep track. Otherwise your PPH goes down. If you work 5 hours a day but your volume is only 4 hours your pph is affected. So my sups usually ask if I was out of my cage and for how long etc.

Ohhhh ok yeah my supe factors that in when she sends me elsewhere. the only reason she does so is because my cages get really light sometimes (when we're waiting for loads) so it would suffer anyways (my PPH). However they don't seem to be too concerned with that so much as misloads.

 

[aspenleaf]

pph is Packages Per Hour... UPS has guys that sit behind a computer and estimate how many packages per hour you should be loading... In the unload they have how many packages per minute you should unload... These numbers do not factor in size and weight of the packages and other variables... The numbers are never met as far as I know...

I am glad that others know this fact. Size and weight do matter when you are loading. Sometimes I can only get one package out of a cage because it is over 60 pounds and 3 feet by 3 feet. I work with someone who has tons of NDA envelopes. So her PPH is always good; near 300 but she has smaller packages! Yet she is the standard on the line that we all aspire to be. (Really we are told we should be more like her)

 

[aspenleaf]

Ohhhh ok yeah my supe factors that in when she sends me elsewhere. the only reason she does so is because my cages get really light sometimes (when we're waiting for loads) so it would suffer anyways (my PPH). However they don't seem to be too concerned with that so much as misloads.

Yes, well mine forget to add in when they take away one of my trucks so I lose around 250 and I have to remind them that I touched more packages than I get credit for. But I do what I can and work around the add/cuts.

 

[westsideworma]

Yet she is the standard on the line that we all aspire to be. (Really we are told we should be more like her)

yeah they do that around here except its mostly for lack of misloads, I haven't heard anything on PPH since PAS started. Its been misloads only lol

 

[aspenleaf]

yeah they do that around here except its mostly for lack of misloads, I haven't heard anything on PPH since PAS started. Its been misloads only lol

Well here they care about both (misloads are first but once you having none they move on to your production). I think the PPH goal is unrealistic since they do not count everything that happens during our sort. Today for instance we had a ton of stuff come to our line after 8:15. The drivers start time was 8:15 so we were running after them trying to get all the packages to them. Then after I clock out 30 minutes later there were still packages arriving. The preload will get blamed for the mess and yet it is not our fault if we don't get walked out on time.

I figure as long as I keep my misloads down I am okay. I work at a nice pace and I am always wrapped on time.

 

[LKLND3380]

I am glad that others know this fact. Size and weight do matter when you are loading. Sometimes I can only get one package out of a cage because it is over 60 pounds and 3 feet by 3 feet. I work with someone who has tons of NDA envelopes. So her PPH is always good; near 300 but she has smaller packages! Yet she is the standard on the line that we all aspire to be. (Really we are told we should be more like her)

The hourlies know and the supes/management know BUT the supes/management don't know we know... So they ride us and come to us we these numbers and then when we raise a valid point they don't know what to say...

 

[smirfgod]

I applied at UPS twice, here at college and back at my hometown. Both times they said i was hired and would call me in a week to start training. I never got any phone calls and my applications still both say on file.

 

[LKLND3380]

I applied at UPS twice, here at college and back at my hometown. Both times they said i was hired and would call me in a week to start training. I never got any phone calls and my applications still both say on file.

They must be waiting for the background check on you...