Question about an old timer that can't really work anymore...

Kevin211

Well-Known Member
WEll i see that brotherhood is going strong with this KID, Last time i checked we all get paid by the hour and not by performence of the job.
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
You mean grandfatherhood? Dont you? this is a group within the brotherhood that trades metamucil mixer recipes. lol
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
tooner, with all respect I'm suprised and disappointed that you feel between a rock and a hard place. In such a position we do the best we can and let others do the same. It's the rule of UPS. We have folks who are not as physically strong as others, we have folks who don't care and we have folks who are such management suckbutts that they don't have to work hard.

It's up to the powers to decide what to do with each and every employee. It's not our problem if they slow down the belt, want to stay for extra money or to get away from the wife.

I'm a 53 year old sorter who's been with UPS for 16 years. I've given them blood, sweat and tears so they dammmmed well give me some slack as I get older and, yep, slower. Would they like to replace me with a younger, faster employee making less than half the money? Probably, but the age and physical condition card is tucked away and will be pulled out if and when necessary. At this time my numbers fall right in the middle between the busters and the slackers.

And as for YOU, kid - You could be more productive yourself if you stopped watching and whining about what others are doing. Old coots like myself often see young whippersnappers like you and just smile. We are above and beyond needing your approvel, trust me on this one. Meanwhile, we take our generous paychecks, pick our vacations first and bump your little buns off the personal day list. :happy-very:
I am suprised that you think what I said was wrong. I also stated the fact that he should be protected, and that I understand how a young gunner feels but.
Im a 52 yr old female driver, so Ive fought the same battles. Am I slower? Probably, but slow and steady beats the heck out of fast and arrogant. And I have been told I am slow and have yet to pull that card as I only heard it from mgmt. I have the respect of my fellow drivers, Ive been at this going on 26 yrs. And I love to hear them young guys cry then I know if they are hurting Im allowed to.
I have the utmost respect for anyone who works with me, and If I worked beside a 70 yr old, I would be honored, and try to help if I could. Because at 70 there is a reason you are working, and it may have nothing to do with wanting to.
Would they like to replace me? I am sure they would, but when someone needs help, in a snow storm, cause they got sick, or hurt, who is the first one they call. Yes the old reliables. Some things just dont need to be spoken, they are a given.
So If I sounded disrespectful, I didnt mean to.
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
A couple of thoughts. First, its illegal to discriminate based on age in this country. Second, the gentleman was hired by UPS at 55-no spring chicken-i.e. they got themselves into this.

Why not put him in a less demanding job, where extreme production is not emphasized? For example, driving the bulk train? How about small sort? Revenue recovery audit? High value clerk? Customer counter?

My point is there are a number of jobs at UPS that a 70-year old can do, why not put him in one of these?

I admire this man for working at UPS at 70. If the 20-year olds had his work ethic the sort would be smoked. No?
 

dillweed

Well-Known Member
tooner, thanks for coming back in on this. I may well have misunderstood the tone of your post. I always enjoy your posts due to your compassionate and sensible opinions.

I work a four hour shift and know how my body feels toward the end of it. How you get up to face an overloaded pkg car, customers and management head games is a mystery to me. Even 20 years ago I wouldn't have had what it takes to do your job.

I took the kid's remarks to heart - he happened to hit a sore spot that shouldn't even be a spot. I hesitated before posting at all and should probably have kept my mouth shut.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
You should never keep your mouth shut. You respectfully had a thought and expressed it. I feel angry when the bosses jump on guys older, it isnt right. But they have been around long enough to know they will be there to the end of their career, because they do the job.
I had a young loader at Christmas time actually spout off and say to me as he finished stuffing my truck..."I dont mind women working here if everybody doesnt have to carry them" I was speechless, but I just laughed as the lions in the den, beat the young cub. I dont think anyone should carry anyone as we all got hired and if we didnt carry our weight we were gone. Male or female. I know other places I worked at, I worked with slouches. It made me work harder, but it made me better.
As for UPS, I have never worked with a slouch. The part time positions are not easy, I worked them for 8 yrs. At least as a driver you get to take breaks when you need them. Not when a buzzer goes off, it is very intense. I used to go home and take a nap, I was so whipped.
I can see how the poster hit a raw nerve.
 

Dustyroads

Well-Known Member
My thoughts, since you asked, would be for you to mind your own business. Do your job, and unless you are a supervisor don't worry about the performance of others. Article 37 sec. 1 states" that the employer will give due consideration to the age & physical condition of the employee." It also states that employees will treat each other with dignity & respect.

The "old guy" may have multiple reasons why he is still at UPS. None of which are any of your business. I'm sure he cares little about your speculation or unhappiness with his performance. As for everyone else helping him out with his work, I suggest you read the book Tom Sawyer. The "old guy" may be smarter than all of you. :wink2:

My thoughts exactly. Not to mention that firing the "old guy" because he is old and slower than a 20 year old guy is a violation of Federal law. Whose business is it even how old the guy is. Mind your business and do your work, msuspar, and maybe you will make it to retirement.
 

Re-Raise

Well-Known Member
I had a young loader at Christmas time actually spout off and say to me as he finished stuffing my truck..."I dont mind women working here if everybody doesnt have to carry them" I was speechless, but I just laughed as the lions in the den, beat the young cub.

Tooner you remind me of a woman driver at our center. You are almost the same age with the same amount of time at UPS. Your posts remind me of her also.

I have worked with her for 25 years now. She was hired a couple of months before me and we worked the preload together for a few years before we each started driving.

I have the greatest respect for her as do the rest of the drivers. She may not be as physically strong as some of us but she is part of our team and she has been there with us giving her all for years.

I would been the first in line at our center to rip that kid a new one if I ever heard someone say something like that to her.

You have our respect.. and we have your backs ..both of you.
 

Omega man

Well-Known Member
Yeah I understand where you are coming from but at 70 I hope to be retired haha. If I had to work at 70 I don't think I would be working this physical of a job. The supervisor told me that they tried putting him in different areas of the hub but everyone gets sick of him. Now its been a year and he is still with us. I just wish they would get rid of him so we can get someone to at least load 300 an hour which isnt even normal vs. his 30-40 an hour So everyone on my belt wouldn't have to babysit him to break a jam or fix his scanner and so on. He can't fill out a CSA test without copying from someone. He has no idea what goes in his trailer just scans the boxes without looking. Sometimes scans the other bar code on the box and beeps like he already scanned it so loads it without actually scanning it. Haha One of the Irreg workers had a box that went in his trailer and asked him to make sure it went in there and his answer was "hmm ask one of the other guys".

It really just gets old having to deal with him day after day.

You need to learn to respect your elders. Article 37 of the Master Agreement expects UPS to give "due consideration to the age and physical condition of the employee" You might try doing that also.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
Thanks reraise, its people like you who have kept me at it. When I get grief from who ever, they have always been there to help me, not because Im female, but because we are a team. We carry each other through. We help each other and we respect each other. That is what it is all about.
 

PT Stewie

"Big Fella"
The kids I work worth call me the old man ,pops ,or saggy oldman.........I laugh and salute them with digit in the middle of my right hand and say the geritol-viagra cocktail works wonders for us old people. LOL. I think your work ethic gets better the older you get .......geez I am starting to sound like my father. Quit complaining about the old guy and try to help him out. You will be there someday.
PS I try to look at the bright side I now get a senior discount on green fees at the local golf course.
 

gishpar

New Member
Hi:
I think you younger workers need to not be so judgmental. I am an older worker and you young people do not respect us. We have more experience and wisdom than ten of you put together. So this man is slow. Some day, if you live as long as he, you will understand the work ethic. It is not about money, or getting away from the wife, or trying to stash money away. The older we get, the poorer we get because our retirement savings of the earlier years has been able to keep up with the present day affordabality of living comfortably. If you don't like working with us then ask your boss to put you on a different shift or different line of work. However, you would take the time to get to know each elder worker on your job, you will find a wealth of valuable information and wisdom that will get through the stormy times ahead, and believe me, we are headed for stormy times. Young people, you are going to need our wisdoma and expertise in getting the worse depression this world has ever seen. If You are mean to us now, should we be willing to help you then? Remember this when you lose your job and don't know how to save, how to conserve, or how to survive because you don't want to get to know us, have compassion on us, or respect us.
 
Hi:I think you younger workers need to not be so judgmental. I am an older worker and you young people do not respect us. We have more experience and wisdom than ten of you put together. So this man is slow. Some day, if you live as long as he, you will understand the work ethic. It is not about money, or getting away from the wife, or trying to stash money away. The older we get, the poorer we get because our retirement savings of the earlier years has been able to keep up with the present day affordabality of living comfortably. If you don't like working with us then ask your boss to put you on a different shift or different line of work. However, you would take the time to get to know each elder worker on your job, you will find a wealth of valuable information and wisdom that will get through the stormy times ahead, and believe me, we are headed for stormy times. Young people, you are going to need our wisdoma and expertise in getting the worse depression this world has ever seen. If You are mean to us now, should we be willing to help you then? Remember this when you lose your job and don't know how to save, how to conserve, or how to survive because you don't want to get to know us, have compassion on us, or respect us.
Huh ok I respect ya thanks
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
Respect your elders is something I learned at a young age and I still use it today. The man might own a company as hes said or mayeb hes at rock bottom and doesnt want to admit it to a bunch of young snobs. Maybe he needs the medical for for his wife or himself. I give this guy props for working especially during a time when you have so many milking off the Gov. If hes slowing down, jump in and give him a hand. The man has earned that much respect!!!!
 

Backlasher

Stronger, Faster, Browner
Originally Posted by msuspar2003
I work at an air hub on a PD belt loading trailers and have a guy who is 70 years old on my belt. He loads oh maybe 30-40 packages an hour (No Joke) and also does second pick off (only has to sort 2 trailers) and can't even do that right with out stopping the belt 20-25 times in a shift. My question is how is this guy still working at UPS and not fired or asked to quit. Granted he has been with the company I think 15 years but he can't perform any job at least 50%. We are already short staffed and he is keeping us from getting someone who can perform the job a lot better.

Any thoughts anyone?

Wow...He's my idol....:peaceful:

He handles 30 to 40 more packages then any 70 yr old I know. He also sorts 2 more trailers then any 70 yr old I know so I think for a 70 yr old I have respect for him.

It might seem hard to understand or except, but Dude, respect your elders.

God bless that man cause when I'm that age I hope to be fishing with grandkids instead. We hopefully will all be in those elderly yrs. and if we are still having an active lifestyle we will want respect and kindness from the youth we come across.
 

PT Stewie

"Big Fella"
They were breaking my chops again yesterday after a week of 95+ temps and some killer shifts ( it was over 100 in my work space) I took a personal Friday . The kid I work with send me a text calling me a such and such. I texted him back to say I will be thinking of him as I crack open another beer on the beach. Seniors Seniority you got to love it . LOL
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
There is a difference between a 70 yr old not being able to keep up with a 20 something, and a 70 something being slower. Although most of the guys and girls I work with at nearly that age could beat the snot out of any 20 something I have seen.
You get paid to work, do your best, and shut the heck up about someone you think does not meet YOUR quota.
If UPS wants to get rid of the old codgers who have been there 30 plus, then pay them to leave. Some snot nose wont push me out the door when and if I am lucky enough to try to do this job at that age.
 
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