Respect for all Union Full Timers

[Vicious CHUD]

Like the thread title says, I have a new found respect for you full timers. You should all be canonized for showing INFINITE patience when it comes to the daily.... "festivities" at UPS. I've been temping for only 2 weeks and have been bent over 3 times and harassed 2 times already... IN JUST 2 WEEKS. Some of you have been here 30 years. I can only imagine the kind of crap you have had to deal with: being lied to your face, supervisors wandering around aimlessly making veiled threats of looking to fire someone that day, being screwed out of pay, the company being "technically correct" on labor issues (and they are usually pretty selective about being "technically correct"). As a part time loader I never understood why some of the old timers seemed to be full of bitterness and contempt and hatred towards a company that had "taken care of them". Now I get it, I used to say "don't bite the hand that feeds you", but what if that same hand is biting you whenever it gets the chance?

My question is how have you managed to deal with all of this? How do you keep showing up every day knowing that you'll likely be screwed with for no apparent reason? How do you work all of those years when you know that you CANNOT trust a single word that comes out of their mouths? Knowing you will have to fight tooth and nail over something that you are not just entitled to as an employee, but also as a human being? I'm seriously asking you how you have dealt with this, because as of right now, I'm going to have to learn how to deal with it all, the whole time knowing that I'm dealing with it just for the opportunity to steal my own job.

 

[104Feeder]

Copious amounts of lithium and alcohol.



OK not really. IMO the best way is to fight back by becoming active in the Union and [-]beating Management into submission through the grievance process[/-] using the grievance process to come to a 'working arrangement' with Management. Also, learning to accept incremental change is very important.

 

[anonymous6]

"Thank you, thank you very much." ( Elvis impression )

 

[Jones]

You're being way too dramatic about it.
Show up everyday, do your job, go home, get paid on Friday.
Don't lie, don't cheat, don't skip your lunch.
Let everything else roll off your back.

 

[TearsInRain]

none of that happens to me whatsoever

 

[rod]

Develop a thick skin--maintain a great sense of humor--work safe-- learn early that you are wasting your time trying to figure out why they do what they do (they have the right to run their company into the ground if that is what their goal is) ---smile at them often (it drives them nuts to see someone happy)--do your job--cash your check -- try not to drink too much (I know its hard). And probably one of the most important things is to find a "significant other" who understands that you won't be home for supper every night at 6 o'clock and you might not be able to attend little Suzies school Christmas play or little Johnies baseball game. If things aren't going good at home the job can REALLY suck.

 

[BSWALKS]

2 weeks? They should be asking you to become a part time supervisor any day now.
Good luck

 

[Big Babooba]

Like the thread title says, I have a new found respect for you full timers. You should all be canonized for showing INFINITE patience when it comes to the daily.... "festivities" at UPS. I've been temping for only 2 weeks and have been bent over 3 times and harassed 2 times already... IN JUST 2 WEEKS. Some of you have been here 30 years. I can only imagine the kind of crap you have had to deal with: being lied to your face, supervisors wandering around aimlessly making veiled threats of looking to fire someone that day, being screwed out of pay, the company being "technically correct" on labor issues (and they are usually pretty selective about being "technically correct"). As a part time loader I never understood why some of the old timers seemed to be full of bitterness and contempt and hatred towards a company that had "taken care of them". Now I get it, I used to say "don't bite the hand that feeds you", but what if that same hand is biting you whenever it gets the chance?

My question is how have you managed to deal with all of this? How do you keep showing up every day knowing that you'll likely be screwed with for no apparent reason? How do you work all of those years when you know that you CANNOT trust a single word that comes out of their mouths? Knowing you will have to fight tooth and nail over something that you are not just entitled to as an employee, but also as a human being? I'm seriously asking you how you have dealt with this, because as of right now, I'm going to have to learn how to deal with it all, the whole time knowing that I'm dealing with it just for the opportunity to steal my own job.

I'll tell you something V C. All employees deserve respect whether they are full time, part time, union, non union, hourly or salary. It seems that it has been lost somewhere between Atlanta and the trenches.

 

[turdburglar]

Copious amounts of lithium and alcohol.



OK not really. IMO the best way is to fight back by becoming active in the Union and [-]beating Management into submission through the grievance process[/-] using the grievance process to come to a 'working arrangement' with Management. Also, learning to accept incremental change is very important.

Beating management into submission through the grievance process has worked wonders for me. Smiling at them when they are harassing you or yelling at you works too (it made them angrier at me, but that just made me smile even more). I am not a full-timer, by the way, but I have dealt with management for over five years.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

management tactics of harassment and etc. are all quite predictable. They pick and choose candidates to prey on, people who seem easily influenced.

If they believe that someone will move packages faster by yelling at them, calling them names, whatever it takes, they'll do it. How many times do we see drivers harassed, made angry, etc, and then they'll go burn the route the next day?

If you show that none of the above makes any difference in your life or work methods, and overall is totally irrelevant, there's nothing to prey on.

 

[anonymous6]

2 weeks? They should be asking you to become a part time supervisor any day now.
Good luck

ha ha ha that is so TRUE ! they get you be4 you can figga it out !!! hahaha

 

[Vicious CHUD]

2 weeks? They should be asking you to become a part time supervisor any day now.
Good luck

I've been temping for 2 weeks.... but working at UPS for 6 years (alot to some, a blink of an eye for others). I was asked if I wanted to go into p/t management a looooong time ago ("You have a four year degree, you could be my boss in like.... two years, three tops dude"). This guy had a four year degree too, he should have stayed in school to get a doctorate because he would have gotten that sooner than the friend/T sup position that he's still waiting on.

As for me being dramatic, well I'm not sure what to tell you. I'm not just randomly making this stuff up. I'm very happy for you if this stuff has never happened to you, thats clearly the case if you think I'm being dramatic. If I am just being dramatic though, then why are there so many responses from people telling me how to deal with said drama? Maybe, just maybe, thats because it's not me being dramatic, maybe they know EXACTLY what I'm talking about and being vets they know EXACTLY how to deal with it.

For everyone who actually answered the question, or even made a joke as a means to provide some level of relief from a VERY frustrating situation (not being sarcastic, just like one of the other posters said 'have a sense of humor', as I'm assuming it helps you deal with it all), I really appreciate the responses. Just to make sure I've got it all though, heres what you're saying:

Show up on time, look presentable, do your job as well as you can, don't steal, don't fight, smile/nod/wave (but draw the line at dancing), and MOST importantly keep the Mrs happy, and if none of that works then grieve them into submission (everyone except the wife) .

 

[stink219]

Thank you very much!! You have to imagine management like babies. They only know with what they are being told. But the big difference is that babies eventually will grow up.

 

[texan]

Thank you very much!! You have to imagine management like babies. They only know with what they are being told. But the big difference is that babies eventually will grow up.

Just an FYI, I have a great Manager. Oh, he has his moments, but he is really good overall.

22 years US Army NCO, then 17 years UPS.

Managers are Officers to me.

Officers in the Army, you remember the good and the bad ones.

I am so Blessed to have my current Manager, he is very very level headed.

I have been around bad ones in the Army and UPS, but I also have had some good ones.

 

[sortaisle]

Work at a good pace, don't cut corners, don't destroy your route by running off every stop, bend at your knees when you can (95% of the time seems about normal, but if you can do 100% go for it) and believe that you deserve to be respected and eventually it filters out to everyone else. Gotta let stuff roll off your back. Understand your contract and be active in the union. There's no reason that we can't be respectful to each other and even if they disrespect you or yell at you, don't degrade yourself by stooping to yelling back at them. Keep calm, smile, and understand that UPS is work and home is life. You get paid by the hour brotha! Good luck!

 

[stink219]

Thank you very much!! You have to imagine management like babies. They only know with what they are being told. But the big difference is that babies eventually will grow up.

Just an FYI, I have a great Manager. Oh, he has his moments, but he is really good overall.

22 years US Army NCO, then 17 years UPS.

Managers are Officers to me.

Officers in the Army, you remember the good and the bad ones.

I am so Blessed to have my current Manager, he is very very level headed.

I have been around bad ones in the Army and UPS, but I also have had some good ones.

I'm with ya. I only had one decent one. But 11 out of 12 were horrible. 4 managers have been fired in my career. All were cooking the books. One had a substance abuse issue. And another took it upon himself to increase drivers united way contributions without their knowledge.

 

[Catatonic]

Thank you very much!! You have to imagine management like babies. They only know with what they are being told. But the big difference is that babies eventually will grow up.

How ironic, babies babysitting babies.

 

[Jones]

How ironic, babies [-]babysitting[/-] employing babies.

 

[oldupsman]

Develop a thick skin--maintain a great sense of humor--work safe-- learn early that you are wasting your time trying to figure out why they do what they do (they have the right to run their company into the ground if that is what their goal is) ---smile at them often (it drives them nuts to see someone happy)--do your job--cash your check -- try not to drink too much (I know its hard). And probably one of the most important things is to find a "significant other" who understands that you won't be home for supper every night at 6 o'clock and you might not be able to attend little Suzies school Christmas play or little Johnies baseball game. If things aren't going good at home the job can REALLY suck.

What he said. Especially the partner at home.