Surepost causing routes to be cut

[browned out]

Anyone know how the Union feels about SurePost (UPS picks it up move threw the system and they give it to USPS for the final delivery 100% of the time) vs Basic (UPS delivers 75-80% and rest by USPS). It seems they are going after the 1- 9 lb shipments. Just wondering... Drivers that deliver to Post Offices need to keep track of how many packages and where they are from when delivering to PO. It has gone from just a few companies like JC Penney to many new ones like Kohls, Gevalia, Lands End, LTD and many more.Our center is breaking up routes because 1000's of packages that we used to deliver are now going to the PO. I no longer deliver any gevalia and very few JCP. It is our responsibilty as drivers to keep the International Union informed of the amount and where these packages are coming from.

 

[Anonymous 10]

Call the international at (202)624-6800 and start bitching.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Anyone know how the Union feels about SurePost (UPS picks it up move threw the system and they give it to USPS for the final delivery 100% of the time) vs Basic (UPS delivers 75-80% and rest by USPS). It seems they are going after the 1- 9 lb shipments. Just wondering... Drivers that deliver to Post Offices need to keep track of how many packages and where they are from when delivering to PO. It has gone from just a few companies like JC Penney to many new ones like Kohls, Gevalia, Lands End, LTD and many more.Our center is breaking up routes because 1000's of packages that we used to deliver are now going to the PO. I no longer deliver any gevalia and very few JCP. It is our responsibilty as drivers to keep the International Union informed of the amount and where these packages are coming from.

SurePost packages are scanned, bagged and linked to a barcode on the outside of the bag during the preload. The driver simply scans the barcode at delivery. The bag is not opened nor are the packages counted so we would have no idea what shippers are in the bag.

 

[evilleace]

SurePost packages are scanned, bagged and linked to a barcode on the outside of the bag during the preload. The driver simply scans the barcode at delivery. The bag is not opened nor are the packages counted so we would have no idea what shippers are in the bag.

This is the idea but in my building there are more loose packages than packages in the bags.

 

[Bubblehead]

This is the idea but in my building there are more loose packages than packages in the bags.

Yep, the packages are getting bigger and more numerous as more and more companies are moving to this option.
Doesn't make sense to put two big parcels in a bag.
I am convinced that this was a good idea to reduce deliveries in rural areas in it's infancy, that has been expanded to all markets in order to reduce staffing and halt expansion of the fleet.
This is evident when I look at the package addresses that I'm leaving at the post office that I am going to, or are along my loop that day.
My route is in a major metropolitan area with a dense urban population.
By doing this, in conjunction with increased production standards, UPS has been successful in cutting routes.
Although many package car drivers have left through the attrition of feeder school, terminations, and 22.3 bids; no package car drivers have been hired in my building in better than 4 years.
All of this is being driven by the instant gratification mentality of the modern day stock market.
It is no longer enough to be good, you now have to be increasingly better, quarter after quarter or the stock suffers.
Doesn't reality suggest that a ceiling has to exist?
As they continue to attempt to squeeze more and more blood from the turnip, things like service, safety, employee relations, health and wellness, etc suffer greatly.
I continue to contend that instead of shunning these packages, especially in dense urban settings, we should be embracing them and expanding our infrastructure in order to be positioned to dominate the expanding home internet shopping market of the future.

 

[grgrcr88]

It certainly would be a good start to keep logs of these deliveries and how many pieces are being diverted to the post office, and file a grievance based on subcontracting. Be aware it will have to be a very good case on your part and it will be a very long drawn out ordeal. I for one believe its a battle that should be fought. Maybe your the one to get it started. I believe your steward could get an information request that would tell how many surepost packages have been scanned each day. I know the computer has to keep a record of that, maybe that would be a starting point.

 

[soberups]

What I was told is that, in order to qualify for Surepost, a shipper had to have us deliver an equal or greater number of packages ourselves. Supposedly, this was intended to capture at least some revenue from shippers who would not have used us to begin with.

What I am seeing however, is that we may not be losing any volume but we are losing hours. We are keeping more of the high-density urban volume, while the rural stuff is what the post office gets. There have been days where I have dropped off 45 minutes to an hour's worth of extended stops to the post office (what really bugs me is when I already have stops for those same addresses but I have to leave them anyway) while "keeping" 5 or 10 minutes worth of work in town.

 

[pretzel_man]

Yep, the packages are getting bigger and more numerous as more and more companies are moving to this option.
Doesn't make sense to put two big parcels in a bag.
I am convinced that this was a good idea to reduce deliveries in rural areas in it's infancy, that has been expanded to all markets in order to reduce staffing and halt expansion of the fleet.
This is evident when I look at the package addresses that I'm leaving at the post office that I am going to, or are along my loop that day.
My route is in a major metropolitan area with a dense urban population.
By doing this, in conjunction with increased production standards, UPS has been successful in cutting routes.
Although many package car drivers have left through the attrition of feeder school, terminations, and 22.3 bids; no package car drivers have been hired in my building in better than 4 years.
All of this is being driven by the instant gratification mentality of the modern day stock market.
It is no longer enough to be good, you now have to be increasingly better, quarter after quarter or the stock suffers.
Doesn't reality suggest that a ceiling has to exist?
As they continue to attempt to squeeze more and more blood from the turnip, things like service, safety, employee relations, health and wellness, etc suffer greatly.
I continue to contend that instead of shunning these packages, especially in dense urban settings, we should be embracing them and expanding our infrastructure in order to be positioned to dominate the expanding home internet shopping market of the future.

People should keep in mind that Surepost is an economy ground service. It is lower cost, less frills, and a lower margin for UPS.

FedEx already had SmartPost and it was made to compete with that service.

It is not logical to think that this is due to the greedy shareowner. The shareowner would be happier if the packages remained in the more profitable ground segment.

Its the customer that doesn't want to pay the price for ground.

Could this be improved? I think so.

I have heard the stories of driving by a Surepost address to deliver a ground package. That's a dumb move. I think our systems should be smart enough to figure that out.

In the mean time, customers want the lower cost shipping option. If UPS doesn't respond, we will see the package to to FedEx. That's why Surepost is there.

 

[Anonymous 10]

Ok I'll start it off my committing to filing a grievance on this surepost issue. In fact all stewards and OR Members should file also. You can call it soliciting a grievance or whatever you want. Everything is open to interpretation and subcontracting and extra contract agreements are major issues that are at the heart and soul and livelihood of all of us teamsters. Man up stewards and members I'm sick of hearing the bitching about it on these forums and am going proactive. It's our right men & women fought for this grievance procedure let them know how YOU feel.

 

[guinness413]

i deliver to a PO in a pretty normal sized town..we have 10 routes in this town..i went from having 1 or 2 packages a month for the PO when i first bid the route(2001) to now having between 50 and 125 from Jan thru October and close to 200 a day during peak....i only get between 5 and 10 of the scannable bags each day,everything else is loose and just tossed in..its great too,i cant go there until after 1100 because they only have 6 dock doors and they are loading up their own trucks..im there a minimum of 30 minutes each day,i have to find a few "hampers" to load stuff in,they get a flat Uboat for the big boxes..then they have between 10 and 20 returns each day also...its great..my route went from 135 in 2001 with nothing at the PO to 160 now..i was punching out @ 545,still getting a lil OT to now punching out after 800 everynight...its great, though my OT is easy residential and im bringing home MONSTER checks each week..of course my wife tells people shes a single mom raising our 1 year old because i rarely get to see her awake during the week..

 

[bigblu 2 you]

Ok I'll start it off my committing to filing a grievance on this surepost issue. In fact all stewards and OR Members should file also. You can call it soliciting a grievance or whatever you want. Everything is open to interpretation and subcontracting and extra contract agreements are major issues that are at the heart and soul and livelihood of all of us teamsters. Man up stewards and members I'm sick of hearing the bitching about it on these forums and am going proactive. It's our right men & women fought for this grievance procedure let them know how YOU feel.

our local is in the process of a national grievance.we have collected enough info and records to over he last few years to make our case solid. talked with the b.a. and fred gregare{running for int'l pres.}and they agreed ups has misrepresented or abused the agreement.

 

[Catatonic]

our local is in the process of a national grievance.we have collected enough info and records to over he last few years to make our case solid. talked with the b.a. and Fred G{running for int'l pres.}and they agreed ups has misrepresented or abused the agreement.

I don't understand what you hope to accomplish. Eliminating SurePost will cost UPSers their job.
The customers will simply give the packages to FedEx or the Post Office.
Hopefully the higher ups in the Union understand business.

 

[Anonymous 10]

I don't understand what you hope to accomplish. Eliminating SurePost will cost UPSers their job.The customers will simply give the packages to FedEx or the Post Office.Hopefully the higher ups in the Union understand business.

Just imagine that ups cooperate decides that it would be cheaper to run 50% of management from a call center in India. It could be done and you would have no say in the matter. We have a contract and this is a form of subcontracting. Some day my boss will be Vejay and he will be giving me my PCM from India. I will work as directed and to the same results as if you were at the center.

 

[grgrcr88]

I don't understand what you hope to accomplish. Eliminating SurePost will cost UPSers their job.
The customers will simply give the packages to FedEx or the Post Office.
Hopefully the higher ups in the Union understand business.

They already are taking away jobs. Have you seen the number of routes that have been cut lately?

 

[Mike57]

Yep, the packages are getting bigger and more numerous as more and more companies are moving to this option.
Doesn't make sense to put two big parcels in a bag.
I am convinced that this was a good idea to reduce deliveries in rural areas in it's infancy, that has been expanded to all markets in order to reduce staffing and halt expansion of the fleet.
This is evident when I look at the package addresses that I'm leaving at the post office that I am going to, or are along my loop that day.
My route is in a major metropolitan area with a dense urban population.
By doing this, in conjunction with increased production standards, UPS has been successful in cutting routes.
Although many package car drivers have left through the attrition of feeder school, terminations, and 22.3 bids; no package car drivers have been hired in my building in better than 4 years.
All of this is being driven by the instant gratification mentality of the modern day stock market.
It is no longer enough to be good, you now have to be increasingly better, quarter after quarter or the stock suffers.
Doesn't reality suggest that a ceiling has to exist?
As they continue to attempt to squeeze more and more blood from the turnip, things like service, safety, employee relations, health and wellness, etc suffer greatly.
I continue to contend that instead of shunning these packages, especially in dense urban settings, we should be embracing them and expanding our infrastructure in order to be positioned to dominate the expanding home internet shopping market of the future.

AirBorne Express and even DHL had a similar deal. On my route I had 2 post offices,was at one EVERYDAY,the other one several times a week.

 

[Catatonic]

They already are taking away jobs. Have you seen the number of routes that have been cut lately?

One should be hesitant to conclude there is a correlation between the two happenings.
BTW ... the jobs I was referring to the pickup driver and inside handlers. The delivery driver should be close to a wash either way.

 

[chuchu]

We are instructed to bring the bags back to the center. Working as directed-noting shippers names. (If you scan the packages that were scanned into the bag your name and pkg total come up in a report.) Quite often we find the bag labels stuck to the floor & wheelwells later. Great system....HINHIN won't even print in the blank with the duplicate key. DUH.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

We are instructed to bring the bags back to the center. Working as directed-noting shippers names. (If you scan the packages that were scanned into the bag your name and pkg total come up in a report.) Quite often we find the bag labels stuck to the floor & wheelwells later. Great system....HINHIN won't even print in the blank with the duplicate key. DUH.

Are you emptying the bags and scanning each package at delivery? If so, that is defeating the purpose of the bags.

 

[Mike57]

I DID deliver, AND I also picked up at the post offices!

 

[The Other Side]

Ok I'll start it off my committing to filing a grievance on this surepost issue. In fact all stewards and OR Members should file also. You can call it soliciting a grievance or whatever you want. Everything is open to interpretation and subcontracting and extra contract agreements are major issues that are at the heart and soul and livelihood of all of us teamsters. Man up stewards and members I'm sick of hearing the bitching about it on these forums and am going proactive. It's our right men & women fought for this grievance procedure let them know how YOU feel.

Why would you file a grievance? This isnt a problem between drivers and the company. This is a DIRECT impact of negotiations with hall and the his Teamster negotiating committee in the last contract. Maybe a little something you and everyone else didnt pay attention too.

There is NOTHING we can do at the driver level.

Are the surepost packages costing us routes?? ABSOLUTELY. Are the packages getting bigger and bigger? ABSOLUTELY.

In my hub, the drivers who deliver to the post office are doing so with 400 to 500 packages on car! Not all of them are bagged, and any supervisor or union official who tells you this is out of his mind. Those 400 to 500 packages are the equivalent of two routes. Now multiply that by 5 post offices ( in my center) and you have 10 routes cut.

THese are boxes and not plastic bags of JC Penny items. The boxes are getting larger and they are starting to "blow out" the trucks that carry them.

This program ( surepost ) isnt something the company has started without the permission of the Teamsters, just as Logistics isnt. We have even more volume being diverted to Logistics than ever before.

If anyone has a beef with surepost or logistics diversions, then your complaints need to start in D.C.

Contact hall and complain directly to him or Hoffa. They are responsible. Our voices need to be heard NOW if they are going to take this matter seriously in next years negotiations. They can reverse what they did.

While your on the phone with them, also voice your anger over the language contained in article 6 of the N.M.A. and tell them you dont want any EXPANSION of that language to include PRODUCTION, STANDARDS, GOALS or DISCIPLINE. In fact, tell them that the language in article 6 pertaining to telematics, GPS and enforcement should be removed from the book!

Get there attention!

Dont bother trying to fight it at a local level, you are just wasting youir time, effort and energy.

Peace.