The "New" UPS - Scott Davis CEO - vs.- The 2013 Teamsters

[InsideUPS]

Greetings:

At no other time in my 34+year UPS career, have I been more concerned about you and the fate of our "once great" company. I have spent considerable time reading about the history of Jim Casey and UPS. I have spent time reading and watching various news media on our current CEO, Scott Davis. I have talked with my co-workers and management teams at work. I have posted questions here at BrownCafe to gain a broader insight into employees thoughts and feelings outside of my work area. I have read and monitored BrownCafe management topics and discussions (UPS Partners). Through all of these resources, I have come to the following conclusions: (Read On to see how this will affect our current contract negotiations and long term careers at UPS)

1) Modern Day UPS under the direction of Scott Davis is nothing like the UPS that was started by Jim Casey. Jim Casey was a "business genius" without any type of formal education. Here are just a small number of quotes from Jim Casey:
MoneyAre we working for money alone? If so, there is no surer way not to get it. 1947

A fair exchange
To give, or get, what is due in accordance with the principles of equal exchange does not call for tricky schemes or methods. On the contrary, if we in any way resort to such trickery, we will not only violate high ethical standards but usually end up with exactly what we deserve — the short end of the bargain. And this is especially true in dealing with people under our supervision.
We cannot hope to get more than we give. Even if there were no labor unions to demand it of us, it would be our duty to pay our people fairly, and even liberally, and treat them decently in every other respect. And, of course, it is equally their duty to give us full value for what we give them.

The history of Jim Casey is beyond the scope of what is intended in this forum however, I urge you to log into your Upsers.com account and read more on our great founder of UPS.

2) Scott Davis CEO is a modern day Wall Street business man. His education included an accounting degree with additional education at Wharton School of Business in Pennsylvania (Same as Donald Trump)



Scott Davis is the "poster child" for Corporate Greed IMHO. While stock owners may admire his "near sightedness" in obtaining record profits, OTHERS in his very close management team recognize him for what he really is....... FOR EXAMPLE:

Listen to this . . . The Compensation Committee has a three year plan to increase the bonuses for the CEO from 250% of the annual salary to 675%; the COO from 225% to 575% and the CFO from 225% to 300%

"While it expects to continue to monitor the effect of global economic conditions on the Company, the Compensation Committee is committed to the implementation of its plan to increase the total compensation of these three executive officer positions through increasing LTIP target award values, with the increase in compensation earned by these executives, subject to meeting the performance targets over the three-year performance period."

This was found on page 27 of the proxy statement (SEC 14)

http://idea.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/...409002206/0000950144-09-002206-index.idea.htmhttp://idea.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/...409002206/0000950144-09-002206-index.idea.htm

http://idea.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/...409002206/0000950144-09-002206-index.idea.htmhttp://idea.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/...409002206/0000950144-09-002206-index.idea.htm

MORE RECENTLY ..... Scott Davis and his Board of Director Friends are changing the long standing rules to allow for an "outside" Chairman . TOTALLY Against the philosophy of Jim Casey...

Up to now, the by-laws of UPS have reserved the position of "Chairman of the Board" (of Directors) for the Chief Executive Officer of the company. In essence the Leader of the organization had to be a "UPS" employee.

Well I'm here to tell you that that has changed ~ Here is a little hidden gem in the SEC Form 8K filed after the last board of Directors meeting.
"On February 14, 2013, the Board of Directors (the “Board”), acting upon the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board (the “Committee”), approved the amendment and restatement of the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”). The Bylaws were amended to increase the Board’s future flexibility when it periodically evaluates the Board’s leadership structure by: (1) deleting the presumption in Article V, Section 7 that the Chairman of the Board “shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation;"
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1090727/000110465913011826/a13-5287_18k.htm

In other words, the board is no longer obligated to make the CEO the Chairman. The plate has been set for the outside Chairman (Its not as if D Scott Davis was not enough of an outsider)
This is the final shovel of dirt that buried the "Partnership".

Scott Davis is not only making record breaking profits off of Teamsters and non-union hourly, he is also taking from the very management people that you and I work with every day. The people in the trenches that work 12 hours a day and have to hear complaints from both you and "up above".

Scott Davis will STOP at NOTHING to achieve those numbers on that next quarterly earnings report. ALL of us mean NOTHING to him except a number.....or in accounting terms...a LIABILITY. Reading the UPS Partners forum and listening to management in our center...you will also see and hear that lower management has also had enough of this Corporate near-sighted CEO.

SUMMARY

While we all can sit at our computers and discuss issues that only affect us personally...such as crayons vs. markers...etc.. there is a much BIGGER PICTURE that we should be seeing across America at this time. Scott Davis is going to try and change the Teamster landscape at UPS. He would like nothing better than to break the Union at UPS. This man has one goal in mind....Higher Earnings...and more profits. TOTALLY contrary to Jim Casey's statement, "Are we working for money alone? If so, there is no surer way not to get it. 1947". I believe that if Jim Casey were alive today, he would fire Scott Davis for the way he is running this company.

Fellow Teamsters.....gear up for doing battle with this man. DO NOT count on an early settlement. Remember, the ONE MAJOR weakness that Scott Davis has is MONEY....HE will stop at nothing to get more of it....and it is this weakness that we TEAMSTERS must capitalize on. Although there has been discussion about a strike....I am TOTALLY against using that method with UPS for this contract (although the fear of a strike will be helpful). As I have mentioned before....the longer we hold off signing a contract that is fair to all, UPS will begin to lose customers. Customers = $$$ in the eyes of Wall Street and Scott Davis. Even if the loss of customers results in the temporary layoffs of lower seniority employees....those employees will be able to collect unemployment.... and COBRA benefits. The loss of customers will eventually return when a contract is agreed upon. The loss of our jobs if we strike and the Union is broken will NEVER return. This UPS Game of Monopoly will be easy to win if we play it smart and SAFE...

​

 

[Dracula]

None of this surprises me. This is the direction Wall Street has taken since Reagan threw off the reins. The chase for quarterly performance is one of the big reasons why the world economy crashed the way it did. When the only goal is aimed only a few quarters in advance, the urge to sacrifice long term stability for the big gains in the short term. If your bonus is determined by a quarterly goal, you will do whatever it takes to hit that goal, up to, and including cooking the books. This is what happened with the sub-prime mortgage securities. The same applies to cutting corporate costs. A CEO could easily cut large sections of a company apart and liquidate them, reducing costs and bumping up the stock price in the short term. The company, in many cases, is permanently damaged when reality sets in. But most of the time, that CEO is long gone when the hemorrhaging begins.

This is what happens when a private company goes public.

 

[DiadTribe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQGxWjoSD58

 

[TearsInRain]

tbh, whatever is wrong with upper management, the only solution would be going private again, and there is nothing the Teamsters, or any hourly, can do to influence that whatsoever

 

[Buck Fifty]

STRIKE !!! No ifs ands or buts. That's when the real negotiations will start.

 

[InsideUPS]

STRIKE !!! No ifs ands or buts. That's when the real negotiations will start.

Thank you for your input ICU. Strikes were popular and effective labor actions.... "years ago". Modern day labor actions have to evolve just as our weapons systems must evolve to protect against new threats and technologies. Utilizing a Teamsters strike against a company like UPS today would be like General Custer pulling out his single shot pistol at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He may have killed a few Indians....but in the end...well....you know what I mean. General Custer eventually ended up in the (I)ntensive (C)are (U)nit and died... For you video game enthusiasts.....a strike is sort of like an Atari 800.. An Apple 64... enough said.

Both you and I(CU) share the the same goals at UPS. We want a fair and decent contract. As a 34+ year employee and representative of the Union, I want nothing more than for all employees at UPS to share in our economic success. So....while using the word "Strike" may sound tough...and invincible.....it would be EXACTLY what the company would want us to do...... Study history....learn from the past...evolve...learn...and grow. Do not underestimate your "enemy"... Please know that your solidarity and support, regardless of form is appreciated however..

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Thank you for your input ICU. Strikes were popular and effective labor actions.... "years ago". Modern day labor actions have to evolve just as our weapons systems must evolve to protect against new threats and technologies. Utilizing a Teamsters strike against a company like UPS today would be like General Custer pulling out his single shot pistol at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He may have killed a few Indians....but in the end...well....you know what I mean. General Custer eventually ended up in the (I)ntensive (C)are (U)nit and died... For you video game enthusiasts.....a strike is sort of like an Atari 800.. An Apple 64... enough said.

Both you and I(CU) share the the same goals at UPS. We want a fair and decent contract. As a 34+ year employee and representative of the Union, I want nothing more than for all employees at UPS to share in our economic success. So....while using the word "Strike" may sound tough...and invincible.....it would be EXACTLY what the company would want us to do...... Study history....learn from the past...evolve...learn...and grow. Do not underestimate your "enemy"... Please know that your solidarity and support, regardless of form is appreciated however..

Personally, I think the best warning shot for the UPS negotiators would be a one day IBT-led safety campaign. Work-to-rule is not a slowdown, it is entirely legal and would show the company we mean business.

I wouldn't say strikes are archaic - per se - but with the 24-hour news cycle and cell phone cameras every where, it would be a much different ballgame than it was in '97. The option should never be taken off the table, but we have enough leverage, as it stands, with major shippers getting the jitters (Amazon, etc.) that it should only be used as a last resort.

 

[InsideUPS]

Personally, I think the best warning shot for the UPS negotiators would be a one day IBT-led safety campaign. Work-to-rule is not a slowdown, it is entirely legal and would show the company we mean business.

Piedmont...I like your idea of the IBT-led safety campaign.. I'm not opposed to any type of labor action as long as it is properly planned and implemented. I was on the line during the 97 strike and am willing to repeat the efforts if necessary. That said, I personally have problems with short-timers at UPS that have little or nothing to lose by thinking that a strike is the answer to all their issues. As stewards, it is our job to look out after all of our Brothers and Sisters. When someone inexperienced at UPS labor issues starts down a path of "armchair" quarterbacking....and we know that he has never been in the "real" game.. (of labor issues), I believe a little extra "coaching" is helpful. Not sure if you were there in 97....however, I can tell you that a number of full-timers were getting mighty nervous by the end of week 2.

Not sure if you read the news.....but UPS just made a pledge to hire 25,000 veterans. Diadtribe brought up an interesting point..

Will they be used during the possible STRIKE?

 

[rudy5150]

Who cares. As we all know it takes a special person to make it at UPS. Most new hires quit or get injured within the 1st 2 weeks of employment. 25,000 is nothing. I dont believe that # anyways. does ups always keep their word?

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Piedmont...I like your idea of the IBT-led safety campaign.. I'm not opposed to any type of labor action as long as it is properly planned and implemented. I was on the line during the 97 strike and am willing to repeat the efforts if necessary. That said, I personally have problems with short-timers at UPS that have little or nothing to lose by thinking that a strike is the answer to all their issues. As stewards, it is our job to look out after all of our Brothers and Sisters. When someone inexperienced at UPS labor issues starts down a path of "armchair" quarterbacking....and we know that he has never been in the "real" game.. (of labor issues), I believe a little extra "coaching" is helpful. Not sure if you were there in 97....however, I can tell you that a number of full-timers were getting mighty nervous by the end of week 2.

Not sure if you read the news.....but UPS just made a pledge to hire 25,000 veterans. Diadtribe brought up an interesting point..

I wasn't there in '97 - I don't even have a decade in yet. But there's no doubt in my mind that a strike would hurt everybody - union and company alike. I'll be able to sit out for at least 2 months until I burn through my cash reserves - but I also don't have a wife, kids, or a mortgage. I only have to take care of myself.

I'm glad that the folks I represent are willing to talk about striking (in response to the health care proposal, more than a third of the members I talk to said: "**** that! Let's strike!") but the best course of action is to tell them that hopefully it won't come to that, but to be ready for anything.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

The only word that comes to mind is "wussies". That's all I got. :>

 

[Butters243]

Very well said by everyone in this post. These thoughts of our current situation are educated and logical. The teamsters deserve a contract with raises, free health care, increase in pension, and anti-harrassment clauses. The success and profits of Ups come from the hard work of their employees.

 

[skunk]

"Strike" may sound tough...and invincible.....it would be EXACTLY what the company would want us to do......




Are you saying the company wants us to strike?

 

[balland chain]

Sadly the UPS we old timers remember, is gone. All that matters is dividend, and the bonuses that Management receive from our, YES OUR hard work. Low level managers are number pushers, and they get on our ass' if "their" numbers are not good. It all rolls down. What I don't understand is why the hell do they insist on treating us so badly, when if they would treat us with respect, dignity, like some one's father, mother, son & daughter (just like actual people, not referring to being related to them) they, the Company would most likely get employees that come to work smiling, happy, ready for another day, actually looking forward to anything other than friday. However, they insist on threatening, harassing, intimidation,coercion, discrimination, lying , ETC. With management treating us like this, we go to work grumpy, not smiling, short with customers, and just down right pissed at the world. Customers see it, they are not stupid. However we can not make ill comments towards the company due to policy, when I go to the Doctor and he wonders why my blood pressure is so high, not able to sleep, chronic fatigue,depression, anxiety, ETC, I tell my Doctors & therapist the truth about how I am treated at UPS. All have had the same comment " wow I thought UPS was a good company to work for, guess not." They will never get it. Scott Davis should change his name to Gordon Gekko !!!!!

 

[Thebrownstreak]

I won't come out here and say I know what the answer to the current negotiations is. I was a Junior in HS in '97. I think that the company would love for us to have a strike. They know that with the current economy the public will not likely be behind us. I feel the company will even let "slip" information about compensation, unpaid med insurance, etc.

With that being said, if we do strike I think the union on both a national and local level need to educate the membership on a unified message. One thing that bothered me during the right to work legislation that was passed in several states was how union membership acted. I realize that this is a very delicate issue for most of our brothers and sisters to deal with. I know that a strike will hurt. I know that we (personally) will have to make adjustments on how our family lives if a strike occurs. I feel that if a strike does happen, a highly educated membership will be far more benifital than an emotional membership. What are your thought.

 

[dilligaf]

Who cares. As we all know it takes a special person to make it at UPS. Most new hires quit or get injured within the 1st 2 weeks of employment. 25,000 is nothing. I dont believe that # anyways. does ups always keep their word?

I had a guy yesterday tell me that he worked for UPS for 3 days and then quit. He couldn't do it. We have had the same thing in our center. Some people just can't handle it.

 

[jibbs]

Hey guys, on the subject of a strike mentioned a few posts above mine in this thread, if we were to go on strike, what are the chances, if any, of being fired as a result? I realize a strike could lead to a loss of employment due to possibly crippling the company financially, but is it viable for UPS to fire a Teamster simply because he chose to participate in a picket line?

I'm just curious. I realize this probably isn't the best place for the question but I didn't feel like it warranted a thread of it's own and I'm really unfamiliar to the nuances of how unions work and their precise relationship with an employer/industry.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Our right to strike without retaliation is in the contract.

 

[Dracula]

Hey guys, on the subject of a strike mentioned a few posts above mine in this thread, if we were to go on strike, what are the chances, if any, of being fired as a result? I realize a strike could lead to a loss of employment due to possibly crippling the company financially, but is it viable for UPS to fire a Teamster simply because he chose to participate in a picket line?

I'm just curious. I realize this probably isn't the best place for the question but I didn't feel like it warranted a thread of it's own and I'm really unfamiliar to the nuances of how unions work and their precise relationship with an employer/industry.

None. Unless you commit a felony on the picket line, you won't get fired. There are simply too many hourlies to fire us. The business hit, the publicity hit and the paralysis to the company prohibits this. Not feasible. No one wants a strike. Even if you vote no on the contract, you don't want a strike. That said, we need to prepare for one.

 

[jibbs]

None. Unless you commit a felony on the picket line, you won't get fired. There are simply too many hourlies to fire us. The business hit, the publicity hit and the paralysis to the company prohibits this. Not feasible. No one wants a strike. Even if you vote no on the contract, you don't want a strike. That said, we need to prepare for one.

That's reassuring.