USPS to deliver UPS

[clarkie]

This was given to me from one of the postal workers on my route. The copy is from a USPS newsbreak and was posted on their bulletin board.

"In early November, UPS will start using Parcel Select service offered by the Postal Service for final delivery of some of its customers' packages.
These packages, for the most part, will be destined for residential addresses served by Destination Delivery Units (DDUs) in predominantly rural areas of the country. This decision follows a successful test conducted by UPS in July.
If customers ask about the Postal Service delivering UPS packages, tell them:
}<font color="0000ff">"UPS conducted a pilot test on behalf of some of its customers in July for delivery of packages by the Postal Service in certain areas of the country. UPS has now decided to expand that offering. We appreciate their business."</font>

No one I asked in our building had any real answers, just speculation on what the scope of this was.

 

[ups79]

clarkie: other threads here concerning the same topic are under UPS Lights or UPS Basics, you might also want to look at those threads.

 

[parttimejon]

a General Executive for the teamsters is really really not happy about this whole plan first of all he states that it is subcontracting and that is against the contract. second if you offer a discount for new customers what are the old customers gonna think when they are paying full price. they are gonna say hey don't forget about us. can you say national grievance

 

[tieguy]

The customers paying less will get less by way of service. Its not a service everyone will want.

 

[brown39]

If its the peak season gift boxes that are involved, let the PO have them, what a pain they are !!!! Nothing worst than the FRUIT CAKES !!

 

[john61]

Supposedly its UPS Supply Chain Solutions that is negotiating with these new customers. If that is the case, SCS is not a party to the Master Agreement. Thoughts?

 

[brown39]

UPS has enough labor specialists who know the teamster contract and would not add insult to injury by intentionally causing unrest now, especially as peak begins. SCS has been in business for some time and has always acted as an agent that can pick and choose which carrier is either more efficient in time and/or cost. In many cases UPS was NOT chosen by SCS. Nothing new here regarding outsourcing or contracting teamster work outside.

 

[upsdawg]

The Basic service that you are referring to is a slap in the USPS's face. They are offering discounts to large customers who have <5lb packages----UPS will take advantage of the discounts because the USPS can't deny UPS the service, and than UPS will send these small packages with the USPS----it is a Basic service--no Guaranteed Time in transit, no declared value--only 1 delivery attempt--NO CLAIMS--no cods--no signature required-------hey this sounds like the stuff that customers have been sending with the USPS!! So what we are doing is taking the volume and turning around and sending it through the USPS!!! This is all new volume for UPS and it opens the door to rest of the volume that a customer may have---new revenue to keep our Brown Machine rolling along--providing new jos and securing our current jobs-----sounds good to me!!

 

[my2cents]

Hard to say, John 61. I haven't seen any new information about the IBT's grievance. If the grievance isn't resolved, it would go to arbitration. I agree with upsdawg and hope the union sees it this way as well.

One wonders how the Post Office comes up with programs like this. Let me guess. They have bureaucrats running the ship, instead of businessmen. Pretty sad. The message the Post Office sends is that they can't handle their own volume.

 

[brown39]

The message the Po sends is that they can do deals like this with no oversight on the long term. UPS has always been accused of being too slow to react to the market place, well I think we should do our homework, because when you DON'T you get Parcel Select that will cause you to work harder for hardly nothing. Another example of federal buracuracy at it's WORST.

 

[speed-demon]

I can promise you that alot of the hardcaore teamsters will fight it, because, face it, this would lead to cutting a route or more, like in the rural center I work in. Job loss is not what we need to be talking about now. As for the post office carrying our packages.....I dont like the idae of our service picture being clouded with them in it.

 

[toonertoo]

The first one I know of hit my route yesterday. I heard about it today. MY route is by no means rural. I delivered to a guy at his business, and delivered his residential pkg there yesterday also. I went by his home later in the day and noticed a pkg sitting right on his porch, not hidden at all. Figured it was the USPS, as they do that. He yelled at me for it, because it is a high theft area. I said No I didnt deliver one, and he said it was definetely a ups pkg, and he would know as he has an online account. He does know the difference. Then it dawned on me. And they almost cut my route out because I almost didnt have enough work that day. He is bringing me the label tomorrow, and calling to complain. I wonder who fields those calls and what kind of tracking info will show. I can hear customer service now telling this guy it isnt our fault we show no delivery for that, youll have to contact USPS. What a nightmare. But thank God we have the information we need to field these inquiries...........

 

[dammor]

toonertoo,

You have just seen the tip of the iceburg.

 

[local804]

Oh I can see it now......rural New York City.

 

[toonertoo]

I see it as volume control, they make the money but dont need the drivers. Green acres everywhere....when needed. Just as I expected.
And so far all we have heard at my center about this is the letter from local 407 sent to UPS from hall of the teamsters small package division, posted all over the sales lead board, someone keeps ripping them down and someone keeps putting them back up. It is entertaining at least.

(Message edited by toonertoo on November 11, 2003)

 

[dammor]

"UPS has enough labor specialists who know the teamster contract and would not add insult to injury by intentionally causing unrest now, especially as peak begins."

Intention or not, the unrest and concern is so thick you can taste it here. It is very simply really, we are loosing volume daily here to USPS.
Think about it...To the Post Office...All that other volume some have suggested is headed our way is a joke at this point. As I said before, we are in a trial area here and we are hurting.
More jobs? Just the opposite I'm afraid. This is the most disturbing move I have ever seen UPS make. How can more jobs be created when we are passing off new AND old volume to the damn post office? I'd hate to be part-time right now. In fact, if this pattern continues, there will be full-time drivers loading trucks because all volume in certain zips will be handed with a smile to our dear friends at the post office.

 

[dammor]

"Oh I can see it now......rural New York City."

local804,
If you think you will not be affected by what happens elsewhere you are mistaken and perhaps short sighted. Most of use living in what you would consider rural areas realize that we are all connected by common gains and also by common pains.

 

[toonertoo]

I live in a rural area. we dont even have 911. I accept the 12:00 time limit on NDA just fine. But as much as I like my Post office people, it is a community where I already, when home see UPS making lots of stops here, probaly 20 in the lake community where I live per day. So once they are already here, whats a few more? We already charge the customer 1.75 per package so the gas and hours are paid for with about 15 packages. I just see this guys route getting cut out, and as I have stated before since the trial we were never told about has begun, I have seen it in Metropolitan areas. I deliver spitting distance from the downtown of a major Ohio city. I think it would be alot easier to be force fed this if the managment had implimented it with our help, and input, but I guess that isnt the UPS way, maybe it never was or will be again. But I know I worry about seniority, and employment, and I see this as a threat to my livelihood. I also talked to the mailman on my route and he hates it, they were told, we werent, and if his day has increased because of it, and I am in a metro area, what happens after peak? No work for me>>>

 

[muncher]

Well what a surprise! UPS signs a contract then decides to change the rules half way through it!!
Nice going MIke Eskew. It amazes me how UPS expects the teamsters to follow the contract but when it is in UPS's best intrest to breake the rules it is ok. I don't see UPS adding a additional 5,000 full time jobs or giving any addiotal pay raises? first the pas system now this crap! all it is a way to eliminate jobs, benifits, save UPS money and add more work to the people already there.

 

[nevadapaul]

What rules were changed and what rules were broken?? Do you really know what your talking about?