Why am I doing more work than everyone else?

[Shryp]

Theoretically most will say if you have seniority you should be able to force someone else into that job. Why did you get bumped from your "preferred job"? If you do try and say you have more seniority their excuse is probably going to be something along the lines of the other people were never trained and you already know the job so you are screwed.

You can complain all you want, but most likely they will leave you there as long as you are doing the work. The best thing you can do is slow down and make them send someone else to help you. Don't make it too obvious though as then they will come after you for refusing to work or something. Just make sure to go slow and steady and not hurt yourself. I was in a similar spot a while ago as they kept pulling me off the sort isle and making me load. I didn't mind it too much, but they were always doing it to me and most of the time they never asked. It was more of a "you are going to load tonight whether you want to or not". Seems they can do a lot better if they were to simply say something like "Hey we need some loaders today, would you mind loading for the night?".

Sounds like you made the cardinal sin of being "too good" when you first started and are now being targeted as their pawn. It sucks, but that is just how the company works. The lazy people get to stand around and do nothing all night, while the people that they can abuse are forced to do the work of 2 people. Just slow down and take your time and don't let them cause you to hurt yourself. Get someone to help you with all the heavy stuff.

 

[Shryp]

You could always say you got hurt and need an easier truck, but then they will probably hassle you more and make you see a doctor and fill out all kinds of safety stuff. Maybe tell them you are sore or hurting or you pulled something and see if they will give you a break for a week or something.

We have people in our building that do that so they can go to small sort or tape or whatever.

 

[Bristol Brown]

I have seen it dozens of times throughout UPS.If someone comes into the job be it as a loader or a driver and they have a good work ethic and sense of pride in their job then UPS will just abuse that person.

I was similar to you when I started at UPS but had my spirit crushed about a year later where I was at the stage where I was almost in tears when my alarm clock went off in the morning.

I made a conscious decision not to have the p*ss taken out of me by my manager and Sup along with the preload team and havent looked back since.

The job still gets me down now and again but I dont work as hard as I did 6 years ago.

When they do try to up the work load I find going sick for a week does the trick.

 

[steward71]

first you should have filed on the preferred job. If you had gotten your 30 days in that job then no matter how much senior some may have been to you they could not have "bumped" you from that job. Read your contract. We had to file on all shifts to get UPS to see the preferred jobs. You are right you will open a can of worms if you are dishonest about an injury. UPS can not hold you to PPH. You should have filed on the job it may have took a while but you could have won the issue. Keep an eye open in your building to see if there is anyone lower then you in a load, smalls, or in unload, or sort. If they have not been in the postion for 30 days and they did not sign the list for a preferred job then file on it. Get wtih a steward tell him or her what is going on and ask how the preferred jobs are done in your area and tell them to help you with the matter. Ask before hand from some of your buddies who the best steward and go talk with them. or call your local.

 

[packageguy]

Good things things will happen for you. just keeping doing what your doing,

 

[Anonymous 10]

Months ago, I didn't think I'd be posting this but I need opinions right now. I used to have a "preferred" inside job. I did my job fast, safely and took pride in the quality of my work. Somewhere along the line I must have pist someone off, because shortly after I was moved to loading. With ZERO training other than trial and error on my own part and picking things up from other loaders I was placed with, I became a respectable loader. I had a strong work ethic, and remained excited to come in and give my "best". This must have been obvious, because shortly after I began loading, I was moved to a harder area of the building. The volume is much greater, and the people are long time loaders. I was moved to a series of trucks in particular. These are the trucks that receive the bottom belt of a sort isle. Therefore, everything and anything that comes is a HEAVY package. If not heavy, odd shaped. 99% of the time it is both. My enthusiasm continued though and I worked hard. At the end of the night, I'd be the last one there to do wraps, pick up and make sure everything was OK in the area.

Fast forward 8 months. I have seen 3 people that they have put in my truck daily quit. Everyone else they have tried to put in has somehow managed to get out and go back to their light load or sort job. I see a face for a day or two and then they are gone. Everyone I run into tells me no one wants to touch this truck with a 10 foot pole. They simply cannot get anyone besides me to play the role of sucker and subject themselves to it. The consensus is, this is the load they put you in when they want you to quit.

Over the months, I've gone from being enthused to come into work and do a good job, to just barely pulling myself in. I absolutely am disgusted knowing full well I am in the ONE TRUCK out of DOZENS on the sort that needs to deal with packages that are ALWAYS between 50 and 70 lbs. Some below 50 (30-40lb occasionally), and more than I'd like to think above 70 lbs. I am in good shape. I've always taken care of myself , but this is starting to wear and wear big on me. I am not sure if my body can't keep up with the caloric needs or if I am just severely burnt out, but I find myself coming home and sleeping most of the night. When I wake up, I am just DEAD. Not even sore, just DEAD. I don't want to do ANYTHING physical. I just can't.

I look at other people and I have no problem doing more work than others. I did before I came in this heavy load anyway. I am a hard worker. And they are taking advantage of this in a big way. But when I am having to do more work than everyone else in the fashion I am, for this long, when other people are in a regular load dealing with regular packages, I have a problem. When I can no longer go to the gym, and lead a normal life because I am leaving my soul behind in their "hell hole" truck, I have a bigger issue. I need opinions on what I can do. It is obvious they aren't moving me out anymore on their own and I am done bending over. Flow is incredible from start to finish, everything is obnoxiously heavy, my body is shot.

I'll give you a big atta boy. Keep it up ups needs people just like you.

 

[curiousbrain]

Months ago, I didn't think I'd be posting this but I need opinions right now. I used to have a "preferred" inside job. I did my job fast, safely and took pride in the quality of my work. Somewhere along the line I must have pist someone off, because shortly after I was moved to loading. With ZERO training other than trial and error on my own part and picking things up from other loaders I was placed with, I became a respectable loader. I had a strong work ethic, and remained excited to come in and give my "best". This must have been obvious, because shortly after I began loading, I was moved to a harder area of the building. The volume is much greater, and the people are long time loaders. I was moved to a series of trucks in particular. These are the trucks that receive the bottom belt of a sort isle. Therefore, everything and anything that comes is a HEAVY package. If not heavy, odd shaped. 99% of the time it is both. My enthusiasm continued though and I worked hard. At the end of the night, I'd be the last one there to do wraps, pick up and make sure everything was OK in the area.

Fast forward 8 months. I have seen 3 people that they have put in my truck daily quit. Everyone else they have tried to put in has somehow managed to get out and go back to their light load or sort job. I see a face for a day or two and then they are gone. Everyone I run into tells me no one wants to touch this truck with a 10 foot pole. They simply cannot get anyone besides me to play the role of sucker and subject themselves to it. The consensus is, this is the load they put you in when they want you to quit.

Over the months, I've gone from being enthused to come into work and do a good job, to just barely pulling myself in. I absolutely am disgusted knowing full well I am in the ONE TRUCK out of DOZENS on the sort that needs to deal with packages that are ALWAYS between 50 and 70 lbs. Some below 50 (30-40lb occasionally), and more than I'd like to think above 70 lbs. I am in good shape. I've always taken care of myself , but this is starting to wear and wear big on me. I am not sure if my body can't keep up with the caloric needs or if I am just severely burnt out, but I find myself coming home and sleeping most of the night. When I wake up, I am just DEAD. Not even sore, just DEAD. I don't want to do ANYTHING physical. I just can't.

I look at other people and I have no problem doing more work than others. I did before I came in this heavy load anyway. I am a hard worker. And they are taking advantage of this in a big way. But when I am having to do more work than everyone else in the fashion I am, for this long, when other people are in a regular load dealing with regular packages, I have a problem. When I can no longer go to the gym, and lead a normal life because I am leaving my soul behind in their "hell hole" truck, I have a bigger issue. I need opinions on what I can do. It is obvious they aren't moving me out anymore on their own and I am done bending over. Flow is incredible from start to finish, everything is obnoxiously heavy, my body is shot.

I'm afraid that I can't offer any other suggestions than have been previously suggested, possibly such as talking to a steward; things are slightly different in the building where I am employed in that management is receptive to logical discontent and it is not always necessary to make a big huff with the union, but it sounds as if you don't have that option so probably try the steward.

I will empathize with you, though, for what that is worth - perhaps nothing.

I had a similar experience, at least initially; I was the first in to work and the last to leave, and actually made joking complaints that they were sending me home after the shift, telling the supervisors there was more work I could do. I got moved around a lot, and did everything I could to excel - I worked through break, stayed late, never complained, the whole nine.

Finally wound up at the end of the belt, as you discuss, and even did great down there; it was hell (one 500+ piece truck, with a 400 and 300 piece truck as well) with most packages weighing a short ton, but I made it happen with no misloads - mind you, I was only kept down there for few weeks or so, not the length of time you indicate. After that, I am now moved around to do different things on a daily basis, depending on where the "hell" is that day; an average day is splitting the belt and loading a bulk truck and a residential truck.

I heard a lot of things to the effect of "don't work so hard; UPS will break you and throw you away", and what not. I have no doubt that was (and is) true, and maybe I just haven't gotten there yet, I don't know.

I will say good luck to you, and hopefully it all turns out for the best; it's a pisser that some of the hard working folks seem to get chewed up.

 

[over9five]

You already know it but I'll say it again:

The people with the best work ethic, the people that work the hardest are the losers at UPS. I can't believe how hard I work, and the slacker right beside me not only gets paid the same but .....

Can't they see how hard he's scr******** them???? They obviously know it so it must be ok.

Anyhow, it pisses me off.

 

[moreluck]

You already know it but I'll say it again:

The people with the best work ethic, the people that work the hardest are the losers at UPS. I can't believe how hard I work, and the slacker right beside me not only gets paid the same but .....

Can't they see how hard he's scr******** them???? They obviously know it so it must be ok.

Anyhow, it pisses me off.

And I.M.O. (in my opinion), that's the kind of guy the union is designed for. IMO

 

[Pathagreon]

Question is: Why don't we demand our Union retrain or remove "lazy" employees? We all know there are those at work who create more for those of us who come in with a work ethic regardless of contract or company...why should they be protected?

 

[UPSGUY72]

Question is: Why don't we demand our Union retrain or remove "lazy" employees? We all know there are those at work who create more for those of us who come in with a work ethic regardless of contract or company...why should they be protected?

The Union doesn't train anyone the company does. Remember just becasue you do more work than the other guy doesn't mean the other guy didn't do a fair days work. Maybe you just did above and beyond a fair days work.

Alot of new employees think that they need to meet some of the unreasonable numbers that management comes up with. Whether it be stops per car or how fast you can unload a trailer. These people are the problem.

They are protected because they are in the union.

 

[Non sequitur]

If your wearing a brown uniform your not lazy, ups wouldn't put up with it. You sound like a driver. Try doing it for 20-30 years talk about an ironman. And yes folks thats why they pay us the big bucks, because any nucklehead can do it for a few years, how about over a whole career.

 

[toonertoo]

The best horse gets whipped the hardest.

 

[govols019]

Good things things will happen for you. just keeping doing what your doing,

Life's a garden....Dig it.

 

[satellitedriver]

The best horse gets whipped the hardest.

When I was complaining to my father, as a young man, about being worked harder than everyone else at my job.-(not at UPS)-
He just said,
"A good horse gets rode, son."
Boy was he right.
Every job I have ever had , I was given more responsibility, and more work.
Helloworld,
you load that pkg car on level ground from dock to pkg car.
My sympathy goes to the driver that has to unload that S.O.B..
All those "heavy" irregular shaped pkgs must be taken out of the car, carried up flights of stairs, carried to the consignees "preferred" location, ect....... pushed and shoved out of the way in the car all day.
Also, the driver must have a shoe shine,
be polite to @hole consignees,
say commentaries word for word, at the risk of being fired.
Ect....................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know I sound like an @hole 25 driver, but I have loaded my pkg car, for the past 16yrs, and I know it is easier to load ,than unload.
Industrial Athlete is the closest term I have ever heard to describe a UPSer.
We all have a choice to work here, or not.
If it was an easy job everyone would be doing it.

 

[grgrcr88]

Months ago, I didn't think I'd be posting this but I need opinions right now. I used to have a "preferred" inside job. I did my job fast, safely and took pride in the quality of my work. Somewhere along the line I must have pist someone off, because shortly after I was moved to loading. With ZERO training other than trial and error on my own part and picking things up from other loaders I was placed with, I became a respectable loader. I had a strong work ethic, and remained excited to come in and give my "best". This must have been obvious, because shortly after I began loading, I was moved to a harder area of the building. The volume is much greater, and the people are long time loaders. I was moved to a series of trucks in particular. These are the trucks that receive the bottom belt of a sort isle. Therefore, everything and anything that comes is a HEAVY package. If not heavy, odd shaped. 99% of the time it is both. My enthusiasm continued though and I worked hard. At the end of the night, I'd be the last one there to do wraps, pick up and make sure everything was OK in the area.

Fast forward 8 months. I have seen 3 people that they have put in my truck daily quit. Everyone else they have tried to put in has somehow managed to get out and go back to their light load or sort job. I see a face for a day or two and then they are gone. Everyone I run into tells me no one wants to touch this truck with a 10 foot pole. They simply cannot get anyone besides me to play the role of sucker and subject themselves to it. The consensus is, this is the load they put you in when they want you to quit.

Over the months, I've gone from being enthused to come into work and do a good job, to just barely pulling myself in. I absolutely am disgusted knowing full well I am in the ONE TRUCK out of DOZENS on the sort that needs to deal with packages that are ALWAYS between 50 and 70 lbs. Some below 50 (30-40lb occasionally), and more than I'd like to think above 70 lbs. I am in good shape. I've always taken care of myself , but this is starting to wear and wear big on me. I am not sure if my body can't keep up with the caloric needs or if I am just severely burnt out, but I find myself coming home and sleeping most of the night. When I wake up, I am just DEAD. Not even sore, just DEAD. I don't want to do ANYTHING physical. I just can't.

I look at other people and I have no problem doing more work than others. I did before I came in this heavy load anyway. I am a hard worker. And they are taking advantage of this in a big way. But when I am having to do more work than everyone else in the fashion I am, for this long, when other people are in a regular load dealing with regular packages, I have a problem. When I can no longer go to the gym, and lead a normal life because I am leaving my soul behind in their "hell hole" truck, I have a bigger issue. I need opinions on what I can do. It is obvious they aren't moving me out anymore on their own and I am done bending over. Flow is incredible from start to finish, everything is obnoxiously heavy, my body is shot.

Imagine how the poor driver must feel!!!

Seriously though, at UPS, the more you do, the more they give you!! You might as wel learn it now and save yourself a few years!!

 

[UnconTROLLed]

The squeaky wheel gets the grease. squeak a little - remember the co. cannot force you to work unsafely. If you feel you are exerting yourself unsafely, complain to the union and your supervisor team.

the amount of work you do is entirely your own doing . No one is forcing you to work fast, you set the bar.

 

[Nimnim]

For those over 70s you are getting squeak a bit to make it easier on yourself. The contract covers this under article 44.

In section 1.

No employee shall be required to handle any over 70 pound pack-
ages alone if it is the employee’s good faith belief that such han-
dling would be a safety hazard to herself or himself. In such cases,
the Employer shall provide whichever of the following is requested
in good faith by the employee in handling over 70 pound packages:
1. Another bargaining unit employee for assistance, or
2. Appropriate lifting/handling devices, or
3. Another bargaining unit employee and an appropriate
lifting/handling device for handling, pick-up or delivery circum-
stances that require both bargaining unit help and an appropriate
lifting/handling device.

In section 3

No over 70 pound package shall be loaded below the flaps of a drop
frame trailer or stacked taller than waist high.

 

[steward71]

First of all a preferred job is sorting. again read the contract. Management does not have the right to give the postions out, they are done by seniority. again talk to a steward. not trying to be mean when i say this, but if you don't stand up for your rights they will walk all over you and then you will not have nothing. you come to this board looking for suggestions and it was given and now it is up to you to put the action forward no can do this but you. good luck.

 

[Returntosender]

This is UPS. The more work you do the more work they give you. You never want to become the go to guy for any sup on sort. Sooner or later all the sups will come to fix they're problem.