Why does UPS hate their employees?

surviv'n_it

Well-Known Member
I have been with UPS for about 20 years but have seen over the past couple a progressive attitude and acceptance of harassment of drivers from management. I hope it is not as common as our hub.

Every day sups are out jumping all over drivers, some almost to the point of yelling. Just yesterday, a sup was talking loudly to a new driver, almost to the point of yelling, saying things like "any driver can do this better than you. What is your problem out there? Maybe UPS isnt the job for you so maybe you should just quit."

Other things like "You are the highest paid in the industry, so start working like it. There are 50 people out there ready to take your job so if you cant do it, leave. We can always find someone else take your route."

I have started to document these actions on the part of management but what really gets me is how passive the Teamsters are being on this. When I called our local, I was told that management is under a lot of stress and we need to just bear with it. Seeing as how the Teamsters are going to do nothing and drivers are scared of retaliation so they look the other way, what is it going to be like in 5 years from now?

If you stand up for yourself, then the threats start to fly. Threats like we better not have any unexplained stretches of time during the day or we will be fired for stealing time. They have already pulled drivers in the office to explain what they were doing for a 6 minute stretch.

I do not want to seem like I am bashing management as I have had probably more good supervisors than bad, but from what I am seeing take place now is unacceptable. The harassment, threats, and even some intimidation is getting out of hand.

Is anyone here experienceing the same? I personally have been with UPS for over 20 years and am getting to the point where I hate even going to work in the mornings. My stomach starts to hurt in the mornings when sups start walking around with all their reports in their hands and start their "interrogations".

I am finding it difficult to think that UPS management has any respect or gratitude towards their employees.
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
I have been with UPS for about 20 years but have seen over the past couple a progressive attitude and acceptance of harassment of drivers from management. I hope it is not as common as our hub.

Every day sups are out jumping all over drivers, some almost to the point of yelling. Just yesterday, a sup was talking loudly to a new driver, almost to the point of yelling, saying things like "any driver can do this better than you. What is your problem out there? Maybe UPS isnt the job for you so maybe you should just quit."

Other things like "You are the highest paid in the industry, so start working like it. There are 50 people out there ready to take your job so if you cant do it, leave. We can always find someone else take your route."

I have started to document these actions on the part of management but what really gets me is how passive the Teamsters are being on this. When I called our local, I was told that management is under a lot of stress and we need to just bear with it. Seeing as how the Teamsters are going to do nothing and drivers are scared of retaliation so they look the other way, what is it going to be like in 5 years from now?

If you stand up for yourself, then the threats start to fly. Threats like we better not have any unexplained stretches of time during the day or we will be fired for stealing time. They have already pulled drivers in the office to explain what they were doing for a 6 minute stretch.

I do not want to seem like I am bashing management as I have had probably more good supervisors than bad, but from what I am seeing take place now is unacceptable. The harassment, threats, and even some intimidation is getting out of hand.

Is anyone here experienceing the same? I personally have been with UPS for over 20 years and am getting to the point where I hate even going to work in the mornings. My stomach starts to hurt in the mornings when sups start walking around with all their reports in their hands and start their "interrogations".

I am finding it difficult to think that UPS management has any respect or gratitude towards their employees.
All I can say is ARTICLE 37.

I haven't been with UPS for more than 5 years so I can't compare the past and present. All I know is the present. All I know is the harrassment.
 

surviv'n_it

Well-Known Member
All I can say is ARTICLE 37.

I haven't been with UPS for more than 5 years so I can't compare the past and present. All I know is the present. All I know is the harrassment.


I think that it is just sad that a company as large and profitable as UPS can allow and encourage their management to act in such unprofessional behavior.

I honestly could not ever encourage anyone on working for UPS anymore.
 

helenofcalifornia

Well-Known Member
That seems to be the latest buzz word at UPS - "stealing time." Our lunches now have to start immediately after the last stop or we are "stealing time." I usually am squaring away stops in the truck after my last stop before lunch, which I have been told is "stealing time." I do not "steal time" from UPS.

Tightest shipping company in the shipping business is getting tighter and tighter.
 

outamyway

Well-Known Member
Well, leaving 25 minutes late, having no trucks, using bulked out trucks, having trucks that break down and having late air because of it somehow makes us bad air drivers. Even though we've never had a problem even as remotely bad as we did this week. How can we do our jobs if we don't have the tools to do it?

No matter what happens or what you do it will always be a union employees fault.

Telling your employees "you suck" isn't a great motivator.




I will no longer call it a "service failure". It will be known as "numbers failure". If management gave a crap about customer "service" we would not be competing as bad as we are with Fedex.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
I think that it is just sad that a company as large and profitable as UPS can allow and encourage their management to act in such unprofessional behavior.

I honestly could not ever encourage anyone on working for UPS anymore.
I would not recommend ups to anyone who does not have a real thick skin.
My son got offered a job after being a helper for 4 yrs and I told him I would kill him. They eat their young. If I had it to do over I would not do it. I have made more money here than ever. But your life is worth more than the money. They have lost the human part. you can be good, customers love you, you dont get hurt, injured or have an accident and you are pond scum. If you run late, and most of us do. JMHO peace out
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
That seems to be the latest buzz word at UPS - "stealing time." Our lunches now have to start immediately after the last stop or we are "stealing time." I usually am squaring away stops in the truck after my last stop before lunch, which I have been told is "stealing time." I do not "steal time" from UPS.

Tightest shipping company in the shipping business is getting tighter and tighter.
Helen, don't let them get away with this. They tried doing that here as well. As long as we are sitting in that seat we are on the job and working. That is a DOT regulation. They cannot enforce our lunch time start until we get out of that seat. If you drive to your lunch stop, you are on the job.

And as far as sorting, I do the same. sorting is on the clock.
 

MR_Vengeance

United Parcel Survivor
Every day sups are out jumping all over drivers, some almost to the point of yelling. Just yesterday, a sup was talking loudly to a new driver, almost to the point of yelling, saying things like "any driver can do this better than you. What is your problem out there? Maybe UPS isnt the job for you so maybe you should just quit."

Rumor has it that UPS will hire a Motivational Speaker for new drivers. Here is his video resume..........
Full Metal Jacket - Motivational Speech
 
a sup was talking loudly to a new driver, almost to the point of yelling, saying things like "any driver can do this better than you. What is your problem out there? Maybe UPS isnt the job for you so maybe you should just quit."
First of all I would point out that "any driver" isn't doing this route, I am and we are not the same person. I would list my problems. If the sup can't handle the stress, maybe he/she should quit.

Our lunches now have to start immediately after the last stop or we are "stealing time."
I'm pretty sure, contractually, as long as we are on area, we can drive to where our meal is taken. My last stop before meal time is not usually within walking distance of a cafe.
.If you drive to your lunch stop, you are on the job.
We can't drive the truck off the clock, so how are we supposed to get to the cafe?

Threats like we better not have any unexplained stretches of time during the day or we will be fired for stealing time.
If your load is bad, document it in the DIAD every day (I'm bad about not doing this myself) then you can explain some of you laps in time as finding misplaced packages ( that is a problem and we all know it). Ask them how you can ever turn in sales leads with out talking to the customer?


No matter what happens or what you do it will always be a union employees fault.
It's been that way every since I started with UPS in 1985, although it has gotten progressively worse since we went public stock.
Telling your employees "you suck" isn't a great motivator.
I like most other people learn form example.

I would not recommend ups to anyone who does not have a real thick skin
We're on the same page on this.

What I find strange is they claim they are not harassing employees when they yell, yet if we raise our voice we get threatened in a "yell" with insubordination. I say "goose/gander". I did tell (in a very moderate tone)a DM once that if he could not talk to me in a civil manner, not to talk to me at all. I can't say that it helpped any but it let him know that I was not intimidated by his yelling.
 

paidslave

Well-Known Member
That seems to be the latest buzz word at UPS - "stealing time." Our lunches now have to start immediately after the last stop or we are "stealing time." I usually am squaring away stops in the truck after my last stop before lunch, which I have been told is "stealing time." I do not "steal time" from UPS.

Tightest shipping company in the shipping business is getting tighter and tighter.

Run your route according to where you will take your lunch. If it is at McDonalds or whereever your have a delivery that you may eat at grab your lunch right after you deliver and stop complete.

It is not that difficult to plan where you will be between the 3 and 6 hour. I am sure you drive by several location between that time with a stop next door to it.

If you are driving around town to shop for a place to eat than yes that part is your lunch time....Any business is ran like that, when the lunch bell rings at any place you work you have to be back at your job!

I don't think that is asking for a whole lot to keep your job!
 

UPSNewbie

Well-Known Member
All I can say is ARTICLE 37.

I haven't been with UPS for more than 5 years so I can't compare the past and present. All I know is the present. All I know is the harrassment.

I just looked that up in my book. It is almost word for word what surviv'n_it is talking about. It just kind of amazes me.
 

chev

Nightcrawler
I just thank God I'm not in delivery any more. What a shark infested pool it has become. It was getting bad when I left in 99'. I really don't know how you all put up with this "big brother" gestapo. Where the hell is the union that used to bust balls? They have become very passive imho. :sad-little:
 

I'mTheMan

Well-Known Member
In thru my years in service, I have seen supervisors, top supervisors, and managements, they take on harassing workers for anything. Even me, I still take up harassments from top supervisors on how I do my job and doing my methods safety in my training. They're just squeezing your hours to get it done sooner without getting any teamwork help. Top Supervisors will whine and complain that saying "We're not making any money!" I wouldn't listen to it. I rather see it on the news if UPS post any results and if I see profits on there, then UPS has been made money. Productions is hard time at this time but we will still get over normal volume sometime later this year. Right now, we still below the normal volume which not good but we do encourage to find a way to get our volume back. Somehow. :anxious:
 

I'mTheMan

Well-Known Member
I just thank God I'm not in delivery any more. What a shark infested pool it has become. It was getting bad when I left in 99'. I really don't know how you all put up with this "big brother" gestapo. Where the hell is the union that used to bust balls? They have become very passive imho. :sad-little:

The union is not in our favor anymore so we feel that our union isn't strong anymore as it used to be. I have no faith for the union because we're being kept in the dark for so many reasons from them. I can't win any grievances either.
 
as a long time upser with closer to 30 yrs worked i will tell you this ups has used the the cliche highest paid for yrs . i can tell you this they cant hold over your head any thign about production how ever they can use the technogly against you its states this in our contract and the union knows it. example not scanning every package in your car not scanning any missload or bad address package .......

now what you can do as a driver is this when your bening yelled at for production / perfromance you throw this rite back at them ...... I DID NOT GET HURT NOR DID I HAVE AN ACCIDENT YOUR TRUCK / CAR HAS RETURNED IN ONE PIECE AS HAVE I I MADE MY MOST INPORTANT GETTING HOME ALIVE TO MY FAMILY . I SAY THIS BECAUSE IN 2009 THIS IS WHAT THERE LOOKING AT IS HEALT AND WELLNESS AND SAFETY MORE THEN EVER USE THIS ANY AND ALL OF YOU .
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Management doesnt "hate" hourlies.

Management's behavior toward hourlies is caused by one thing; fear.

The manager who harasses and berates an hourly is nothing more than a scared little man who is frightened for his own job. He has been given impossible expectations by those above him and he feels his only hope of meeting those expectations is to squeeze his employees by any means necessary.

My experience has been that managers of this type are like jackals. They prey mainly upon the weak, and avoid those who will fight back or stand up for themselves. If you show fear or intimidation, you might as well hang a sign around your neck that says "make me your bitch." If you stand up for yourself, however, they will seek an easier, weaker victim.

Welcome to the jungle.
 

longlunchguy

Runnin on Empty
What bothers me the most about drivers "stealing time" is this. If I spend 2 minutes talking to a customer, it's supposed to be on my time. But I am a UPS reresentative talking to a UPS customer. I don't hang out with any of these customers after work. If I am spreading goodwill among OUR customers, it should be on company time. I have been in package cars since 1992 and harrasment is at it's highest level since I've been here. With the new program we have my on road sup sits at his desk and "watches" my every move. He's called my cell phone 4-5 times a day asking me what I'm doing. It has gotten to the point I won't answer the phone when he calls. He has some of the junior drivers so scared, they won't take a lunch (they will record one) just to avoid his wrath. I don't know of any other occupation that the employees are as efficient as UPS service providers. 98% of us are exemplary representatives for our company. We go about our day with a good attitude toward our customers and try to always be upbeat, with a sense of humor. Most of our customers are happy to see us every day. Most of our customers can set their watch by us. We are the definition of consistency. If we treated our customers the way we are treated, Fedex would have a bunch of new customers. There... I'll get off my soapbox now.
 
Top