you know what? we have it pretty good

hoser

Industrial Slob
Some food for thought, for lack of a better expression. It certainly was for me.

Working a downtown p/u route yesterday, I see a bike messenger buddy whom I worked alongside. He said that business is steady, and he's getting a bit more work because his co-worker broke hie leg and is out for two months at least. I also noticed that he changed companies as the last one lost a huge client, and there just was no more work, so he had to jump ship (without EI or anything, he found out one day and had to look for work that evening). He said that the current company has an incompetent dispatcher, and in a world where you're paid per piece, it has a very huge effect. He said that it's slow today, and he's been sitting on his ass for about 20 minutes, he likely won't break $100 for the day.

So he asked me about my work and I said "yeah it's rough". He scoffed, saying "paid vacation, free uniforms, paid sick days, health benefits, great hourly wage, union protection, and I get the fresh air on my road bike when it's -25c."

For a regular 2 hour service which makes a bulk of messengers' trips, they're making $0.80 per trip to a 15 minute rush that'll make them $5.50 up to a out-of-the-core rush that can net around $10 and a lot of riding. Messengers maintain their own bikes, and if they break, they have to be fixed or else a lot of revenue will be missed. They also the risk of them being stolen, which is killer when it happens. Being that they don't have any rights whatsoever (because they're 'self-employed'), they don't get any breaks except when there's no work to be done. Messengers are literally treated like trash; they get hassled when they lock their bike up against a building, use the wrong doors, go in the wrong elevator, drink out of the wrong fountain, ride in the wrong lane, etc. The same door that I entered a building in my buddy messenger was not allowed to. Bike messenger work is extremely physical; when I did it, I would ride 25km a day, not factoring in the 6km round trip commute. And all of these miles involves my flesh amongst the steel, and the faster you go, the more money you make. Follow the HABITS and you'll be making squat. Although messengers have a lot of freedom and no boss and on good days in the winter they get paid at the same level as a top-rate UPS driver, they get a lot less protection.

Yes, we work very hard, earn our coin and we have to deal with a lot of crap, but damn do we ever have it good. I'll be sure to think of that after a supervisory clash when I'm in a heated package car looking out to a bike messenger in a foot of snow.
 
Last edited:

samiam

I wish, there for I am?
I DON'T BLEED BROWN AND HATE THOSE WHO DO. But where the hell am I going to go and make the money I make with nothing but a few years of college education, NO WHERE. I like my job, the company sucks most of the time; but I do like what I do. ADVICE.......do your job, stay under radar, be quite, and this job is golden. I don't even go to "PCM's" just so I'm not seen.
 

CBUK

Well-Known Member
I have to agree. I get a decent wage for a job I enjoy and also I am pretty good at it to boot. Its the only job I ever did where I watch the clock wishing it would slow down so I make service.

Also, when I finish at the end of the day I can go home and forget about it till the next day. I did a lead driver job a couple of years ago and while the extra £200 a month was good it had me at the end of my tether with worry about other peoples performances. My circumstances changed and I was glad to give it up. Being a Package Car Driver is great.
 

hoser

Industrial Slob
:confused:1

Since when do we get paid sick days? I know a lot of people that have been screwed out of a lot of money if this is the case...
he's the one that made the suggestion. I know in our area, our ft drivers get 3 flex days and I don't know how many sick days (but I know they get some).

and out east, i've heard that everyone right down to pt'ers get paid sick days.

I DON'T BLEED BROWN AND HATE THOSE WHO DO. But where the hell am I going to go and make the money I make with nothing but a few years of college education, NO WHERE. I like my job, the company sucks most of the time; but I do like what I do. ADVICE.......do your job, stay under radar, be quite, and this job is golden. I don't even go to "PCM's" just so I'm not seen.
23 posts in 2.5 years, i must say that you are good at staying under the radar :D.
 
Hmm... In our area everyone gets two "Option Days" a year, but you can't use them as a sick day unless management decides to do you a favor. They're under no obligation to give it to you if you call in sick.
 

Channahon

Well-Known Member
As a Business Manager, I would not grant option days for Mondays or Fridays, because drivers had a tendency to call in on Mondays or Fridays after getting paid on Thursdays.

Made quite the statement in the center, as after a few denials with a 7 day notice, the absentee problem went away.

The power of peer pressure is wonderful
 
As a Business Manager, I would not grant option days for Mondays or Fridays, because drivers had a tendency to call in on Mondays or Fridays after getting paid on Thursdays.

Made quite the statement in the center, as after a few denials with a 7 day notice, the absentee problem went away.

The power of peer pressure is wonderful


Paid on Thursdays? Damn, I guess UPS isn't quite as uniform as I thought. I figured we all got paid on the same day. Either way, direct deposit is a beautiful thing..... :lol::lol::lol:
 
C

clarktex

Guest
Paid on Thursdays? Damn, I guess UPS isn't quite as uniform as I thought. I figured we all got paid on the same day. Either way, direct deposit is a beautiful thing..... :lol::lol::lol:

IF YOU TAKE YOUR OPPTION WEEK TO USE AS SICK DAYS, INSTEAD OF PAY OR WEEK OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Griff

Well-Known Member
Every job has its pros and cons. Put the bike messenger on a truck for a year or two and maybe he'll understand why we have those cushy benefits. This company blows a ton of PR smoke, people think we are overpaid because they have literally no idea what the job is about.
 

upsdude

Well-Known Member
Virginia...........

Direct Deposit in the bank Thursday night. Live check folks get their money Thursday end of day.

5 Personal Days
5 Sick Days
5 weeks vacation now that I'm at 20 years.
 
Virginia...........

Direct Deposit in the bank Thursday night. Live check folks get their money Thursday end of day.

5 Personal Days
5 Sick Days
5 weeks vacation now that I'm at 20 years.

Wow... that's great for you but sucks :censored2: for me. I hit 20 next year and I'll have...

2 Option days
5 weeks vacation

You have a week and a half more paid time off than we get here... (Ohio) :crying:
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
As a Business Manager, I would not grant option days for Mondays or Fridays, because drivers had a tendency to call in on Mondays or Fridays after getting paid on Thursdays.

Made quite the statement in the center, as after a few denials with a 7 day notice, the absentee problem went away.

The power of peer pressure is wonderful
Which is also a violation of the contract, but you knew that right?
 

705red

Browncafe Steward
Some food for thought, for lack of a better expression. It certainly was for me.

Working a downtown p/u route yesterday, I see a bike messenger buddy whom I worked alongside. He said that business is steady, and he's getting a bit more work because his co-worker broke hie leg and is out for two months at least. I also noticed that he changed companies as the last one lost a huge client, and there just was no more work, so he had to jump ship (without EI or anything, he found out one day and had to look for work that evening). He said that the current company has an incompetent dispatcher, and in a world where you're paid per piece, it has a very huge effect. He said that it's slow today, and he's been sitting on his ass for about 20 minutes, he likely won't break $100 for the day.

So he asked me about my work and I said "yeah it's rough". He scoffed, saying "paid vacation, free uniforms, paid sick days, health benefits, great hourly wage, union protection, and I get the fresh air on my road bike when it's -25c."

For a regular 2 hour service which makes a bulk of messengers' trips, they're making $0.80 per trip to a 15 minute rush that'll make them $5.50 up to a out-of-the-core rush that can net around $10 and a lot of riding. Messengers maintain their own bikes, and if they break, they have to be fixed or else a lot of revenue will be missed. They also the risk of them being stolen, which is killer when it happens. Being that they don't have any rights whatsoever (because they're 'self-employed'), they don't get any breaks except when there's no work to be done. Messengers are literally treated like trash; they get hassled when they lock their bike up against a building, use the wrong doors, go in the wrong elevator, drink out of the wrong fountain, ride in the wrong lane, etc. The same door that I entered a building in my buddy messenger was not allowed to. Bike messenger work is extremely physical; when I did it, I would ride 25km a day, not factoring in the 6km round trip commute. And all of these miles involves my flesh amongst the steel, and the faster you go, the more money you make. Follow the HABITS and you'll be making squat. Although messengers have a lot of freedom and no boss and on good days in the winter they get paid at the same level as a top-rate UPS driver, they get a lot less protection.

Yes, we work very hard, earn our coin and we have to deal with a lot of crap, but damn do we ever have it good. I'll be sure to think of that after a supervisory clash when I'm in a heated package car looking out to a bike messenger in a foot of snow.
Maybe we could have the apwa start small by organizing the tricycle riders then the bicycle riders, and who knows maybe move up to mopeds, before trucks! LOL
 
W

westsideworma

Guest
Virginia...........

Direct Deposit in the bank Thursday night. Live check folks get their money Thursday end of day.

5 Personal Days
5 Sick Days
5 weeks vacation now that I'm at 20 years.

3 personal days
5 sick days
2 weeks vacation

or

3 sick days
3 weeks vacation (if I decide to make an optional week out my sick/personals)

I'm a part timer 2.5 years in though:thumbup1:
 
Same here guy in brown, Ohio also. But we get 6 weeks for 20 yrs/

My mistake Tooner, I didn't proof read myself. :blushing: I was thinking of my current vacation time and didn't add the additional one I'll get next year. I guess he only gets a couple extra days not a week and a half. Still, he has 10 days that I assume he can break up to use individually. I wish we could do that instead of being locked into taking them a week at a time.
 

area43

Well-Known Member
Virginia...........

Direct Deposit in the bank Thursday night. Live check folks get their money Thursday end of day.

5 Personal Days
5 Sick Days
5 weeks vacation now that I'm at 20 years.

Hey dude, dont forget in va when you get that 4 vac wk you can bid it one day at a time, like phs. 8 day advance notice for ph. 7 day advance notice for vac day. Our vacactions max out at 6 weeks, you get that when you hit 25 yrs. You can also bid your sick days as a vacation, Im in va also.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
My mistake Tooner, I didn't proof read myself. :blushing: I was thinking of my current vacation time and didn't add the additional one I'll get next year. I guess he only gets a couple extra days not a week and a half. Still, he has 10 days that I assume he can break up to use individually. I wish we could do that instead of being locked into taking them a week at a time.
That would be nice to have that many, but we manage, dont we? Read your email I pmed you. Good nite!!
 
Top