$8.50 'till 2013? What are they thinking?

[hunchback]

You have obviously never worked part time or you wouldn't say that. Part time UPS is manual labor. It isn't some weekend job ripping tickets at a movie theater it's 4 hours Monday through Friday of hard work. The summer heat in a trailer that has been sitting in the yard is like an oven. Christmas is something so bad I've blocked it from my memory. Go bail hay or work as a roofer for 4 hours and then do entry level hub work for the same amount of time (I've done all of the above). Hub work is harder.

Full timers should make more than part timers. I don't think anyone (even the part timers) argue that point. However asking people to do back breaking work without benefits (we are talking about this contract not the way it used to be) for $1.25 more than the 16 year old kid ripping movie tickets is ridiculous.

I have followed forum topics at BC for many years and have never been stimulated to post until now. I worked reload while in college in the mid 80s for 4 years and have been peddling freight since 89. Survived bitter cold in the winter, oppressively humid heat in the summer, periods of severe micro-management by incompetent supervisors during my driving days. All of that is gravy compared to memories of unloading freight out of 100% trailers that had been sitting in the sun all day, loading pups (the worst job of all), and then washing every car in extreme cold with the doors open. And those are just the worst memories. Even athletes who lift weights every day would suffer the next morning after a night or morning of moving boxes at UPS.

So I can't agree more with the outrage of these early posters about the wages and benefits provisions in this contract proposal. In 85 I started at 8 bucks for unskilled work and progressed to 8.50 with seniority. Out of that small paycheck I had to pay union dues so my first few checks were were really light. The kicker at least was knowing that I was insured at 80% because I wasn't on my parents health plan anymore. UPS hired a lot of college students back then and my coworkers were clearly motivated by money and benefits.

Fast forward to 2008. Apparently the starting wages will be the same as 23 years ago. The wait period for benefits will be much longer. The carrot of full time that is out there for the interested is much longer than in my day and the seniority period and wage progression is MUCH longer. So how do they attract good help so that my load is decent, my freight is in good shape by the time it gets to me, and all the other variables that we depend on part-timers for are taken care of?

Part-timers have been screwed in negotiations for the last several contracts. It is time they used the power of their vote and stood up for themselves. Don't be bought by some signing bonus or be coerced by management. I'm not happy with some of the proposals such as a split wage increase and I am pleased that some work issues such as 9 and a half days and TAW are being addressed. But this contract hoses the part-timers. Contact a steward and go to local meetings for more info so you can fight for the right of a decent contract in exchange for very hard work.

 

[GuyinBrown]

Trojan, how did you manage to join BC before the internet was invented?

 

[hunchback]

I have no idea. I sent in to get my password yesterday since I only view as a guest. Like I said, I never post. This is what they came up with. Or I could be like Gore and imply that I invented this technology.

 

[Anon]

after 90 days their pay goes to 10.50 an hr

 

[hunchback]

after 90 days their pay goes to 10.50 an hr

True, but that is for skilled preload/sorter jobs. All others will be 9.50. TDU doesn't like it, people in my building don't like it, and I would not take the job knowing what i know now of the conditions. Maybe you are different. All i know is gas averages about 2.65 a gallon, a gallon of oj is around 5 bucks and rent in a safer hood is very expensive. Again I say, where will the quality hires come from?

 

[#1angelfan]

minimum wage goes up to $8.00 an hour here in california on 1/1/2008. i don't think we will be getting anyone new after that happens. not at $8.50 an hour for manual labor.

 

[Braveheart]

God guys...read the new contract on the 3 year progression.
It comes with much higher progression and starting wages

Well I would hope they would raise the progression rates since they will be 6 years old next year. Do the math by the way. I did it and the extra 6 months costs you around $10,000 give or take depending on OT!!!!!!!!

 

[Braveheart]

Braveheart,

The cost example that I gave was not reflective of the new offered contract, those numbers are what it is under the current contract. Can't agree or disagree with what you say on the new offer because to date all I have seen is the proposed wage increases.

The one thing people keep forgetting is that 6.1 billion has to come back some way. It sounds if what you say is correct that the company is going to try and get it back with new people as opposed of hurting those that currently work for UPS.

The last thing I wanted to mention, in my part of the country, we are being forced to hire off the street into driving jobs. This long 5-10 year wait for full time openings maybe true in some parts of the country, but it's not everywhere.

Then why don't we vote no and say that drivers off the street go 4 years to top pay and those from the inside go 2 years like it used to be.

 

[Braveheart]

I have followed forum topics at BC for many years and have never been stimulated to post until now. I worked reload while in college in the mid 80s for 4 years and have been peddling freight since 89. Survived bitter cold in the winter, oppressively humid heat in the summer, periods of severe micro-management by incompetent supervisors during my driving days. All of that is gravy compared to memories of unloading freight out of 100% trailers that had been sitting in the sun all day, loading pups (the worst job of all), and then washing every car in extreme cold with the doors open. And those are just the worst memories. Even athletes who lift weights every day would suffer the next morning after a night or morning of moving boxes at UPS.

So I can't agree more with the outrage of these early posters about the wages and benefits provisions in this contract proposal. In 85 I started at 8 bucks for unskilled work and progressed to 8.50 with seniority. Out of that small paycheck I had to pay union dues so my first few checks were were really light. The kicker at least was knowing that I was insured at 80% because I wasn't on my parents health plan anymore. UPS hired a lot of college students back then and my coworkers were clearly motivated by money and benefits.

Fast forward to 2008. Apparently the starting wages will be the same as 23 years ago. The wait period for benefits will be much longer. The carrot of full time that is out there for the interested is much longer than in my day and the seniority period and wage progression is MUCH longer. So how do they attract good help so that my load is decent, my freight is in good shape by the time it gets to me, and all the other variables that we depend on part-timers for are taken care of?

Part-timers have been screwed in negotiations for the last several contracts. It is time they used the power of their vote and stood up for themselves. Don't be bought by some signing bonus or be coerced by management. I'm not happy with some of the proposals such as a split wage increase and I am pleased that some work issues such as 9 and a half days and TAW are being addressed. But this contract hoses the part-timers. Contact a steward and go to local meetings for more info so you can fight for the right of a decent contract in exchange for very hard work.

Well said brother!!!

 

[Braveheart]

after 90 days their pay goes to 10.50 an hr

On preload but $ 9.50 on reload.

 

[toeknee2gx]

minimum wage goes up to $8.00 an hour here in california on 1/1/2008. i don't think we will be getting anyone new after that happens. not at $8.50 an hour for manual labor.

lol yep were $crewed

 

[705red]

lol yep were

If you feel that you are not making out on this contract, get involved. Print out a flyer of the changes that will directly effect your work group and talk about it before work, during break time, at the guard shack on the way out. Your only screwed if you sit back and do nothing, however all it takes is a couple upset members to get a turnout at the hall to voice your opinion. I have noticed mamagement doing their 1 on 1's with members during their working hours and preaching how good of a contract this is. I have walked up and just listened to their speech, not to their liking. They have asked me in front of the p-timers what do i think as a steward, and i told the p-timers the company and the union were hosing them and they need to get involved to stop it.

 

[toeknee2gx]

If you feel that you are not making out on this contract, get involved. Print out a flyer of the changes that will directly effect your work group and talk about it before work, during break time, at the guard shack on the way out. Your only screwed if you sit back and do nothing, however all it takes is a couple upset members to get a turnout at the hall to voice your opinion. I have noticed mamagement doing their 1 on 1's with members during their working hours and preaching how good of a contract this is. I have walked up and just listened to their speech, not to their liking. They have asked me in front of the p-timers what do i think as a steward, and i told the p-timers the company and the union were hosing them and they need to get involved to stop it.

<~~~~~ Im not a member of the union.....

 

[1timepu]

Well there are two points here. First of all what they are saying is that now they will not pay for benefits for a full 12 months now and 18 months for spouse and children, yet the reward is zero improvement to the starting wage and only an extra 50 cent bump to the 90 day raise! So in fact for 3 months at $8.50, and 9 months at $9.50, it is only an $8.50-$9.50 per hour job with no benefits, no holiday pay, no vacations, no sick days, no disability coverage, no life insurance and no increase to the chart rates of pay for air driving either by the way. So UPS is saving a TON OF MONEY for the first 12 to 18 months of every new part timer! So if the $14 per hour you qoute is true, please supply verification, then why are we not voting NO and raising the starting pay to $10 and a $2 raise at one year? They are saving $14 per hour for 12 months and a good portion of that for another 6 months so the increases I speak of should be more than offset.

The second thing is that we can not get, much less keep people working at UPS part time so how in the hell does delaying the benefits and adding a sparse 50 cents at 90 days going to help. In fact it will only make things worse!

We gave away their sick days for their first 3 YEARS with UPS in the last contract as well as lengthed the progression for full time top out by 6 months! Now we are lenghtening it another 6 months to 36 months!

Dude Where tell me you can get a PART TIME job WITH BENEFITS?? The Part Time job is NOT a FULL TIME CAREER, you cant LIVE on a PART TIME salary ANYWHERE, Most of these Part Timers are young they think the world owes them something...I hope they institute the Draft

 

[Dragontongue]

I just read all the posts in this forum... what is this I hear about having to wait a year to 18 mths to receive benefits for myself and my family? I am going to be starting work on October 23rd. I am going to be working as a pre-loader. I am trying to find out when my benefits will actually kick in. My wife and I currently have no benefit coverage, so it's important that we know when the medical, dental, and vision will kick in for the both of us.

You should check with your supervisor at work - as best as I can tell such information cannot be depended upon to be accurate from random posts on a forum. I don't know for sure, but I'd guess that the current benefit system will be intact until the contract is finalized.
But, again, find out from an individual in the operation that you work.

 

[bailey2227]

Thanks bud. I will check with operations for benefits coverage. On a different note... 1timepu you are an absolute idiot. I want to hear you tell that to people who are serving in the military. That's right you wouldn't. Talking about bringing back the draft. You are a joke.

 

[1timepu]

Thanks bud. I will check with operations for benefits coverage. On a different note... 1timepu you are an absolute idiot. I want to hear you tell that to people who are serving in the military. That's right you wouldn't. Talking about bringing back the draft. You are a joke.

What does bringing back the draft have to do with our brave men and woman risking their lives around the world fighting the scurge of terrorism, I just think they could use some help, nothing wrong with that, do you have a problem with us fighting terrorism and our military stretched to thin??? Are you a Patriot or weasel?

 

[brazenbrown]

I think the military could use a few good Rambos!!

 

[bailey2227]

You are the most ignorant and disrespectful person I have ever come across in my life. As a Veteran of the military, I know what its like to put my life on the line for our country. I was on duty when 9-11 happened, so I think I know a little bit more about the war on terrorism than you do. Rather than suggesting a draft and sending more of our 18 year olds over there, why don't you just enlist if you think they need so much help?? By the way, this is supposed to be a UPS forum so you can take your point of views on the war elsewhere.

 

[cheryl]

Name calling and derogatory personal remarks don't reinforce an argument, they just make people angry. If you want to talk politics please take it to our current events forum.

Let me remind everyone of our terms of service:

Discussion can be animated, which is fine, but we do not welcome personal attacks, on- or off-site. It is inappropriate to say anything on a discussion forum about any individual or entity that you would not be prepared to say to them face-to-face.

It is fine to disagree with a different viewpoint, but please limit this to challenging the idea and not make your comments a personal challenge or make derogatory personal comments about individuals, their ideas or their situation. The latter is considered to be a flame and will not be tolerated.