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[pretender]

I cross paths several times a day with a Roadway driver--While I am busy unloading my trailer, he is either taking a nap in his cab, or visiting with the customer while his trailer is being unloaded for him. The same goes for pickups...

It has been a busy peak season, and we are all tired. After the first of the year, when we have had some rest, let us get on with whatever needs to be done to have our voices heard. I think that writing/calling our Senators and Representatives should be part of our strategy as well...

 

[baldeagle]

i have a petition of complaint wich go to AG john Ashcroft and Senator Ted Kennedy if any one wants a copy i am a jackson Ms feeder Driver alrady have several hundred sig.

 

[ok2bclever]

There are ten trustees for the Central States Pension fund. Five union and five company. UPS only has one. Daniel J. Brutto has represented UPS's interest since June of 1998. The rest of the management side comes from Master Freight companies.

Obviously a majority of the ten, including at least one from the union side do not truly represent the people who retire with this fund.

I think it should be manditory that trustees should be members of the retirement fund and only this fund. That would truly make them fairly represent it.

 

[tieguy]

I think it will take more than that. Those folks that represent master freight are more receptive to the concept of retirees from bankrupt companies drawing from Central States than UPSers would be. Too much is made of the Teamster/UPS control issue. Put that issue aside and work on a plan for upsers only that is co-administered. Than watch everyones retirement grow.

 

[my2cents]

To anyone who is interested, the text of the "partitioning" bills introduced in Congress can be found on Thomas. Bills with the same text can be found in both chambers. The bill number for the House version is H.R. 2910 and the Senate version is S. 1492. The proposed Act may be cited as the "Multiemployer Pension Security Act of 2003." If one decides to print the bill, it is 23 pages worth of paper.

 

[my2cents]

If the company wishes to debate the multi-employer model, will a hearing be scheduled in Congress in the near future? A couple of highlighted excerpts from the bill:

`SEC. 4501. TREATMENT OF TEAMSTER PLANS.

`(a) GENERAL RULE- For purposes of this title, a teamster plan shall not be treated as a multiemployer plan, and each employer that has an obligation to contribute to a teamster plan shall be treated as a contributing sponsor maintaining a separate single-employer plan, as provided in this subtitle.

`(b) PARTITION OF LIABILITIES- ..........

`(c) PARTITION OF ASSETS- ..........

`SEC. 308. TEAMSTER PLANS.

`(b) SPECIAL RULES-

`(5) BENEFITS MAY NOT BE INCREASED UNLESS TEAMSTER PLAN IS SUFFICIENTLY FUNDED- In addition to the requirements of section 304(b)(1), no amendment of a teamster plan which increases the liabilities of the plan with respect to an employer by reason of any increase in benefits, any change in the accrual of benefits, or any change in the rate at which benefits become nonforfeitable under the plan shall be adopted and no increase in benefits attributable to an existing provision of a teamster plan (other than an increase that results solely from an increase in a participant's compensation, age or service or other similar factor), including an increase in benefits attributable to an increase in the negotiated contribution, shall take effect unless at the time such increase otherwise would be effective--

In short, Teamster plans would basically fall under the same rules as the single-employer model, which are stricter. Any contributing employer who cannot meet their funding obligations, would default to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and won't affect other contributing employers in the plan. Should be an interesting debate.

 

[wkmac]

Everyone keep a keen eye for sub-committee or committe hearings on this as I'm sure C-Span will be a must see if these hearings air. I also think it's important to understand the union opposition to this is based off of impact to the non-UPS employers and thus the impact back on CS but we need to get all the facts and forget the rhetoric going back and forth by all sides and think according to our needs as UPSers rather than what is in the best interest of the union or the company. The question will be who going forward will serve our (UPSers) best needs and it's not a slam dunk for either side neither. One side is not interested in being specific and the other at the very least is barred by Federal law from even discussing specifics but that is suggesting they would want too. Even the 97' offer as good as it sounded lack detailed specifics and for me that was it's failure. Going forward lets think as UPSers and this is the bottomline IMO.

 

[my2cents]

Below are the committees the bill was referred to:

In the House --
Committee on Education and the Workforce

Committee on Ways & Means

In the Senate --

Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

If a hearing is scheduled, it will most likely occur from one or more of the above.

 

[onemulligan]

Does anybody have actual facts on how these stores are doing? Please let me know.

 

[mbeups]

53% of the stores in the central AZ area have lower STR sales than prior to becoming the UPSS. Customer counts are stagnant or dropping for many stores, by 100's a month in some cases. This is happening across the country but UPS likes to put a happy face on it and pretend that there are no problems. They have received hundreds if not thousands of letters including mine detailing the lack of profit in there UPSS program, yet when I call and talk to an Exec. they state there are no problems.

Are there successful one yes, but they appear to be lower producing stores and newer stores. I have talked to owners that have lost in excess of 30-40k since UPSS came along.

Currently a meeting is being put together in Dallas for UPSS to discuss there options.

If you would like proof of AZ stores post your fax number.

 

[cheryl]

Sorry MBEUPS, you cannot solicit users to post phone numbers on this board. They would just be deleted anyway.

 

[retired1]

MBEUPS, if you have proof of these trends then why not post them here so we can all see them?

It seems odd that you ask for someone to post their phone number on the internet before you will show proof to that one individual. We would all like to see the proof.

 

[mbeups]

Damn retired1 I own one of the damn things and watching it go down the tubes after more than 10 along with a lot of other peoples. UPS is destroying in a year what I spent 10+ years building. Happy New Year from Brown

 

[dannyboy]

Keep a civil mouth.

I have two that I am well aquainted with that did gangbusters this peak. The newest one did close to 250 a day during peak. And that is the one that has two other counter stores within a block or so.

I guess every body gets blamed when somebody cant deal with the world. I hear part of the losses that the MBE's had were charging all customers the rezzy rate regardless. That runs close to $2 a package lost revenue. I guess it is hard to be honest for a change.

d

 

[tieguy]

Agreed , all the ones in our area are rocking and rolling. There is a long line of people waiting to buy more franchises and yet one or two doom and gloomers try to convince us that most stores are going up in flames.

 

[browncollar]

mbeups, I'm missing something here. Why are you losing existing customers? I can perhaps understand if you were not gaining any, but why would you be losing them? I am having a hard time understanding why changing from the MBE brand to the UPS brand would be a deterrent to your existing clientele.

Are there other changes that accompanied the brand switch that effected services important to your customers? (I doubt the lower price on shipping hurts.)

And I'm not attempting to dismiss you here. I very honestly want to know your thoughts on why the brand switch has hurt your store.

 

[tieguy]

Surely there must be something you can change from a management perspective to improve your business?

 

[newupssowner]

I just opened a UPS Store in November. I am so convinced in the business model that I am going to the bank and I'm opening a second store as soon as I can.
The other three stores I am in contact with regularly are thinking the same thing. We can't understand how you can screw this up. Sure, we have to work hard to attract business just as everyone does. However, I have received nothing but positive comments about our store and the need for our services.
I have been reading posts from you and/or other MBE malcontents for months now and I've come to the conclusion that you all have been raping your customers for years now and your sorry it's come to an end. If you were any kind of a businessman you would recognize the situation for what it is and make it work for you.
The sheer volume of posts from you MBE owners also tells me that you waste most of your time and energy posting this crap on the web. Get up off your ass, get out and meet your customers, find out what they want and need and take care of business.
Another thing - get your own board!

 

[ezrider]

mbeups I'm not about to go as far as stating that every venture UPS attempts turns to gold for all involved.But it's survived and prospered by being bold enough to try new ideas and by trying to set a pace ahead of the curve.I have met only two UPSS operators and both seem to be content with the choice that they made.They both had realistic expectations going in that this wasn't a fast track to lottery winnings but a long-term commitment to build a customer base that could provide revenue stream for the franchisee and the company.

Every individual has slightly to vastly different opinions as to the definition of "long-term" and I have noticed that many UPSS franchises are being run by people who at one time or another were once in UPS management.They have the advantage of understanding if not sharing the company's definition of what it takes to have long-term success.I'm not sure that every store operator that got used to doing things the MBE way could ever make the transition from that culture to this one,but it doesn't surprise me that anyone who shared the philosophy of MBE's bankrupt former parent company can't adjust to the model that UPS envisions for the future.

A joint venture is exactly that.A store franchisee will never be successful by just buying the rights to hang the UPS shield on the front of the store.They also have to embrace the culture and the values behind the shield's perseverence.I don't know how anybody that saw FedEx pay something around a 30% premium to aquire Kinkos could honestly state that the UPS model for these stores to build bussiness can't work.

 

[retired1]

We're still waiting for some evidence to document your claims.

Feel free to email me through the private email system here on the board.