Forced to work Saturday Xmas eve?

[35years]

I did not sign up for this 35+ years ago.
First 30 years at UPS:
-Never forced on Saturday
-Never forced on a Sunday
-Christmas Eve was a short day, sometimes punch before noon and paid for 8 hrs
-Never worked over 12 hours, even during peak
-Adequate staffing year round allowed 1- 2 day off a week and 8.2 to 8.8 avg dispatch.
-Peak was defined as Thanksgiving thru Christmas not all of November and December.

The current ridiculous amount of hours some of us are now working is directly attributable to corporate greed, plain and simple. They understaffed in 2013 and were hammered in the press for service failures. In 2014 they put on adequate staff and still made money. This year they understaffed again.

Realize that you are now working weekends and 12+ hour days because corporate decided increased profits were more important than your family time.
This disrespects the dignity of the human person. We are not slaves.

 

[JL 0513]

All drivers in my center are expected in tomorrow. The idea is to clean as much as possible for a reasonable Monday. If you don't come in, you essentially screw yourself for Monday as they said work won't shift from someone that didn't come in to someone that did. I have 6 hours left and am happy to work them at $52/hr. Easy residential all day.

 

[35years]

All drivers in my center are expected in tomorrow. The idea is to clean as much as possible for a reasonable Monday. If you don't come in, you essentially screw yourself for Monday as they said work won't shift from someone that didn't come in to someone that did. I have 6 hours left and am happy to work them at $52/hr. Easy residential all day.

And if you believe coming in Saturday will have any effect on your Monday dispatch I have some swamp land in Florida...

 

[JL 0513]

And if you believe coming in Saturday will have any effect on your Monday dispatch I have some swamp land in Florida...

If you don't come in tomorrow then tomorrow's volume would be there on top of Monday's volume. Thing is, we have reached a point where we can't get it done as a company in December with a 5 day a week operation. The system can't handle it. Sure, the company could spend billions expanding the hell out of our facilities and equipment/trucks but then you have billions in idling resources sitting 11 months out of the year. Can't run a company that way either.

 

[35years]

If you don't come in tomorrow then tomorrow's volume would be there on top of Monday's volume. Thing is, we have reached a point where we can't get it done as a company in December with a 5 day a week operation. The system can't handle it. Sure, the company could spend billions expanding the hell out of our facilities and equipment/trucks but then you have billions in idling resources sitting 11 months out of the year. Can't run a company that way either.

I understand, your still new.
If I don't come in on Saturday I won't be dispatched with 70 more stops on Monday than if I did 70 stops on Saturday.
The volume will certainly shift to other drivers, or I will simply bring them back.

Not working Saturday would actually make Monday easier for me since I will be dispatched with the same amount of stops either way, but they would be tighter geographically if I don't do them Saturday.

Don't believe everything management tells you.

As to the contention that we can't get it done working 5 days a week in December...
They put forth that line in 2013 when they understaffed. After the media fallout from all the service failures they had no problem getting it done in 5 days in 2014 with higher staffing levels.

We are basically short staffed year round now. It is just more apparent during peak. Our average planned day non-peak over the years has gone from 8.3 to 8.8 to 9.2 to 9.4.
Stop buying the management line that we can't expand our permanent workforce, you just sound naive. It's about corporate greed.

 

[JL 0513]

Lot's of talk about "corporate greed" by our liberal friends. Let's get something straight. Businesses exist for one reason, to make money - as much money as you can figure out how to make. Businesses are not in business for the pleasure of employees. Workers are paid a fair and competitive wage in order to keep that worker who at any time can quit and work elsewhere. These are all good things.

We have people crying enslavement by UPS while making $100K plus good health insurance and pension. It's really quite amusing. UPS has a door you can walk through and never come back. Go for it. Go check out the grass on the other side. You'll be disappointed.

 

[JL 0513]

I understand, your still new.
If I don't come in on Saturday I won't be dispatched with 70 more stops than if I did 70 stops on Saturday.
The volume will certainly shift to other drivers, or I will simply bring them back.

Not working Saturday would actually make Monday easier for me since I will be dispatched with the same amount of stops either way, but they would be tighter geographically if I don't do them Saturday.

Don't believe everything management tells you.

As to the contention that we can't get it done working 5 days a week in December...
They put forth that line in 2013 when they understaffed. After the media fallout from all the service failures they had no problem getting it done in 5 days in 2014 with higher staffing levels.

I guess your center screws the drivers that come in Saturday. We were assured that our areas remain the same Saturday and Monday. We even keep all the same pal labels on for undelivered Saturday work.

Not sure about your center but my center is maxed out on staffing. We have no more capacity. We have rentals lined up in the aisles where pkgs have to be carted to them because they can't be backed into the belts.

 

[Browtown2016]

Didn't work last Saturday and calling in tomorrow to let them know I have plans. Still got everything delivered last Monday no need for the Saturdays it's all show by ups.

 

[35years]

Lot's of talk about "corporate greed" by our liberal friends.

We have people crying enslavement by UPS while making $100K plus good health insurance and pension. It's really quite amusing. UPS has a door you can walk through and never come back. Go for it. Go check out the grass on the other side. You'll be disappointed.

First off, calling me a liberal is hilarious! You have no idea.
Secondly, a three year driver like yourself has no concept of how the company has changed through the years.

UPS has a right to make a profit but does not have the right to disrespect the dignity of it's employees by working them unwillingly 14 hours a day.

As to walking out the door...I have seen plenty of managers quit with an attitude like yours (very, very few drivers) who do not think we have any right to a reasonable amount of hours so we can have time with our families.

Just because you have no problem giving all your time to the corporation does not make it right that all drivers must do the same.

Anyway, just keep nodding your head up and down to the corporate line and you will make a great part time sup one day.

 

[35years]

I guess your center screws the drivers that come in Saturday. We were assured that our areas remain the same Saturday and Monday. We even keep all the same pal labels on for undelivered Saturday work.

Not sure about your center but my center is maxed out on staffing. We have no more capacity. We have rentals lined up in the aisles where pkgs have to be carted to them because they can't be backed into the belts.

Oh, I get it.
Tiny center, management that keeps it's promises.
Good luck with them keeping the promise not to shift areas. LOL
We have had rentals and package cars lined up in the isles, and outside the hub, and backed up on to a secondary temporary facility since Thanksgiving. There is always a way to create more capacity.
You don't happen to work in Upstate NY do you?

 

[Ghost in the Darkness]

This Saturday is volunteer for us. I don't volunteer for anything. You could pay me triple time and I would choose to spend the day with my kids everytime. I will deal with Monday when it comes, you can only work so many hours in a day anyway. Roll work into Tuesday and Wednesday and so on... I don't care, they are just packages. My priorities are to bring myself, my helper and my truck back safely. I give an honest effort everyday. If you want miracles... look elsewhere.

 

[35years]

Brown families matter.

 

[Ghost in the Darkness]

Brown families matter.

Remember when they use to tell us that UPS cares about our work/home life balance?

 

[Jackburton]

Remember when they use to tell UPS cares about our work/home life balance?

I remember when I used to have to work two jobs to pay for all the stupid I did when I was younger. Good thing not everyone is restricted to working 5 days a week, some guys the extra pay would help family life.

 

[35years]

I remember when I used to have to work two jobs to pay for all the stupid I did when I was younger. Good thing not everyone is restricted to working 5 days a week, some guys the extra pay would help family life.

As long as it is voluntary... great.

 

[35years]

Remember when they use to tell us that UPS cares about our work/home life balance?

Yep,
Out the door along with...

Best service, lowest cost.

 

[Jackburton]

As long as it is voluntary... great.

Yep, I lose perspective sometimes, then I'll talk to a PT loader working in the morning that's gotta hit his FT job after working here for 4 hours. The guy works more hours than we do for half the overall pay.

Makes you wonder how his family life is if he's forced to do two jobs, because he has to for whatever reason.

Folks say "money isn't everything" but try living without a lot of it and see how good that family time is when all you do is argue about which bill isn't getting paid this month.

 

[35years]

Yep, I lose perspective sometimes, then I'll talk to a PT loader working in the morning that's gotta hit his FT job after working here for 4 hours. The guy works more hours than we do for half the overall pay.

Makes you wonder how his family life is if he's forced to do two jobs, because he has to for whatever reason.

Folks say "money isn't everything" but try living without a lot of it and see how good that family time is when all you do is argue about which bill isn't getting paid this month.

I grew up way below the poverty line.
Parents did not believe in government handouts.
Dad became blind, they had 11 children.
I am very grateful for the living UPS has given me.
But if push came to shove, our family could survive on half of my income.
Many "necessities" are truly luxuries.
Can't put a price on seeing my daughter's first piano recital, or my son's pitching debut.
I could have attended neither working 12 hours.
But I do understand working your butt off to give your kids more than what we had.

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

Dairy farming is a much better option- they make way more money, work way less hours, and ALWAYS get Christmas Eve off. Lol?

 

[Catatonic]

Dairy farming is a much better option- they make way more money, work way less hours, and ALWAYS get Christmas Eve off. Lol?

Sarcasm much?!
I can't think of a worse tougher job than working on a dairy farm.