How can we protect future UPS workers?

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
A fellow BC member commented about future workers being affected by our current contractual voting patterns.
What can we, as a large voting group do to help those that will be taking over our driver duties in the near and distant future? Many generatons of drivers before us no doubt left this company and union relatively healthy. Did we make too many financial demands on UPS that affectively is squeezing the life of us or is the workload a sum result of a technological age which drivers before us could never have imagined. I wrote on a different thread that those of us in the late 30's and above will be the last drivers to reach peer 80(west coast) due to the mental and physical toll of this job. My wish is for those coming up behind us to enjoy what we ALL have benefited by working for this giant. Modest home, modest cars, modest vacations, 401k and pension.

I absolutely disagree on the comment regarding "generations of drivers before us.. left this union relatively healthy." While contracts could only be voted down by a 2/3 majority before the reforms of the late 1980's, those same Teamsters enabled one of the biggest problems we face as a union today: the two-tiered wage scale we have between FT/PT.

Two-tiered systems will absolutely kill a union and the one we have has done an enormous amount of damage since it was voted in during the 1970's. It creates resentment and apathy between the younger and older generations of members, respectfully, and tears us apart from the inside-out. The only way to maintain what we have "for those coming up behind us" is to reconsider "par for the course" wage increases that also demand we increase the FT progression. UPS tried to propose a two-tiered FT wage scale at the end of negotiations last year and it's something they're going to try to push even harder when we go back to the table in 2018.
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
I disagree. Even though I received my top rate in 2 years, I can totally see 4 years being justifiable. To go from $40k/year (working regularly) to $80k/year is still a pretty quick hike over a 4 year period. Don't be so greedy/impatient/entitled.

Quite frankly, a 4 year progression wouldn't be such a horrible thing if members were going FT inside 5 years. But adding a year of progression on top of waiting 15+ years for a :censored2:ing full time job is grinding salt in the wound.
 

beentheredonethat

Well-Known Member
Ups ground is growing. ..FedEx ground isn't growing as fast as it was a few years ago...

Per the FDX annual report: http://annualreport.van.fedex.com/2013/Files/FedEx_Annual_Report_2013_Financials.pdf

Year Ground Vol Smartpost vol Total
2010 3523 1222 4745
2011 3746 1432 5178
2012 3907 1692 5599
2013 4222 2058 6280
Total %growth from 2011 - 2013 21.2%
Total actual growth from 2011 - 2013 - 1102
All numbers above are in avg daily volume in thousands (000).

UPS ground volume from financial report (2013 US domestic operations)
Year Ground Vol (000's)
2011 11,230
2012 11,588
2013 12,060

Total UPS ground growth % between 2011 and 2013 - 7.4%
Total UPS ground growth between 2011 and 2013 - 830

Again all numbers are in thousands per day.

So how is it you say UPS is growing and FDX is not? They are growing much faster then we are. Note: our ground volume includes surepost, whereas FDX breaks out smartpost from Grd. Here I combined them.
 
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beentheredonethat

Well-Known Member
Quite frankly, a 4 year progression wouldn't be such a horrible thing if members were going FT inside 5 years. But adding a year of progression on top of waiting 15+ years for a :censored2:ing full time job is grinding salt in the wound.

If UPS could be more competitive and had the volume that FDX currently has plus the volume that couriers like Velocity express have we would have many more drivers on the road. The key is we need to grow the business to have more FT teamster jobs.
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
If UPS could be more competitive and had the volume that FDX currently has plus the volume that couriers like Velocity express have we would have many more drivers on the road. The key is we need to grow the business to have more FT teamster jobs.

That's UPS' problem, not ours.

Considering they've been shattering profit records nearly every quarter since the recession, I'd say it's not even a problem. That being said, FedEx Ground is absolutely a problem and the solution there isn't rolling over for UPS, its organizing the FedEx Ground hubs which are under the NLRA. The drivers are a different story as they're illegaly misclassified, but we can absolutely organize the FedEx Ground hubs.
 

Cementups

Box Monkey
That's UPS' problem, not ours.

Considering they've been shattering profit records nearly every quarter since the recession, I'd say it's not even a problem. That being said, FedEx Ground is absolutely a problem and the solution there isn't rolling over for UPS, its organizing the FedEx Ground hubs which are under the NLRA. The drivers are a different story as they're illegaly misclassified, but we can absolutely organize the FedEx Ground hubs.

I agree but the reason UPS is shattering profit records is because we don't put an overabundance of bodies on the street. More work + less employees = more profit. Not saying I like it, but that's the way it is.
 

bagpipes

Well-Known Member
Per the FDX annual report: http://annualreport.van.fedex.com/2013/Files/FedEx_Annual_Report_2013_Financials.pdf

Year Ground Vol Smartpost vol Total
2010 3523 1222 4745
2011 3746 1432 5178
2012 3907 1692 5599
2013 4222 2058 6280
Total %growth from 2011 - 2013 21.2%
Total actual growth from 2011 - 2013 - 1102
All numbers above are in avg daily volume in thousands (000).

UPS ground volume from financial report (2013 US domestic operations)
Year Ground Vol (000's)
2011 11,230
2012 11,588
2013 12,060

Total UPS ground growth % between 2011 and 2013 - 7.4%
Total UPS ground growth between 2011 and 2013 - 830

Again all numbers are in thousands per day.

So how is it you say UPS is growing and FDX is not? They are growing much faster then we are. Note: our ground volume includes surepost, whereas FDX breaks out smartpost from Grd. Here I combined them.

Unfortunately, a size able portion of the Ground increase was cannibalization - previously air volume that was shifted to ground due to cost pressure on the customer.

Just because the ground is growing doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing.


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beentheredonethat

Well-Known Member
That's UPS' problem, not ours.

Considering they've been shattering profit records nearly every quarter since the recession, I'd say it's not even a problem. That being said, FedEx Ground is absolutely a problem and the solution there isn't rolling over for UPS, its organizing the FedEx Ground hubs which are under the NLRA. The drivers are a different story as they're illegaly misclassified, but we can absolutely organize the FedEx Ground hubs.


You are complaining about not enough jobs. FDX Ground alone between smartpost and fdx ground has over 6 million pkgs per day. That is a lot of UPS driver positions. So, I think it's both UPS problem and the teamsters problem. I've heard the teamsters say they will organize FDX since I started back 20+ years ago. It hasn't happened, and I don't see it happening for the next 20 years. (I may be wrong, but I just don't see it happening).
 

upschuck

Well-Known Member
I have spoken to a few of my younger co-workers and to a man they have all said they don't see themselves working here long enough to earn a full pension.
Are you talking to FTers or PTers. PTers I agree, but FTers have invested enough time, that they wwould be crazy not to work long enough to receive full pension. What do I know about the younger generation though.
 

ups1990

Well-Known Member
I absolutely disagree on the comment regarding "generations of drivers before us.. left this union relatively healthy." While contracts could only be voted down by a 2/3 majority before the reforms of the late 1980's, those same Teamsters enabled one of the biggest problems we face as a union today: the two-tiered wage scale we have between FT/PT.

Two-tiered systems will absolutely kill a union and the one we have has done an enormous amount of damage since it was voted in during the 1970's. It creates resentment and apathy between the younger and older generations of members, respectfully, and tears us apart from the inside-out. The only way to maintain what we have "for those coming up behind us" is to reconsider "par for the course" wage increases that also demand we increase the FT progression. UPS tried to propose a two-tiered FT wage scale at the end of negotiations last year and it's something they're going to try to push even harder when we go back to the table in 2018.
My point is that every generation of drivers before us have left this company in very good standing with public and financially stable.
Every senior driver has come from this two-tier pay scale. Even professional baseball has a 6 year progression pay scale. Resentment, well... There's enough of it to go around for everyone at UPS.
 

oldngray

nowhere special
My point is that every generation of drivers before us have left this company in very good standing with public and financially stable.
Every senior driver has come from this two-tier pay scale. Even professional baseball has a 6 year progression pay scale. Resentment, well... There's enough of it to go around for everyone at UPS.

Incorrect. PT 2 tier wages didn't start until about 1981. I made same hourly rate on preload as drivers (just fewer hours) and took an hourly pay cut to go FT driving. It was only a 1 year progression to get back up to full rate then though.
 

ups1990

Well-Known Member
Incorrect. PT 2 tier wages didn't start until about 1981. I made same hourly rate on preload as drivers (just fewer hours) and took an hourly pay cut to go FT driving. It was only a 1 year progression to get back up to full rate then though.
I was writing about FT driving progression. I do agree that 4 years is way too long. I believe that 2 years is sufficient time to reach top scale.
 

ups1990

Well-Known Member
Why not contractually mandate a specific time period and method for new full time drivers school?
Regions run their own driver schools, some are a week long other just a few days time. These new guys and gals are totally lost out there. Here's a start. A two week class with strong emphasis on DIAD training with the ability to take them home for additional familiarity in case a student needed the extra practice.
On road, hands on driving with both standard and automatic trucks. Not just one afternoon but a full two days.
On the last day of school students would ride all day with a senior driver to observe and help. They could see first hand what they are getting into.
Once drivers are assigned a center, the center can before hand show the driver on paper the route they will be trained on for 30 days.
For those coming into this class with air driving and combo skills, they'll see this as a two week vacation.
 
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