Is being an overachiever at UPS worth it?

[Rawrzxor]

I just got my seniority last week, and before that they tried telling me once that I had to do 400 boxes in an hour. Now. I'm a 130 pound guy. Just 180 was back-breaking for me, while I was out of shape. I managed to pop it up to around 230 over my month of probation, then started hovering around 200 an hour.

This last week, on Thursday, I was pushing down most of the night (due to another 6-yeared senioritied employee getting talked to about having to do 200; I figured I'd help him out a bit since they hadn't mentioned anything to me. Plus, he's a cool guy and we talk a lot while loading. He was busting his ass and managed to make it to somewhere around 350-400), and ended up around 198.

Now. Two separate supervisors told me two separate things. The first--relatively decent guy--said the minimum we should be doing is 200; I asked if I was in trouble because of making 198 due to pushing down (as he saw me doing so), to which he responded, "No, that's close enough".

The second, (a supervisor from a couple trailers down--not mine) said that we had to be doing 300, and told me I spent too much time pushing down. (Previously, I hadn't spent enough time picking up boxes off the ground to make it look 'clean' for seemingly no one, where a previous supervisor had told me to leave them on the ground since they were going to fall anyway when we get that busy.)

Talk about dichotomous bull; this is really starting to piss me off, to say the least; but, I'm afraid to load at a decent pace instead of pushing myself, because I really don't want to get fired. However, *all* the employees there tell me to just keep up a decent pace, and that the supervisors will always tell you to go faster even if you're loading 1,000-2,000 an hour.

I've noticed that the supervisors at my hub seem to want to manipulate us rather than actually tell us how it is. The terms, "Well, think about it.; Work harder, we get out of here faster.; There are people doing 500-600 packages an hour, so you don't really have any excuse. (On that last note, again, I'm 130 pounds and don't have people pushing down for me all the time and have only been there for a month...);It's good exercise (there is a limit to what qualifies as good exercise and what qualifies as over-training, inducing injuries; thus, humorously, making me a less effective worker for the rest of the week. )

I may have had to vent a little... >_>;;

What does everyone think a nice, decent pace is? Should I be doing more like 250?

 

[The Range]

Work harder than everyone else while grieving everything you can. It really throws them for a loop.

 

[brostalss]

My 2¢ is that it all depends on your Manager or Supervisor.

Sometimes hard work is rewarded.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I do just enough not to get fired.

Let me guess. Former PT supervisor?

 

[bleedinbrown58]

My 2¢ is that it all depends on your Manager or Supervisor.

Sometimes hard work is rewarded.

Of course it is rewarded....with more work.

 

[Island]

I may have had to vent a little... >_>;;

What does everyone think a nice, decent pace is? Should I be doing more like 250?

You cannot be suspended or fired for being too slow. The speed numbers UPS complains about are mostly arbitrary. If you are a little too slow to keep up with your coworkers in your immediate area, your mgmt can move you to another department and that's about all they can legally do. If they attempt to make you sign anything, refuse to sign (or write in "RTS").
If it's that difficult for you then maybe you should try a different position in a different department. You might find something you like.
Don't let them stress you. The best thing to do when they start spouting numbers is to stop what you are doing, give that supervisor a dead stare and say nothing until he is done.

 

[BrownDooDoo]

NEVER work harder than you have to at UPS.

NEVER push through pain at UPS just to "get it done"

NEVER work unsafe just because no one says anything about it and they pressure you to move faster.


You work faster, you get paid less.

There's a fine line between working safe and comfortable for you and intentional work slow down though.

But hey UPS screws me all the time if you want to screw them I'm not judging anyone. That's up to your character.

 

[Shep92]

When I started last year in April as a loader, they tried to pull scare tactics on me left and right. That forced me to do better which is something I really regret now. I've been in the company 1 year now and I'm tired of loading. I called the employment office and asked about changing positions. They told me to ask my supervisor. Thing is he probably wont let me go because I can do over 400 if I have to. The problem with my sup is he doesn't believe anything I say including my health issues. I have scar tissue on my lungs and can't take it during the summer. He doubted me one time about my lung condition and I told him "You wanna see my scars?" He shut up after that. But my point is there are some people like myself in the company that should have accommodations regarding what position is proper for them.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

When I started last year in April as a loader, they tried to pull scare tactics on me left and right. That forced me to do better which is something I really regret now. I've been in the company 1 year now and I'm tired of loading. I called the employment office and asked about changing positions. They told me to ask my supervisor. Thing is he probably wont let me go because I can do over 400 if I have to. The problem with my sup is he doesn't believe anything I say including my health issues. I have scar tissue on my lungs and can't take it during the summer. He doubted me one time about my lung condition and I told him "You wanna see my scars?" He shut up after that. But my point is there are some people like myself in the company that should have accommodations regarding what position is proper for them.

I'm special....where are my accomodations?

 

[Shep92]

Not exactly sure what's funny about this.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Not exactly sure what's funny about this.

Did you provide a doctor note to your sup that states your limitations due to medical reasons? You'e tired of loading? Yeah me too...so what?

 

[Shep92]

Did you provide a doctor note to your sup that states your limitations due to medical reasons?

No, and I won't do it unless I absolutely have to. It would be pointless for me to bring one in after a year of loading anyway because they would think I'm just trying to get outta work. I got no problem coming in, but loading does have its toll on my body at times.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

No, and I won't do it unless I absolutely have to. It would be pointless for me to bring one in after a year of loading anyway because they would think I'm just trying to get outta work. I got no problem coming in, but loading does have its toll on my body at times.

Don't sugarcoat it....You ARE trying to get outta work. Loading takes a toll on your body? Really?? I hadn't noticed...in 8 years.

 

[BrownDooDoo]

Don't sugarcoat it....You ARE trying to get outta work. Loading takes a toll on your body? Really?? I hadn't noticed...in 8 years.

Just keep slaving away without demanding more.

How about the problem is that they crank it out way to fast. If we could demand earlier start times and deal with things at a more manageable pace, it would be a different story. And hey we'd be getting paid more too!

If they would give us enough employees to get it done as fast as they want in a more efficient manner, it would be a different story. Then in theory the union would be stronger with more members, potentially getting us even better conditions. But that's only if the members are smart enough to not only understand the system but utilize it.

If the management would do the REAL work in the hubs and not just the easiest jobs for brief periods of time, quitting and moving on to something else whenever they please, maybe they would stop ing us over every day and understand that they are stealing from somone and doing physical labor they shouldn't even have to do. But the just run around with the head up either management's or their own ass all day.

This older generation seems to have a, "Shut the hell up, work your body away and be grateful that someone ALLOWS you to exist, and they give you "good" pay with great "potential" to earn more! Plus they "give you" great benefits just shut up and take it! That's just how it is"

Or something along those lines.

While the younger people seem to be demanding more, saying that they shouldn't have to put up with the conditions we work in. Yeah this job is a lot better than a lot of what's out there, but a pile of is still a pile of even if one turd has some corn in it.

I don't care if it doesn't sound political or any of that but one guy doesn't need to earn 4000 times more than the very people who earned him his money in the first place.



But hey no one agrees with how I see the world and my views on anything so I guess I'll just shut the up, and go to sleep to wake up tomorrow and go destroy my self for 10.50 an hour.

Until we don't live in a world where profit is more important than a person, no one's hearin what I'm sayin!


* the sad thing is that while I sit here and complain about stuff like this in a heated home on a computer connected to the internet, they're rioting in Ukraine, killing each other in Africa, Iraq bla bla bla world conflict list goes on and on....

I guess you can label me a stupid "hippy" world peace advocate lazy bum whatever you wanna call it...But the world just isn't a place I'm really liking right now. I feel like maybe feeling "stuck" at UPS makes me feel this way... but I'm free to go to college and get a good job and free to do this and that and bla bla so maybe since I can't adjust to this system I should go check in to a nut house or something.

But the thing is I know I'm not the only one with all these feelings. But I don't know the answers either. It's just a tough realization I'm trying to get over at this point in my life I guess.

There's enough here for everyone to have enough to be more than happy so why can't we work together to coexist happily? It's something that freezes the computer in my brain with the error "can not compute"

I just got the benefits "UPS" "gave me" [ty as the union is, without it we'd be making minimum wage with NO benefits of any kind] so maybe I should use em on a therapist.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I can't believe how hard the new young guys and gals work for so little bit of money. When I started Preload 36 years ago we made about $.50 an hour less then the drivers. Worked about 4 to 41/2 hours a day. Max weight was 50lbs. No progression and full benefits in 30 days. We worked hard, but nothing like what UPS wants now. Every contract means more concessions for the new guys and more money for the old guys. Buddy of mine in the hub makes $31.75/hr to do rewrap for 5 hours a night and 7 weeks vacation.

 

[you aint even know it]

Just keep slaving away without demanding more.

How about the problem is that they crank it out way to fast. If we could demand earlier start times and deal with things at a more manageable pace, it would be a different story. And hey we'd be getting paid more too!

If they would give us enough employees to get it done as fast as they want in a more efficient manner, it would be a different story. Then in theory the union would be stronger with more members, potentially getting us even better conditions. But that's only if the members are smart enough to not only understand the system but utilize it.

If the management would do the REAL work in the hubs and not just the easiest jobs for brief periods of time, quitting and moving on to something else whenever they please, maybe they would stop ing us over every day and understand that they are stealing from somone and doing physical labor they shouldn't even have to do. But the just run around with the head up either management's or their own ass all day.

This older generation seems to have a, "Shut the hell up, work your body away and be grateful that someone ALLOWS you to exist, and they give you "good" pay with great "potential" to earn more! Plus they "give you" great benefits just shut up and take it! That's just how it is"

Or something along those lines.

While the younger people seem to be demanding more, saying that they shouldn't have to put up with the conditions we work in. Yeah this job is a lot better than a lot of what's out there, but a pile of is still a pile of even if one turd has some corn in it.

I don't care if it doesn't sound political or any of that but one guy doesn't need to earn 4000 times more than the very people who earned him his money in the first place.



But hey no one agrees with how I see the world and my views on anything so I guess I'll just shut the up, and go to sleep to wake up tomorrow and go destroy my self for 10.50 an hour.

Until we don't live in a world where profit is more important than a person, no one's hearin what I'm sayin!


* the sad thing is that while I sit here and complain about stuff like this in a heated home on a computer connected to the internet, they're rioting in Ukraine, killing each other in Africa, Iraq bla bla bla world conflict list goes on and on....

I guess you can label me a stupid "hippy" world peace advocate lazy bum whatever you wanna call it...But the world just isn't a place I'm really liking right now. I feel like maybe feeling "stuck" at UPS makes me feel this way... but I'm free to go to college and get a good job and free to do this and that and bla bla so maybe since I can't adjust to this system I should go check in to a nut house or something.

But the thing is I know I'm not the only one with all these feelings. But I don't know the answers either. It's just a tough realization I'm trying to get over at this point in my life I guess.

There's enough here for everyone to have enough to be more than happy so why can't we work together to coexist happily? It's something that freezes the computer in my brain with the error "can not compute"

I just got the benefits "UPS" "gave me" [ty as the union is, without it we'd be making minimum wage with NO benefits of any kind] so maybe I should use em on a therapist.

Sounds to me you are distressed because you can't live off of someone's success. You say you know you can go to college to better yourself and find a good job. Why don't you?

 

[jumpman23]

I'm special....where are my accomodations?

Heres your accommodation right here lmfao

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Brown D...I'm not telling Shep anything other than the truth. But the bottom line is....anyone who doesn't want to get up in the morning and destroy their body for 10.50 an hour can quit and find another job...yes, it's just that simple.

 

[wayfair]

I just got my seniority last week, and before that they tried telling me once that I had to do 400 boxes in an hour. Now. I'm a 130 pound guy. Just 180 was back-breaking for me, while I was out of shape. I managed to pop it up to around 230 over my month of probation, then started hovering around 200 an hour.

This last week, on Thursday, I was pushing down most of the night (due to another 6-yeared senioritied employee getting talked to about having to do 200; I figured I'd help him out a bit since they hadn't mentioned anything to me. Plus, he's a cool guy and we talk a lot while loading. He was busting his ass and managed to make it to somewhere around 350-400), and ended up around 198.

Now. Two separate supervisors told me two separate things. The first--relatively decent guy--said the minimum we should be doing is 200; I asked if I was in trouble because of making 198 due to pushing down (as he saw me doing so), to which he responded, "No, that's close enough".

The second, (a supervisor from a couple trailers down--not mine) said that we had to be doing 300, and told me I spent too much time pushing down. (Previously, I hadn't spent enough time picking up boxes off the ground to make it look 'clean' for seemingly no one, where a previous supervisor had told me to leave them on the ground since they were going to fall anyway when we get that busy.)

Talk about dichotomous bull; this is really starting to piss me off, to say the least; but, I'm afraid to load at a decent pace instead of pushing myself, because I really don't want to get fired. However, *all* the employees there tell me to just keep up a decent pace, and that the supervisors will always tell you to go faster even if you're loading 1,000-2,000 an hour.

I've noticed that the supervisors at my hub seem to want to manipulate us rather than actually tell us how it is. The terms, "Well, think about it.; Work harder, we get out of here faster.; There are people doing 500-600 packages an hour, so you don't really have any excuse. (On that last note, again, I'm 130 pounds and don't have people pushing down for me all the time and have only been there for a month...);It's good exercise (there is a limit to what qualifies as good exercise and what qualifies as over-training, inducing injuries; thus, humorously, making me a less effective worker for the rest of the week. )

I may have had to vent a little... >_>;;

What does everyone think a nice, decent pace is? Should I be doing more like 250?

are you loading trailers???

when I started, 600 per loader, 1000 per unloader...... 250???

 

[joeboodog]

If I over achieve in the eyes of my customers then I have done my job.