The Milkman
Well-Known Member
Just my 2 cents.
Back in 81 I was working in a machine shop about 7 years making about 10 bucks an hour. When I heard about UPS hiring, I went and applied. Ups wages even back then were better than I was making at the time. and I was lucky to get hired for peak taking a phony sick leave at my job to do this. I was then laid off and called back in 82 for another peak. After peak, HR called my factory job to tell them I was being considered for a job at UPS as part of my previous work history on my application. When I was hired (Long story short) The HR person knew my father-in-law and knew what I was doing to take a chance of getting into Big Brown, however in 82 the HR person was different and I was busted and fired from my job of 7 years. So, I figured I will be better off in the long run. Many years later that machine shop was sold out and everyone took big pay cuts. I was with the United Steel Workers back then.
After Peak they kept 3 of us on. About a week later my ctr manager told me to clear my locker as I was fired. I could not believe it! He said he heard when I got into the Union that I would slow down etc. So here I am 30 years old with no job now, going through a divorce, supporting 2 kids one who is handicapped with special needs. Got kicked out of HS and had no trade whatsoever.
So having nothing to lose I called our North Jersey District Managers office and said I would like to talk to him. His name was Bud Yard. He signed my checks. The office woman asked my name and I did not give it to her, I just told her I was a UPSER. I walked into his office and told him how I felt that I was being treated unfairly and now I had no job or future ahead of me. I was upset but he was very understanding. I told him I earned the shield that was on my hat. He told me to calm down as I was upset. He then set me up to have breakfast with the District HR manager the next morning at restaurant and I told him again my situation. The next day I get a call to go back to my center and got my job back.
I told the district manager that I did not want to work for the Center manager who fired me because I did not trust him. But he insisted I stay in his center. If I did not I would not of met my now future wife back in 86. In due time like all Center managers, he was transferred to work at the Airport because NDA was taking off and growing.
Bud Yard became a regional manager in the Detroit area and then became US operations manager down in Atlanta. Before he left North Jersey every time he came to our building, he made sure to come over and talk to me. It was funny as all the center managers were leaning their heads like tulips pointing towards the sun wondering what we were talking about. When one of my center managers years later was in Atlanta, he grabbed him and said look at this! I sent him letter for the break of my life and he wanted to share it with him. I would see him in the ‘Delivering our Future” videos in the am meetings. Many called him my Godfather. One of my most memorable times was when a new division manager came up to me one night while doing my turn in saying that someone was here today looking for me. I said who “He said “The Big Man” Bud Yard. He never forgot me and he sent me a letter from Atlanta responding to mine saying “Make it Happen and Make it Fun” along with a pin.
Looking back at all the ball busting days as a split driver for about 9 years before getting my own route and then finishing up my last 8 at the Customer Counter and doing just over 25 years I was able to retire on 1/1/08.
I think back that none of this would have been possible without a good union paying job. Back then and the 97 strike everyone wanted money in their pocket now. I always wanted it in the pension and thought the wages were good compared to what most non-HS grads made back then. It took 9 months to get to top rate back then and the brief pay cut I took from losing my former job was well worth the wait in the long run.
I know contracts will not please everyone but I was happy knowing that I had a decent job with benefits and a pension to look forward to. In my early days GM and Ford plants were a few miles from me in Jersey and I thought about those places also. But look what happened to them. They both shuttered years later and many who were there 30 plus years were out of luck.
I started at 30, left at 55. Moved out west bought nice home and RV. Traveled the last 15 years all over 2x to Alaska and none of this would have happened if I did not take a chance to get into UPS and Bud Yard taking the time to hear me out and this was before going public. Pensions are going away and I feel blessed to have had a decent one that all of us earn. This new contract may not please everyone but there are those less fortunate than us to be a part of a Global company that pays decent wages and benefits. And a guy like me hired FT off the street was a blessing that I count every 1st of the month when my pension deposit is made. None of this would have been possible without all our hard work to build this company up to what it is today. Be happy that you are not homeless living in the streets, hungry and have no place to lay your head.
Many others I know worked to 65 and beyond and say I was lucky to have a good pension. I was not lucky. I took a chance with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Thank you, “Bud Yard,” for the Break of my Life!
“THE MILKMAN”
Back in 81 I was working in a machine shop about 7 years making about 10 bucks an hour. When I heard about UPS hiring, I went and applied. Ups wages even back then were better than I was making at the time. and I was lucky to get hired for peak taking a phony sick leave at my job to do this. I was then laid off and called back in 82 for another peak. After peak, HR called my factory job to tell them I was being considered for a job at UPS as part of my previous work history on my application. When I was hired (Long story short) The HR person knew my father-in-law and knew what I was doing to take a chance of getting into Big Brown, however in 82 the HR person was different and I was busted and fired from my job of 7 years. So, I figured I will be better off in the long run. Many years later that machine shop was sold out and everyone took big pay cuts. I was with the United Steel Workers back then.
After Peak they kept 3 of us on. About a week later my ctr manager told me to clear my locker as I was fired. I could not believe it! He said he heard when I got into the Union that I would slow down etc. So here I am 30 years old with no job now, going through a divorce, supporting 2 kids one who is handicapped with special needs. Got kicked out of HS and had no trade whatsoever.
So having nothing to lose I called our North Jersey District Managers office and said I would like to talk to him. His name was Bud Yard. He signed my checks. The office woman asked my name and I did not give it to her, I just told her I was a UPSER. I walked into his office and told him how I felt that I was being treated unfairly and now I had no job or future ahead of me. I was upset but he was very understanding. I told him I earned the shield that was on my hat. He told me to calm down as I was upset. He then set me up to have breakfast with the District HR manager the next morning at restaurant and I told him again my situation. The next day I get a call to go back to my center and got my job back.
I told the district manager that I did not want to work for the Center manager who fired me because I did not trust him. But he insisted I stay in his center. If I did not I would not of met my now future wife back in 86. In due time like all Center managers, he was transferred to work at the Airport because NDA was taking off and growing.
Bud Yard became a regional manager in the Detroit area and then became US operations manager down in Atlanta. Before he left North Jersey every time he came to our building, he made sure to come over and talk to me. It was funny as all the center managers were leaning their heads like tulips pointing towards the sun wondering what we were talking about. When one of my center managers years later was in Atlanta, he grabbed him and said look at this! I sent him letter for the break of my life and he wanted to share it with him. I would see him in the ‘Delivering our Future” videos in the am meetings. Many called him my Godfather. One of my most memorable times was when a new division manager came up to me one night while doing my turn in saying that someone was here today looking for me. I said who “He said “The Big Man” Bud Yard. He never forgot me and he sent me a letter from Atlanta responding to mine saying “Make it Happen and Make it Fun” along with a pin.
Looking back at all the ball busting days as a split driver for about 9 years before getting my own route and then finishing up my last 8 at the Customer Counter and doing just over 25 years I was able to retire on 1/1/08.
I think back that none of this would have been possible without a good union paying job. Back then and the 97 strike everyone wanted money in their pocket now. I always wanted it in the pension and thought the wages were good compared to what most non-HS grads made back then. It took 9 months to get to top rate back then and the brief pay cut I took from losing my former job was well worth the wait in the long run.
I know contracts will not please everyone but I was happy knowing that I had a decent job with benefits and a pension to look forward to. In my early days GM and Ford plants were a few miles from me in Jersey and I thought about those places also. But look what happened to them. They both shuttered years later and many who were there 30 plus years were out of luck.
I started at 30, left at 55. Moved out west bought nice home and RV. Traveled the last 15 years all over 2x to Alaska and none of this would have happened if I did not take a chance to get into UPS and Bud Yard taking the time to hear me out and this was before going public. Pensions are going away and I feel blessed to have had a decent one that all of us earn. This new contract may not please everyone but there are those less fortunate than us to be a part of a Global company that pays decent wages and benefits. And a guy like me hired FT off the street was a blessing that I count every 1st of the month when my pension deposit is made. None of this would have been possible without all our hard work to build this company up to what it is today. Be happy that you are not homeless living in the streets, hungry and have no place to lay your head.
Many others I know worked to 65 and beyond and say I was lucky to have a good pension. I was not lucky. I took a chance with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Thank you, “Bud Yard,” for the Break of my Life!
“THE MILKMAN”
