potential problems with "ups freight"

[Coldworld]

Im not going to sound paranoid....yet, but has anyone been on upsers.com and watched the snippit about the rebranding of motor cargo and overnite. In the movie they are using diad 4, which makes me wonder. I know that the tracking will be better than before but..... I also wonder since overnite and motor cargo are now one operating unit if some of them might loose their jobs. I also wonder how the menlo heavy freight unit will play into this. Can anyone verify if this unit is going to be air freight only. I want this part of the company to work...AS LONG AS NO UPS FEEDER JOBS ARE AT RISK!!Im sure after the rebranding this part of the ccompany will be growing fast thanks in part to volume being gained from fedex freight and yellow. Does anyone else have the same concerns as I do about ups feeder jobs. TIE, since you work in feeder, do you want to put your two bits in. How will this effect ups feeder jobs, I know that mgt says that ups freight will be in a different system, but what about the sales force trying to transfer volume from our system to theirs. Most cpu pickups are pallets of volume with multiple addresses, but there are pallets picked up by ups that are going to one address. This is the volume that will be targeted.

 

[tieguy]

I don't see us losing jobs. I see us getting more business as a result of this move and therefore more jobs.

 

[trickpony1]

Did you think you were gonna hear anything other than the sugar-coated party line from a member of management?
Notice how he was real vague in his response and didn't elaborate much?
Who is "us"?
Is "us" the union free Overnite?
Is "us" the company as a whole?
Is "us" the company feeder drivers?
I have seen "shiny wheels" come into our yard and leave with trailers that we (the drivers) were told were empty but the yard shifter knew they were loads.
We have seen loads pulled into our yard (after peak season) by shiny wheels and were told the origin hub was "...out of drivers".
If there is a system in place, the company will abuse it. A good example is the written, and agreed upon, labor contract.
Only a fool can't see the company is gearing up for July 31, 2008.
Sorry.....no "wine and roses" today.

 

[ImpactedTSG]

All of a sudden drivers are worried about losing their jobs, but we had to hear that losing 400 technicians company wide is no big deal.

If you position is no longer needed, why waste the money right?

 

[trickpony1]

I don't recall saying your situation is "....no big deal".
If the company had their way we would all be replaced with our "south of the border" (Red River) compadres at dramatically reduced wages.
If you will scroll through the really early posts on this matter you'll see my thoughts on the issue.

 

[ImpactedTSG]

Trick, that in no way was directed toward you. If that is how you took it, I apologize. It was directed at a few drivers that tried to compare a day or two "layoff" when volume was low to this PERMANENT layoff and separation from the company.

 

[trickpony1]

No apology necessary.
It amazes me that the company, that so prides itself on micromanagement, just suddenly discovered, "golly, gee whiz, we've got too many TSG".
But yet we seem to have a sufficient number of mid to high level managers who twiddle their thumbs, watch reports slide across the conference table and nod their heads in an affirmative manner whenever the head duck quacks.

 

[wkmac]

coldworld,
Could UPS use the Freight segment as a fallback to position themselves going into 08'? Yes they could but being realistic just how effective would it be? I'm not trying to say without us they can't do a thing because they could over time. I just see to many hurdles to overcome and to see how far we've come in growing the company since 97' I think both sides have far to much to lose than to gain and I've felt for some time that both sides should already be holding early talks and discussions on many of the issues we face with the goal of a very early contract agreement and jump FedEx from the bushes and give them no traction to undercut us again leading up to a contract. The larger question IMO is do we (all of us) have the smarts to do that? Sadly I don't have the answer to that one.

Also when the purchase of Overnight had happened I was in a position to talk with a couple of folks who happen to have just a little knowledge of the situation and I asked about pulling Overnight completely into the UPS fold. It was admitted this would be the ideal but the 2 major problems among many were 1) UPS small package facilities aren't setup for freight cross dock operations and 2) Purely Freight segments can handle certain types of products (Hazmats for example) that we can't and visa versa. No doubt there are other considerations but just on those 2 areas alone, there presents itself a couple of big hurdles. That said I also think this added to our product mix will in fact benefit the whole and I'm not convinced the recent surge in volume has all been a result outside of the Overnight now UPS Freight addition. More and more we are becoming an all in one global supply chain enabler IMO.

Personally I look for the IBT to use the UPS Freight in bargaining for 08' as a means of organizing and boost membership numbers and an influx into many pension funds now suffering. Whether UPS sees this as a mechanism for getting something sweet in return I have no idea. On the one hand I could see where they may go for it however, and this is JMO, throwing more money at these pension funds is throwing money down a rat hole. Short term it may help but UPS saw major growth in the 70's and 80's and these folks are beginning to hit the retirement rolls and when this process really picks up steam in the next few years I just don't feel good about what I see ahead and sadly I'm one of those who will be a part of the flood that is about to come. The good part I guess is that I'm not someone coming in during the latter 80's and 90's because those folks are really gonna get screwed IMO.

BTW:I don't think you're paranoid at all. It is a legit and good question to ask.

 

[Phil082]

Well I'm new here and very interested in how our fellow brother feel about
[-]OVERNITE[/-]UPS FREIGHT and how they will be greeted to the family?

I personally don't want to see anyone lose their job. Nor, would I want to have their job in the package division. (Real Mans Job) I'll just stick to driving that old 700,000 mile truck up and down the highway. So to any feeder drivers, Ya'll cheer up out there and give your little bro a wave now and then...

Thanks and We look forward to working with you,

Phil

 

[tieguy]

Did you think you were gonna hear anything other than the sugar-coated party line from a member of management?
Notice how he was real vague in his response and didn't elaborate much?
Who is "us"?
Is "us" the union free Overnite?
Is "us" the company as a whole?
Is "us" the company feeder drivers?
I have seen "shiny wheels" come into our yard and leave with trailers that we (the drivers) were told were empty but the yard shifter knew they were loads.
We have seen loads pulled into our yard (after peak season) by shiny wheels and were told the origin hub was "...out of drivers".
If there is a system in place, the company will abuse it. A good example is the written, and agreed upon, labor contract.
Only a fool can't see the company is gearing up for July 31, 2008.
Sorry.....no "wine and roses" today.

Why Trick I'm sorry I was not able to provide you with a more negative company bashing post to feed your negative outlook on life. In fact the purpose of buying a freight company was to provide "one stop" shopping to our customers which would tend to get us more business. While I would not dare assume I possibly know more about this business then you It has been my experience that winning more business for us leads to more jobs for us. Across the board.

By the way Mr. Negative "I hate the world and I can't stand it if the anyone says anything positive about this company" Is Overnight comletely union free or is part of it already organized by the teamsters?

 

[moreluck]

"Only a fool can't see the company is gearing up for July 31, 2008."

You could put all their plans to hell by not having a strike....that'll show 'em !!

 

[trickpony1]

love ya Tie

 

[tieguy]

Likewise my friend. I do worry about you though. We're not all blind zealots and brainwashed groupies. Just the survivors

 

[tieguy]

My other question is part of Overnight now UPS freight already teamster? I'm skimming through some old new stories and it looks like they may have been about 45 percent organized?

Also heard something interesting from one of my drivers talking to one of theirs in lieu of a conventional retirement plan they have a 12 percent 401K match.

 

[upscorpis]

There is no way that UPS small package volume would be targeted by the sales force to be moved to freight. Freight does not provide anywhere near the profit margin of small package. Can you imagine trying to explain the loss of domestic ground volume to the low margin freight channel? "Uh, yes mister analyst, that's right. We did that on purpose." :-}

 

[browniehound]

My other question is part of Overnight now UPS freight already teamster? I'm skimming through some old new stories and it looks like they may have been about 45 percent organized?

Also heard something interesting from one of my drivers talking to one of theirs in lieu of a conventional retirement plan they have a 12 percent 401K match.

I remember recieving the teamster magazine a couple of years back and the cover story was "Teamsters on strike against overnight" so i do believe they are at least partially organized. As for a 12 percent match on your 401k's I think everyone in the company would benefit if we dumped the pension and the company match 12% of our 401k contributions. At least that way, we'd be garunteed of seeing that money when we retire

 

[upsdawg]

WKMAC-----one global supply chain enabler

I like the way that you described UPS's goal for the future and I feel that is exactly what we are doing-----whatever we can to obtain more supply chain business--that is where the new UPS Revenues will come from. I think we will lose ground market share--but we will focus on Int'l and Supply Chain revenues to sustain us.

Tieguy------regarding the 12% 401k match---this would be a great option to have----could it replace the Teamsters Pension plan?----they would fight it tooth and nail--because they would not have control of it-----could care less that this may be the best option for UPS employees---so it could be interesting if this is part of the new contract.

I hate to say it but with the way FED Ex stock is growing and the upcoming UPS Teamster contact----it may be time to invest in Fed Ex, because they are going to position themselves like the last contract---"better sign a Fed Ex contract now other wise when UPS goes on stirike, we will not provide service---and we want a committment for 1 year!!! Their volume will grow and wall Street will declare that they are capturing major market share from UPS and their stock will go up and up!!

It would be great for UPS/Teamsters to negotiate a new contract way early and keep this from happening---but I don't see it happening in my lifetime!!

 

[oldupsman]

I attended my local union meeting this past weekend at which our president announced that indeed UPS has approached the IBT about opening the contract early. This makes sense to me because of UPS's heavy involvment in the 2008 summer Olympics. They are in July of 2008. I can't imagine UPS having a contract hanging over it's head while advertsing to the world. You can hear FedEx and DHL licking their chops.
Also IMHO I see both the pilots and the new freight division being part of this whole scenario. I gotta belive UPS would love to have all these contracts run together so they expire at the same time. Part of the new contract will be the organizing of the freight divsion into Teamsters.
I just don't see a strike. Just too much money to be lost by both sides. I don't care how sucessful PAS and EDD is. You just don't replace who knows how many people at the drop of a hat. Heck we have trouble hiring people at our building now. And there's no question UPS is the last Teamster cash cow. Without UPS they're history. There's not one issue that can't be solved. To me, whether they like it or not, both sides need each other.

 

[upsdawg]

Yo-- Oldupsman----well said......"both sides need each other"

There are so many benefits to each side to start negotiating now and resolving any open contracts before 2008---especailly before the 2008 Olympics!

As you noted our competition is licking their chops---and it is the easiest marketing approach they can make----they went on strike before--do you want to put all of your eggs in one basket like last time....and believe me there are still customers that will "NEVER" forget how we let them down and hurt a lot of them financially---and our competitors won't accept their new business unless they sigh a new contract for a specified period of time--usually one year.

So hopefully both sides will reach common ground and look at what is the best for the "Employee"----and as you mentioned...UPS is the last Teamster Cash Cow left!!

 

[FEGuy]

... if we dumped the pension and the company match 12% of our 401k contributions. At least that way, we'd be garunteed of seeing that money when we retire

Browniehound...oh...my....goodness
There is NOTHING guarenteed about a 401k...you could lose it ALL. And it's YOUR money, not like a pension plan where it is THE COMPANY that contributes to the fund.