To all those who want to vote YES on the proposed contract...

[govols019]

He might be full-time but he's not a driver.

 

[Damok]

you must be full time. if you are a driver, do you like to have a loader ? because if you let this contract pass with the starting rate stuck at 8.50. you probably won't get any new people in the future. here in california, minimum wage goes up to 8.00 on 1/1/08. i don't think people will work for close to under minimum wage busting there butts. we have a problem keeping people already.

I am neither full time nor a driver, I'm one those stupid part timers we heard about a while back We also have a problem with turnover as do most hubs/centers/areas within UPS I would imagine. Wages, starting or otherwise, were not given top priority according the survey we all, hopefully, filled out. Coming back now with that as a deal breaker just doesn't jive. I guess what I am trying to point out is that I believe there are good and bad points to this contract. The fact that this go-round pension issues have taken the spotlight ruffles some feathers. I filled out the survey with pension and H/W issues as my priorities because I feel they were in dire need of fixing. I can't peer into my crystal ball and tell you if the new changes will be a cure all however, after reading the contract, watching "the video" and going through the many posts and opinions here I believe it will certainly help. I don't view things as black and white and that is where I seem to differ with some folks here.

 

[1989]

Do you guys know how much it costs to send a package? Some of my family won't use ups because of the cost. My wife send a birthday present last month. $30 going ground just an 8 hour drive away. How can UPS get new customers with such high rates? Lets put some customer rate relief in this new contract.

 

[Damok]

you must be full time. if you are a driver, do you like to have a loader ? because if you let this contract pass with the starting rate stuck at 8.50. you probably won't get any new people in the future. here in california, minimum wage goes up to 8.00 on 1/1/08. i don't think people will work for close to under minimum wage busting there butts. we have a problem keeping people already.

You certainly do post this little refrain, or a version of it, a lot... might want to get some new material

 

[MR_Vengeance]

you must be full time. if you are a driver, do you like to have a loader ? because if you let this contract pass with the starting rate stuck at 8.50. you probably won't get any new people in the future. here in california, minimum wage goes up to 8.00 on 1/1/08. i don't think people will work for close to under minimum wage busting there butts. we have a problem keeping people already.

it is a damn shame that the few partimers i spoke to didn't even know there's a new contract. the local teamsters is doing nothing to educate these guys about it.

 

[diesel96]

I don't think it's fair to have the whole country vote on the central states issue. And while I'm on that topic ... $6.1 bil to withdrawl, ok how is the company going to make that money back. Easy, split the raise. They will save approx. 47 mil a year. And now memorendum #1, they can take up to .35 of my GWI per year and reallocate it into my pension. One of the recomendations of the pension reform act is to place more funds into the pension to eventually put that fund in the green zone(80%funded). I don't know about the rest of them, but my plan is not close to 80% funded. So the way I look at it I have to pay for the withdrawl for central states, and to fund my own pension. NOT ! And on top of that, they don't even match my 401k. Ok, I'm done.....I need a drink

The IBT who represents ALL of us, pilfered the Central States pension fund....OK, that makes this everybody's problem affiliated to the IBT...What ever happen to...United we stand, United we fall.

 

[STLFeeder]

No vote sounds good to me. The teamsters have sold us down the river to rid theirselves of financial problems they are having with central states and so they can have access to organize UPS freight without the company fighting back. So we get screwed so they can put more money into their pockets. Who's working for who here?? Are we working for the teamsters or are they working for us?? UPS has already told them that if we vote no on this contract that the teamsters lose the card check agreement. Hmm no wonder they are pushing so hard to get us to vote yes.

 

[#1angelfan]

You certainly do post this little refrain, or a version of it, a lot... might want to get some new material

thanks for the tip. i guess i don't have as much time as you to spend on here. i work 2 jobs and i'm a mother of three, but again thanks for the tip.

 

[#1angelfan]

it is a damn shame that the few partimers i spoke to didn't even know there's a new contract. the local teamsters is doing nothing to educate these guys about it.

i agree with you. i am trying to put the word out here, because the part-timers don't have a clue what's going on with the contract.

 

[Damok]

thanks for the tip. i guess i don't have as much time as you to spend on here. i work 2 jobs and i'm a mother of three, but again thanks for the tip.

I'm not sure what that has to do with a copy and paste job.

 

[#1angelfan]

I'm not sure what that has to do with a copy and paste job.

i didn't copy and paste. if you would have read both of them, they had different things in both of them.

 

[Damok]

i didn't copy and paste. if you would have read both of them, they had different things in both of them.

Sorry... I should have said copy, paste and edit. My bad.

 

[Steward773]

The IBT who represents ALL of us, pilfered the Central States pension fund....OK, that makes this everybody's problem affiliated to the IBT...What ever happen to...United we stand, United we fall.

Exactly, why should I have to pay for something the Union screwed up.

 

[Cole]

However, it IS subject to a .5% per month penalty for every month you retire under age 62. At the time of your retirement, they will figure out the benefit for each and you will be given the pension the higher amount.

We had our "review" today, for our union meeting, and obvioulsey an hr and a half wasn't enough time to finish, not to mention we didn't even get close to the Supplement, which our ba said was just faxed to him the day before, so they rushed throught that too, and we didn't get to see it!

I guess we'll have to call the local to have a real contract discussion meeting, and maybe they could spend some of our money, and mke some copies for us to look at etc...

 

[area43]

Hey Cole, my computer is still slow as crap. Just a quick note. My nephew that went to USMC boot camp on June 11 is still there. LOL I shouldn't laugh. Half way through he caught pneumonia. That set him back about 3 weeks. Than he got Bronchitis. Again another 3 weeks. My brother says he might graduate Nov 17. Like I said before he is a very skinny, but brainy kid. The Corp has spent a fortune on those high protein drinks(3,000 to 4,000 calories, LMAO). As you know the Corp has a very tight fiscal budget. Point is they just can't shove enough calories in him. He's also a very nervous cat and that adds to his calorie burn up.

Ok, YES on the contract. Again, First the pension. As we all know that was the number one item. There are 3 things that will affect or effect your MEP/SEP pension.

1) "The market". I believe/know just by looking at my 401k that is so. I will give you some of my personal 401k info. Just to show you. My balance was $98,000 at the end of 06. My CONTRIBUTIONS to my fund is roughly $320 a week. I give the max amount of 25% of my gross(yearly federal max is $15,400). In comparasion the UPS contributions to my Teamsters, Joint council 83 Mep of Virginia is $273.60 a week. I thought I would just throw that out there. Ok, this could be long. LOL In a nut shell. By June I had $117,000 - $7,700(contributions) equals roughly $12,000 in earnings. Yippeee. Not so fast. I believe in August or Sept the bottom fell out. My balance dropped to $102,000. Now I was in the RED. Ugggghhhh. LMAO No put intended Red. Folks, it hurts to lose money. It could drive you just plain crazy. Remember, Mentall Illness and being in locked down aint no fun. RO(the padded)FL LMAO. Ok, now for a little mathmatics. Get your BEANS out. . For you CS folks it might be a little less beans( lettuce). Aug/sept balance $102,000. Yearly Beginning balance $98,000. CONTRIBUTIONS as of Sept was roughly $12,000. $98,000 + $12,000 = $110,000. $110,000 - $102,000 = $8,000 in the Red . I m not finished. It did jump back up only to drop back down. Last I looked I was 3 grand down. Im just hoping to break even by the end of the year.

Well folks do you see my point. My 401k is just like your/my MEP only on a smaller scale. Millions and even BILLIONS are lost on any givin day at the market. This is where your pension monies are placed. My $320 a week contribution is puny when it comes to the market. I could easily lose 3 months of hard earned contribuitions to a drop of lets say 200 to 300 points in the market. Believe it or not. The market has about a 7% return over a 30 year period. A home in a good area(he he) might have a 5% return or more. The market. It could be heaven or it could be hell. The market. IMO has more power than the CONTRIBUTIONS. More contributions doesn't always equal more pension monies.

2) "The number of people drawing(retiree's) verse's the number of people putting in(workers). That will affect/effect your Mep or Sep plan. CS example. Those of you who vote No are just being self centered and shelfish. We are all in a MEP or SEP of some kind. UPS can only afford to bail out one fund at a time. This CS MEP was a big fund created by our great Teamster founder James Hoffa Sr. The CS UPS FT workers had very little or no say at all. The individual put in his application in at UPS, just like you and I. We knew little or nothing about the pension process. In time we were more informed. Again, I say have we've all been duped? Promises that were made by the Teamsters. I ask those that want to vote "NO" to our UPS brothers and sisters at Cs. How is your fund doing? Is it about to go broke? Borderline? CS consisted of 44,000 UPS workers. Hey you "NO" voters it might be your fund that needs help the next time. Think ahead. Think out of the Box. The fact is you might need their vote the next time around. United we stand. Divided we fall. Right Red. The reponse I hear now from most "no" voters in my center is what about us. Well, I tell them. The CS fund was the worst in the country. Ours is about 76% funded. Would it be smart to start from the worst to the least worst. UPS has to take it one fund at a time. UPS can't do it all in one contract. Remember UPSers, the future its not a given. I mean growth. UPS is not Superman. Strategy. Trying to predict the future can be tricky. So far it s all been growth for the last 100 years. INCREASES, no matter how great or small. We've always had increases. The glasss is half full. Not half empty. Look at the positives. It could make you live to a 100.

3) Last but not least. Contributions. It does help. In reference to the CS fund. The CS fund had great UPS weekly pension contributions. The problem was it wasn't enough to sustain all the non UPS members of the CS fund who's company had gone out of business. Remeber, only 40 cents to every dollar went to the CS Upsers.

In closing, the CS fund had only 1 out of the 3 listed above. The one they had was #3 Contributions, will at least on UPS's part. They had the one we cry about the most. MORE CONTRIBUTIONS. That is not always a sure fix for the MEP/SEP pension crisis.

 

[tieguy]

I am vested in Central States and will be voting no. This contract won't save the Central States portion of my pension even if the contract passes exactly as written. UPS will offset the CS portion that is due to me and if CS goes under they won't make up the difference. There is no reason to screw over other UPSers for this crappy deal.

Forgot to add: at least if the government gets involved the books will have to be opened and we can see anyone from the Teamsters or UPS needs to be doing some jail time.

Some people just love to be victims. Chances are a no vote leaves CS the way it currently is. Pension laws change in January.

This contract offer is going to be interesting to see if the teamsters really have soladarity. The 6.1 billion cs offer is the big deal of this offer. Those not affected by cs are really looking at a no frills contract. Will they vote for a contract that does not do much for them in order to help the CS folks.

 

[Damok]

Will they vote for a contract that does not do much for them in order to help the CS folks.

Some of us will. It's convincing others with a different agenda that's the ugly part.

 

[local804]

Some of us will. It's convincing others with a different agenda that's the ugly part.

Dont forget you get to vote for a master and a supplimental

 

[Captain America]

Some people just love to be victims. Chances are a no vote leaves CS the way it currently is. Pension laws change in January.

This contract offer is going to be interesting to see if the teamsters really have soladarity. The 6.1 billion cs offer is the big deal of this offer. Those not affected by cs are really looking at a no frills contract. Will they vote for a contract that does not do much for them in order to help the CS folks.

I am in the central and voting no. I don't think we do have solidarity and it ticks me off. Its everyone for themselves around here at every level and ends up making things tough for every one. Someone sees a momentary advantage for themselves and jumps at it even if the long term conssequences hurts everyone. You know " I got mine now you get yours." I think CS needs whatever controls come in after the first. If UPS was truly concerned for us they would set up a 401k match or some other legal way to get us a retirement.

 

[tieguy]

The split raises are not the same. .70 x 40hours = $28 per week x 52 weeks =$1456

Half raise now for 6 months .35 x 40hours = $14 per week x 26 weeks = $364
Plus other half for last 6 months .70 x 40hours = $28 per week x 26 weeks = $728

ONE RAISE = $1456
SPLIT RAISES = $1092

TOTAL SAVINGS/ADDITIONAL PROFIT IN UPS POCKET = $364 PER DRIVER x 100,000 plus drivers = $36 million PLUS THE EXTRA SAVINGS FROM OVERTIME TOO!!!!!!!!

This is just for the 1st year of contract alone and does not include the OT savings.

Now that is some real interesting fuzzy math. UPS is going to pay 9 bucks an hour more for your services 5 years from now yet with your fuzzy math they save 36 million dollars. And you guys accuse me of playing with the numbers.