To speak up or not? Talk to management or HR? “On topic” please!

bugsbunny

Member
This is going to be long I apologize but in order to get the full picture I feel it all needs to be explained.

I was hired on October 5 given a start date for driving school of the 15th. I was called on the ninth and asked if I could report to school the next day because they really needed to get me trained and on the road as soon as possible. I rearrange my whole schedule put everything on hold went through driving school graduating on the 16th. Reported to my center on the next day 17th where I was told they don’t know what’s going on someone will call me. Received a call that afternoon telling me to just standby. After hearing nothing for a week I went into my center again on Wednesday the 24th I was then told they were having a managers meeting on Friday and someone will called me, no one called. Only Monday the 29th I received a call at 7:30 in the morning asking me to report for work the next day at 4 AM no explanation of anything just to be there at 4 AM. I report at 4 AM watch a two hour long video I already watched and tested on during school and then get sent home after being there two hours. Still no communication from anyone. I report for the rest of the week apparently to preload which was never discussed that’s fine I have no problem doing that. Still no communication no mention of driving or my training. Meanwhile I find out the other guy I was in class with has been working since we finished class and is now starting his road training. Monday the 5th I continue to do pre-loaded. On that day I had to ask for Thursday and Friday off I had to take my mother in for surgery something prescheduled and I couldn’t change not knowing when or if I was even going to be working at UPS since no one ever tells me anything. They didn’t seem too pleased with the fact and told me oh well we were going to start you driving I guess will have to do it next week because we don’t want to break up you’re training. So whatever that’s fine, I go into the center on that Friday to find out when to report on Monday no one‘s around and no one knows. I receive a phone call later telling me to report a 325. I question this because I was told I was driving to which the woman states I don’t know that’s just what they told me. So I report To work Monday the 12th To preload again and still there is not and has never been any communication to me from or by any supervisor I in fact I don’t even know who my supervisors are I’ve never been introduced! That day I’m working side-by-side with another driver who says he’s done part of his on road training doesn’t know when he’ll finish, so it’s OK to break up his training but not mine. At the end of the day he finds out he’ll finish his training the next day, still no word for me. Someone suggested to me that maybe they just forgot. FORGOT!? ‘isn’t this their job? They certainly didn’t forget to train the rest of the drivers and give them routes. I return to work the next day to preload I have decided I will hunt down management And find out what the story is. I just happen to run into my on road driving Trainer who upon finding out that I still haven’t been put on road decides to go speak to the manager himself on my behalf. He returns to me to tell me to wait to speak to the supervisor and conveys to me that there was some apparent friction with me over my hair color which was never mentioned to me. Friction? Seriously! like I said a supervisor is never even spoken to me EVER!!! And that there was an issue over the two days I took off also never expressed to me. (I mean seriously I’ve basically had my life on hold for a month and they’re :censored2: about two days WTF) Standing there waiting to speak to my supervisor as he breezes by stopped quickly and says “oh you’re so and so right?” When I know he knows damn well who I am and what my name is. And he simply says yeah be here tomorrow 845 in your uniform and continues walking. That is literally all the contact I have had with any management or supervisor since I started. So now I feel as if it’s a bit of a hostile environment and i don’t feel comfortable being there. I feel like i wouldn’t even be training now if my instructor hadn’t spoken up for me and I feel like I have no chance of being kept on. It’s crazy, it’s like management has been avoiding me I don’t understand it. I hate to even bring it up it’s not a card I want to use or route I want to go but with no other explanation the only thing that stands out to me is that I am the only new female driver and at this point every other driver who has come through the class after me of which I was one of the first two drivers through has already been put through their training and are already on the road. Some for weeks now. It just doesn’t add up. Is this normal??? Is management like this? You’d think a multi billion dollar company would be a little more organized.

The dilemma is do I speak up and who do I speak to? I don’t want to create a problem if there isn’t one. Normally I’m just a roll with it kind of person but it sure feels like a problem to me!

I know I’m going to regret this post. I can see you guys are a tough crowd.

Commence beatings. Lol
I would put it behind me and move forward with ups. You can always walk away any moment you desire but if I leave now I wanted to be sure down the road looking back I will not regret it.
 

Maplewood

Well-Known Member
Of you want to keep this job then you need good #'s. Your skin can be blue if your #'s are outstanding. All this company cares about is #'s.
 

CoolStoryBro

Well-Known Member
No I don’t. I came here for advice on a specific issue not to be criticized personally on issues that have nothing to do with what I asked. People come here to ask honest questions about real issues not for every :censored2: on here to troll. But my bad I guess this isn’t the place.

Few or no people here can help you. WE didn't come up in the company the same way. I can't give you any advice. I haven't talked to anyone in 'HR' since the day I was hired about 15 years ago. Managers? Who are they? This place runs itself. We are the hired help. We get talked at if our numbers make the managers look bad.

You are a peak hire. I wasn't a peak hire. I have no idea what you are going through. I'm sure it completely sucks. I'm sorry for that. Peak hire is not the way to get a foot in the door at UPS. Peak hires are used and abused then thrown away by the company.

If you want a long career with ups then you need to just be quiet. do what they say. Then try to get on as a permanent part time pre loader after peak. Then wait your turn for a driver position.

When you get the chance at a bid driver position it will be different and better. They will give you 30 days to do the job and prove you are good enough at it. And by that I mean it's up to you. The training sucks and they will not help you. You sink or swim. If you are a sinker they will get rid of you as fast as they can.

*edit*
I'm not sure if you realize that you were hired as a temporary X-mas driver. UPS does not hire full-time, permanent drivers off the street. Your driver job will vanish after christmas.

That's all I can say other than

COOL STORY BRO was here
 
Last edited:

Maple Grove MN Driver

Cocaine Mang!
Not just others but all of them!

I’m not 100% I have been discriminated against. That was part of the question being that I was first to finish school and a month later every one after me has already been trained and on routes with the exception of myself. Just seemed a little suspect to me is all. But I’ll just carry on and see. And that’s bull:censored2: on women not being expected to perform the same. And also descrimination

You can't spell Discrimination so I doubt you have been discriminated against.

You are seasonal and won't be around after January 15th
 

zubenelgenubi

I'm a star
I get that. But why was nothing ever said? They made sure to tell Me to cover tattoos of which I have none even visible but neglect to mention my clearly visible hair? Which is not even the point. I digress.

It's up to you how you want to play this. If you are just seasonal, and already don't have much hope of staying on as a driver, or even as a part timer, it wouldn't hurt to have a chat with HR. Don't come right out and make any accusations of anything, just ask questions that might lead them to at least think that something wrong might have been done. Like, "I was wondering why I was the first to go through driver training, but the last to start training on road." Or "I accepted a day shift driving position, but I've been scheduled to work inside early morning shifts, why is that?" "I was told that taking a couple days off of the job/schedule I didn't accept to begin with to help my mom with her surgery was a reason for concern about my fitness for the job, is this how the company views such matters?"

If the HR person is with it at all, he/she should realize you are describing situations that may be construed as discrimination and fmla violations. They may investigate, and chew out the people responsible, and they may take extra care in the future. Or it might not change anything, or it might blow up in your face.

It would be easier to deal with if you make seniority, as the people who started working after you will have less seniority and you would have the right to work before they do, regardless of who finishes training first. But you don't have that protection. You can opt to keep your head down and try to go along to get along, or you can let them know you understand your rights under the law and will stand up for yourself if mistreated. It's all a gamble, nothing is guaranteed.

If you haven't already, be sure to dye your hair back to an acceptable color. If the situation escalates you can show that you took the matter seriously and fixed it once it was brought to your attention.
 

Blackadder 2

Well-Known Member
This is going to be long I apologize but in order to get the full picture I feel it all needs to be explained.

I was hired on October 5 given a start date for driving school of the 15th. I was called on the ninth and asked if I could report to school the next day because they really needed to get me trained and on the road as soon as possible. I rearrange my whole schedule put everything on hold went through driving school graduating on the 16th. Reported to my center on the next day 17th where I was told they don’t know what’s going on someone will call me. Received a call that afternoon telling me to just standby. After hearing nothing for a week I went into my center again on Wednesday the 24th I was then told they were having a managers meeting on Friday and someone will called me, no one called. Only Monday the 29th I received a call at 7:30 in the morning asking me to report for work the next day at 4 AM no explanation of anything just to be there at 4 AM. I report at 4 AM watch a two hour long video I already watched and tested on during school and then get sent home after being there two hours. Still no communication from anyone. I report for the rest of the week apparently to preload which was never discussed that’s fine I have no problem doing that. Still no communication no mention of driving or my training. Meanwhile I find out the other guy I was in class with has been working since we finished class and is now starting his road training. Monday the 5th I continue to do pre-loaded. On that day I had to ask for Thursday and Friday off I had to take my mother in for surgery something prescheduled and I couldn’t change not knowing when or if I was even going to be working at UPS since no one ever tells me anything. They didn’t seem too pleased with the fact and told me oh well we were going to start you driving I guess will have to do it next week because we don’t want to break up you’re training. So whatever that’s fine, I go into the center on that Friday to find out when to report on Monday no one‘s around and no one knows. I receive a phone call later telling me to report a 325. I question this because I was told I was driving to which the woman states I don’t know that’s just what they told me. So I report To work Monday the 12th To preload again and still there is not and has never been any communication to me from or by any supervisor I in fact I don’t even know who my supervisors are I’ve never been introduced! That day I’m working side-by-side with another driver who says he’s done part of his on road training doesn’t know when he’ll finish, so it’s OK to break up his training but not mine. At the end of the day he finds out he’ll finish his training the next day, still no word for me. Someone suggested to me that maybe they just forgot. FORGOT!? ‘isn’t this their job? They certainly didn’t forget to train the rest of the drivers and give them routes. I return to work the next day to preload I have decided I will hunt down management And find out what the story is. I just happen to run into my on road driving Trainer who upon finding out that I still haven’t been put on road decides to go speak to the manager himself on my behalf. He returns to me to tell me to wait to speak to the supervisor and conveys to me that there was some apparent friction with me over my hair color which was never mentioned to me. Friction? Seriously! like I said a supervisor is never even spoken to me EVER!!! And that there was an issue over the two days I took off also never expressed to me. (I mean seriously I’ve basically had my life on hold for a month and they’re :censored2: about two days WTF) Standing there waiting to speak to my supervisor as he breezes by stopped quickly and says “oh you’re so and so right?” When I know he knows damn well who I am and what my name is. And he simply says yeah be here tomorrow 845 in your uniform and continues walking. That is literally all the contact I have had with any management or supervisor since I started. So now I feel as if it’s a bit of a hostile environment and i don’t feel comfortable being there. I feel like i wouldn’t even be training now if my instructor hadn’t spoken up for me and I feel like I have no chance of being kept on. It’s crazy, it’s like management has been avoiding me I don’t understand it. I hate to even bring it up it’s not a card I want to use or route I want to go but with no other explanation the only thing that stands out to me is that I am the only new female driver and at this point every other driver who has come through the class after me of which I was one of the first two drivers through has already been put through their training and are already on the road. Some for weeks now. It just doesn’t add up. Is this normal??? Is management like this? You’d think a multi billion dollar company would be a little more organized.

The dilemma is do I speak up and who do I speak to? I don’t want to create a problem if there isn’t one. Normally I’m just a roll with it kind of person but it sure feels like a problem to me!

I know I’m going to regret this post. I can see you guys are a tough crowd.

Commence beatings. Lol


Dont they teach kids what a paragraph is in School anymore?
 
F

Frankie's Friend

Guest
And get thicker skin. As a woman, you’ll never survive the “man’s world” that is UPS if you get offended by every comment that isn’t sunshine and rainbows.
She's normal at this point. If she stays she will warp and cure like the rest of us did.

My skin is as thick as it gets trust me. I have extensive background in male dominated jobs. It takes a lot to offend me. But when something’s not right I’m not going to let people walk all over me either.
Good for you. A new union steward prospect.
Can you give us a pic of your hair?

I hear that. However none of this is relevant to the question. Doesn’t matter anyway. I start driving tomorrow I guess we’ll just see where it goes. Thank you all for the input.
We got lied to and used when we drove at Christmas time the first year.

They cant comment on your "blue hair" as if it was what kept you from driving or keeping you from better jobs, etc. That's a big problem, but document the data, time, personnel around as witnesses etc and what you said prior to that response from the arrogant/unprofessional "management" person.

Few or no people here can help you. WE didn't come up in the company the same way. I can't give you any advice. I haven't talked to anyone in 'HR' since the day I was hired about 15 years ago. Managers? Who are they? This place runs itself. We are the hired help. We get talked at if our numbers make the managers look bad.

You are a peak hire. I wasn't a peak hire. I have no idea what you are going through. I'm sure it completely sucks. I'm sorry for that. Peak hire is not the way to get a foot in the door at UPS. Peak hires are used and abused then thrown away by the company.

If you want a long career with ups then you need to just be quiet. do what they say. Then try to get on as a permanent part time pre loader after peak. Then wait your turn for a driver position.

When you get the chance at a bid driver position it will be different and better. They will give you 30 days to do the job and prove you are good enough at it. And by that I mean it's up to you. The training sucks and they will not help you. You sink or swim. If you are a sinker they will get rid of you as fast as they can.

*edit*
I'm not sure if you realize that you were hired as a temporary X-mas driver. UPS does not hire full-time, permanent drivers off the street. Your driver job will vanish after christmas.

That's all I can say other than

COOL STORY BRO was here

Ask for a copy of your application around Dec 20th and see if it says "Seasonal" at the top. If it does, you may or may not be retained or called back to work after Jan 1st (or the 2nd full wk of Jan).

Keep your mouth shut, ears open, make a journal every day (at your house) about who said what, and work your butt off.

Your life and decisions about it are yours. Choose wisely. This job is not the 'be all, end all' it looks like from the outside (normal) world.
 
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