Today's pcm... Heat Risk

[G.V. Rush]

My PT supervisor told me that in a pre-sort meeting, it was mentioned that the management team is trying to figure out how to get everybody a raise to keep people around. That was a couple weeks ago, and I haven't heard anything else about it since then.

We're hemorraging employees on every shift, and every classification. It's open season on overtime/double shifting (just show up, and they'll put you to work), you can get away with murder (but not stealing or attendance issues), and they even have salaried guys from the IE/Finance/TSG departments coming out to handle packages.

I can think of 7 people in my work area (sort aisle) alone who are going to be leaving, either for a better job, or moving out of state, within the next month or so...and we still haven't replaced the last 4 people who left.

We're getting blasted with late-October level volume, and our equipment is failing even more frequently than ever before. And management still harps about going 1 minute over on breaks, while expecting the operation as a whole to run just as smoothly as it did before everybody started quitting which ultimately puts more pressure on those of us who remain.

I gotta say, the next few weeks are going to be very interesting around here. The anarchist in me is looking forward to it, but I'm a little scared too.

In the West, the $15 an hour minimum wage passed. I wonder when it goes into effect if it will help with the turn over?

 

[BostonBo]

The job needs to get done whether it is -20 or 100.

Hydrating does not start at your first stop. You need to be well hydrated before you punch in and need to replenish throughout the day.

Alcohol intake should be reduced during hot weather.

Our center buys us a case of water each per week during the summer. I bring mine home and put it right in the fridge. I take 4 bottles to work each day and will buy a Pepsi at our local marina.

Yes, it is hot.

Yes, it would be nice if they would lighten our dispatches.

Not gonna happen.

4 bottles and a Pepsi? Try 15 bottles and 2 gatorades. It's hot as crap out there.

 

[Catatonic]

The sad thing is, I haven't made up my mind about that yet. My preference is to get my degree (2.5 years out, still) and maybe move into IE (if I stay with the company, that is), but I'm a little put off by the fact that you need to be a PT supervisor first.

I'd be driving now if I hadn't failed my road test back in May, for Saturday Air. There are guys behind me on the seniority list trying to qualify right now. I failed because of my nerves. I made stupid mistakes I would never have made in a million years in my own vehicle, and I was shaking from head to toe. And trust me, it wasn't that diesel engine. I can work well under pressure, but not necessarily when I'm being watched and judged for every single breath I take. In that regard, driving may not be a good fit for me anyway.

I'm going to try and figure out some more of the details about PT supervisor benefits and pay, and see whether I get sent to drive before or after my vacation in October (due to my grandmother's health, this vacation is immensely important to me and well-worth passing up the opportunity to drive if the timing is wrong).

Whether I'll try to go FT driving or not will come down to those two factors.

You don't have to go into P/T Supervision.
Somebody is pissing in your ear and telling you it is raining.
Once you get your degree, you can go into management easily (if you pass all the required tests/hurdles like everyone has to do).

 

[Catatonic]

In the West, the $15 an hour minimum wage passed. I wonder when it goes into effect if it will help with the turn over?

Still competing with other better P/T jobs.

 

[By The Book]

I agree UPS bit off way more than they can chew.

Increased workload with the same amenities we've "enjoyed" in the last 100+ years.

Let them dump more stops on me IDC I'll work all day, but not under these circumstances.

Stop giving me these useless new cars management tells me are a privilege. It's long and narrow. I can't find anything except bulk in it and they're uncomfortable in the cab since the seat is too low. The key FOB causes more aggravation because they always break and something doesn't work. Bulkhead door won't open and I have to use my hand to open it after I got up or the ignition button is broken and I'm using the keys anyway. REALLY BRAND NEW PACKAGE CAR and NO A/C. I'll take a old International diesel any day. At least I can fit bulk under the shelf. I now have 200 pieces in my car everyday and I'm blown out struggling to locate packages until about 1 pm everyday. My customers all express sympathy because the truck isn't air conditioned. You should be embarrassed.

Stop giving me 20-30 access point stops and make me write "stories" on every info notice I fill out. Congrats you won. I don't want to fill out nonsense on a info note I can't really write on (I know, recently they redesigned the infonotice to make the glue part on top). Now I driver release in places I wouldn't normally since I don't want to write out all this nonsense on a delivery note. Enjoy your tracers.

Keep playing 21 questions with me when I deliver packages to the same place at the same time everyday. I do not read the menu on the DIAD anymore. Whether or not it is a mixed residential/commercial building is not for me to determine. The buildings department has a database they tax everyone accordingly.

Stop giving me helpers that aren't trained. I give all my helpers the center phone number. They can teach how to use the board.

You really are fragile! Have the drink of your choosing and have a nice refreshing weekend my friend.

 

[G.V. Rush]

Still competing with other better P/T jobs.

Yeah but the full benefits they get as PTers are probably the best in the nation. Instead of hiring 18 year olds. They should hire older people who actually want/need/use the benefits and have motivation to keep their job.

 

[Catatonic]

Yeah but the full benefits they get as PTers are probably the best in the nation. Instead of hiring 18 year olds. They should hire older people who actually want/need/use the benefits and have motivation to keep their job.

Wait 1 year ... probably 90% of P/T Union employees turn over in the first year ... before benes kick in.
Neither UPS nor the Teamsters want to hire P/T that stick around.
UPS tries to hire college students primarily for that reason.
Most people have the need for money right now ... not 10 years down the road.
Drivers, who control the Teamsters, have created a third-class Brother/Sister class for their own benefit.

 

[G.V. Rush]

Wait 1 year ... probably 90% of P/T Union employees turn over in the first year ... before benes kick in.
Neither UPS nor the Teamsters want to hire P/T that stick around.
UPS tries to hire college students primarily for that reason.
Most people have the need for money right now ... not 10 years down the road.
Drivers, who control the Teamsters, have created a third-class Brother/Sister class for their own benefit.

I agree with all that you pointed out. And I'm sure every centers situation is different. But I find it pretty hard to believe our center mgmnt enjoys pushing back start times, swallowing the costs of daily late NDA's, spending money and resources on training new hires weekly, 200+ pieces of LIB's every day all because they can't keep sustain enough bodies they need.

I don't know what your building is like, or if you are retired or not. But our center is a disaster. Everyone is coming in on they're vacations being paid at time and half just to play catch up. Their has to be a better way

 

[Catatonic]

I agree with all that you pointed out. And I'm sure every centers situation is different. But I find it pretty hard to believe our center mgmnt enjoys pushing back start times, swallowing the costs of daily late NDA's, spending money and resources on training new hires weekly, 200+ pieces of LIB's every day all because they can't keep sustain enough bodies they need.

I don't know what your building is like, or if you are retired or not. But our center is a disaster. Everyone is coming in on they're vacations being paid at time and half just to play catch up. Their has to be a better way

Local Center Management has little say.
They are mostly there to handle exceptions and make sure all (not enough) routes are dispatched and covered.

 

[hellfire]

Wonder if anyone has died from heat related issues,, ? digging for packages due to Orion and the year long peak loads is a bad combo

 

[G.V. Rush]

Local Center Management has little say.
They are mostly there to handle exceptions and make sure all (not enough) routes are dispatched and covered.

District and regional mngmt is probably what I meant to say. But then again, I'm just a FT hourly and shouldn't be caring about what I can't control, right? It's late, thanks for the good conversation. Have a good weekend.

 

[No1b4Me]

Suck it up. It was over 104 for almost three weeks straight, a few weeks ago in the Southeast region were I work.

 

[Catatonic]

Suck it up. It was over 104 for almost three weeks straight, a few weeks ago in the Southeast region were I work.

I like your Avatar!

 

[No1b4Me]

I like your Avatar!

Like yours too monkey butt

 

[Future]

What about mine? Or is it too generic?

 

[Future]

In general workers all have different thresholds of comfort while working . Have a few drivers in my area that love this extreme heat.....me not so much .....I work best anywhere from 30-70 degree range

 

[bleedinbrown58]

In the West, the $15 an hour minimum wage passed. I wonder when it goes into effect if it will help with the turn over?

Doubt it. A few bucks more an hour doesn't teach this generation what a work ethic is. They keep hiring these kids...they look 16, move like they're underwater with this hapless expression on their faces like "Dad made me take this stupid job....I would rather be out chasing Pokemon...".

But I agree with you....understaffing for the last few months is the worst I've seen in years. I got more preload OT this summer peak than I've ever gotten since I started....without even going out as a helper.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Been real hot. I don't ever remember a year it's been this hot this long and it's not hot like Arizona, or Texas or Louisiana but we're not used to it. I got a union letter because my stops dropped down per hour. Cry Me a River of Ice Cube tears

What's a union letter?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The sad thing is, I haven't made up my mind about that yet. My preference is to get my degree (2.5 years out, still) and maybe move into IE (if I stay with the company, that is), but I'm a little put off by the fact that you need to be a PT supervisor first.

I'd be driving now if I hadn't failed my road test back in May, for Saturday Air. There are guys behind me on the seniority list trying to qualify right now. I failed because of my nerves. I made stupid mistakes I would never have made in a million years in my own vehicle, and I was shaking from head to toe. And trust me, it wasn't that diesel engine. I can work well under pressure, but not necessarily when I'm being watched and judged for every single breath I take. In that regard, driving may not be a good fit for me anyway.

I'm going to try and figure out some more of the details about PT supervisor benefits and pay, and see whether I get sent to drive before or after my vacation in October (due to my grandmother's health, this vacation is immensely important to me and well-worth passing up the opportunity to drive if the timing is wrong).

Whether I'll try to go FT driving or not will come down to those two factors.

If you were terrified at the prospect of being watched while you were driving, how in the world are you going to be able to handle the pressure of everyone watching you while you are working in IE?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

4 bottles and a Pepsi? Try 15 bottles and 2 gatorades. It's hot as crap out there.

I would have to find a bathroom at least once an hour if I drank all of that.