UPS and Teamsters Discuss Two-Tier Wages, Sunday Deliveries---WSJ

[PT Car Washer]

I think the company could just force these part time ground drivers to work all day. "Work as directed." And just deal with the grievances.

Just like the company does now with air drivers.

 

[MyTripisCut]

Part of the labor movement was about the 40 hr 5 day work week. Time to spend with your family and church on Sunday. If anything Saturday and Sunday should be premium pay.

And voluntary.

 

[opie]

Just like the company does now with air drivers.

Where I am. Air drivers do not deliver ground. But they have used them to shuttle them. Which is not bad work, hardest thing was trying to meet the drivers. Had some weeks where I had good hours shuttling. But they don't use air drivers as much anymore. They have designated FT drivers who shuttle misloads now. Because of complaints of air drivers doing ground work.

 

[Brownslave688]

Working weekends has been lost language for a lot longer than anyone thinks. For me, it was the only appealing thing about this job, knowing that come Friday night, I was done and on parole for two days. I’ll go throw trash in the back of a smelly truck in the ghetto, they at least don’t get pushed around into working weekends and holidays.

IMO, it’s all smoke and mirrors anyway, trying to get us thinking something that shouldn’t even be an issue is a victory.

I agree with you that weekends off was one of the most appealing things about this job and maybe where you are there's more choices but for me about anything else I'd do I would be working weekend or having call or swing shifting.


I look at it like summer vacations. For the first 5 years or so there was no way I was getting vacation June July or August. Just part of the job. It's the way new drivers will view weekends.

 

[Brownslave688]

Part of the labor movement was about the 40 hr 5 day work week. Time to spend with your family and church on Sunday. If anything Saturday and Sunday should be premium pay.

And I understand the business we are in has changed and weekend delivery is gonna happen. Although I think it's more of a way for ups to stretch out volume over 7 days and not have to spend as much on capacity.


But we shouldn't even be entertaining the thought of them being a new classification and being paid less.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Where I am. Air drivers do not deliver ground. But they have used them to shuttle them. Which is not bad work, hardest thing was trying to meet the drivers. Had some weeks where I had good hours shuttling. But they don't use air drivers as much anymore. They have designated FT drivers who shuttle misloads now. Because of complaints of air drivers doing ground work.

Your building must be fully staffed or over staffed with FT drivers. My building is going into summer vacation period short on all positions. FT and PT.

 

[MyTripisCut]

I agree with you that weekends off was one of the most appealing things about this job and maybe where you are there's more choices but for me about anything else I'd do I would be working weekend or having call or swing shifting.


I look at it like summer vacations. For the first 5 years or so there was no way I was getting vacation June July or August. Just part of the job. It's the way new drivers will view weekends.

Except for November and December. Then we all get to do it? It’s all good. I had jobs that worked weekends earlier in my life. They sucked, so I came here, thought I caught a break. Obviously not, at least for me. I’m halfway through this prison sentence, and doing everything in my power to not finish it out, it gets worse every year.

 

[Rack em]

Your building must be fully staffed or over staffed with FT drivers. My building is going into summer vacation period short on all positions. FT and PT.

Same!

 

[Brownslave688]

Your building must be fully staffed or over staffed with FT drivers. My building is going into summer vacation period short on all positions. FT and PT.

Just curious how many drivers do you have?


We have drivers laid off right now. High seniority guys splitting up 2 weeks of vacation into single days really opened our vacations up. Very few full weeks.

 

[Brownslave688]

Except for November and December. Then we all get to do it? It’s all good. I had jobs that worked weekends earlier in my life. They sucked, so I came here, thought I caught a break. Obviously not, at least for me. I’m halfway through this prison sentence, and doing everything in my power to not finish it out, it gets worse every year.

Yeah that's something we haven't had here at all. We haven't worked one Saturday, Not even during peak, yet.

I don't even want to think about peak in another 15 years.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Except for November and December. Then we all get to do it? It’s all good. I had jobs that worked weekends earlier in my life. They sucked, so I came here, thought I caught a break. Obviously not, at least for me. I’m halfway through this prison sentence, and doing everything in my power to not finish it out, it gets worse every year.

But at least you are at top rate with all the contract protections and seniority rights. Think of the new guys making less then half your yearly earnings and no protections. Would you stick around for $800/wk?

 

[brown_trousers]

The truth is some PT air drivers love making top driver rate while doing half the work. And a whole lot better then $10/hr loading trailers.

I would support part timers taking over air deliveries. Its a small fraction of our overall work, and it gives them a little taste of driving so they can be successful at it when they go FT.

And for the crap wages we pay them, they deserve at least something.

 

[Jones]

Part of the labor movement was about the 40 hr 5 day work week. Time to spend with your family and church on Sunday. If anything Saturday and Sunday should be premium pay.

That was back when most business was closed on the weekends and very few people worked aside from restaurants and some retail, the reality is that those days are long gone and it's a 24/7 economy now. UPS has to compete with companies who offer Saturday/Sunday delivery and needs to be able to make it a profitable part of the overall plan. If the union makes that impossible then UPS will simply lose that business and that will cost jobs. Like others have said I don't want to work weekends either but it's just the way the world is going.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Just curious how many drivers do you have?


We have drivers laid off right now. High seniority guys splitting up 2 weeks of vacation into single days really opened our vacations up. Very few full weeks.

Two centers with maybe 150 FT drivers. No PT or temp drivers. Also a Hub so drivers are moving into Feeders as soon as they can. Training new drivers everyday and still falling behind.

 

[MyTripisCut]

But at least you are at top rate with all the contract protections and seniority rights. Think of the new guys making less then half your yearly earnings and no protections. Would you stick around for $800/wk?

Only reason I’m here if for medical benefits and pension. I could make $1000 a week tending bar or digging holes.

 

[MyTripisCut]

That was back when most business was closed on the weekends and very few people worked aside from restaurants and some retail, the reality is that those days are long gone and it's a 24/7 economy now. UPS has to compete with companies who offer Saturday/Sunday delivery and needs to be able to make it a profitable part of the overall plan. If the union makes that impossible then UPS will simply lose that business and that will cost jobs. Like others have said I don't want to work weekends either but it's just the way the world is going.

Chick FIL A seems to do fine without working Sundays. Just saying. You have it backwards, we didn’t have to compete with the other companies, they worked weekends to compete with us. Now that Pandora’s box has been opened, it’s over.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I would support part timers taking over air deliveries. Its a small fraction of our overall work, and it gives them a little taste of driving so they can be successful at it when they go FT.

And for the crap wages we pay them, they deserve at least something.

$28.69/hr for delivering some air packages to someones front door ain't too bad. Then shuttle some misloads and make top driver rate is even better. Paying a FT driver $18.75/hr to deliver 240 stops is not right.

 

[Frankie's Friend]

Im curious. In 97, were the teamsters urging us to pass a crap contract, and we stood up to them, and voted it down?

Or did they admit to it being a bad deal, and urge us to strike?

"Performance based" raises that included these issues: accidents, injuries, misdelivered pkgs, delivery of damaged packages, and best of all > customer complaints...
HMOs for healthcare....
Just to mention a few things if you've forgotten.

Ron Carey wanted a strike , regardless.

Ron loathed Kelly and the feeling was mutual but Ron was a man who worked our jobs and so did his dad. He related to us.
The best story I "heard" was the strike at Peak in NYC. Kelly screamed "You're breaking the contract!" to which Ron replied "You break it every day".

At least the man stood up to the company.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Only reason I’m here if for medical benefits and pension. I could make $1000 a week tending bar or digging holes.

If I tended bar, I am afraid I would be my best customer.

 

[Frankie's Friend]

I would support part timers taking over air deliveries. Its a small fraction of our overall work, and it gives them a little taste of driving so they can be successful at it when they go FT.

And for the crap wages we pay them, they deserve at least something.

Already have those dude. Exception air drivers deliver air every day.