UPS laying off Technical hourly employees

[max350]

To all UPS does not layoff they just beat the hell out of you until you quit. This is how they say we do not layoff. I have seen it happen time and time again and yes the work has been cut. They think the user are going to replace their own systems and dispo them for repair. The inventory will be a mess. I have heard the word outsource but they can get it fixed when the sorts are running and need it now. So I say to all TSG Techs start looking for a job now as yours might be going tomorrow and when you find it run don't walk.

 

[walterCronkite]

To all UPS does not layoff they just beat the hell out of you until you quit. This is how they say we do not layoff. I have seen it happen time and time again and yes the work has been cut. They think the user are going to replace their own systems and dispo them for repair. The inventory will be a mess. I have heard the word outsource but they can get it fixed when the sorts are running and need it now. So I say to all TSG Techs start looking for a job now as yours might be going tomorrow and when you find it run don't walk.

This roving reporter has just heard that the goal of Information Services is to reduce expenses by reducing headcount. That is, the employee who has given so much to UPS over time is worth nothing when the bottom line must be reduced. I have heard this from the helmet and from mongo themselves although they will not say this to their direct reports. UPS will replace its workstaff just as any company would if it serves UPS's purpose. There is no partnership. The policy book is an attempt to control employees. Think about it. It's a childish book of meaningless phrases. The legacy books are written about the lowest kind of scoundrels. That's the way it is, January 15, 2008.

 

[ImpactedTSG]

To all UPS does not layoff they just beat the hell out of you until you quit. This is how they say we do not layoff.

You are 100% wrong. Ask the 20+ techs in our district that were told after a certain date they would no longer have a job. That sounds like a layoff to me.

They think the user are going to replace their own systems and dispo them for repair.

Come on. Most people under 30 have grown up with computers, so unplugging a broken one with a new one is easy for them. They will come pre-configured and will be configured through network managment software like SCCM 2007 (you geeks will know what I am talking about).

The inventory will be a mess.

Not with electronic inventory. There are so many automated inventory systems out there that replace paying someone $20 per hour to write down serial numbers.

I have heard the word outsource but they can get it fixed when the sorts are running and need it now. So I say to all TSG Techs start looking for a job now as yours might be going tomorrow and when you find it run don't walk.

There will not be outsourcing due to the nature of the proprietary UPS systems, but a lot more will be done remotely and new technologies like Ardence, Citrix, etc will be used to deploy on-demand operating systems eliminating the need for on-site techs. All the user will have to do is reboot and the OS will load as it boots, all controlled from one central location. Think this is all pie in the sky non-sense. Check back in five years and see how correct I am. I see all these technologies on a daily basis. It's only a matter of time before the big brown machine discovers them as well.

 

[OldUPSDriver]

And thats the way it should be. "Walter Cronkite Jr"

 

[WhoamI]

Here is the story:

Techs are not going any where and they are not gonna loose thier jobs. However, the head count is not gonna be the same. If you are a technology person you should understand that technology facilitates things including installs, updates, upgrades and remote troubleshooting. So what should you do? like any UPSER who is looking to improve his carrer you must get ready for promotion by expanding your horizon. Know more so you can be more desirable in other groups or functions if you do not want to be a tech for the rest of your life. However, if you want to be a technology person, then acquire essential technical skills, programming, infrastructure or sytems security etc.

There is nothing wrong with evaluating the business needs and making the right decisions. UPS is not declining it is expanding, 428000 employees worldwide and still growing strong.

If you think the Union will protect you or your job, you are so wrong. For example, Techs do not get laid off today short time because UPS does not lay off non-union people. I know so many districts that are fat on staffing in TSG and the existance of a union makes it very simple to lay you off becuase there is no work. If you think that can not happen under the Union watch, ask your fellow drivers. Volume is down then you are laid off. I persoanlly think it is irrelevant if TSG was unionized or not. After all, UPS spent billions improving the infrastructure on LOE, HP switches, wirleess, DIAD, Scanner, Operating systems, etc. That investment carries a pay back (ROI) Return on Invetment. Stable environement means less logs and ultimately means smaller more agile workforce. That is smart and i want to be on this team. After all FORD is unionized and had 30,000 employees layoff, Did not they?

 

[LongTimeTech]

The workforce may be reduced. However, the Techs in my district do more than just swap pcs. Computers are only one small portion of the Internal Tech job. For instance, I work with an infrared scope lining up LMS lasers for the SICK EDS systems, punch down jacks ripped out by the hub, replace fusers in printers, data recovery on failed drives (especially SFA laptops), use Visio to update the building wiring diagrams, use a Yellow Jacket for Wireless site surveys, perform the Server and production workstation upgrades, train users, do inventory, troubleshoot Wireless air cards, replace outside Feeder Lane phones, swap tech10s and sapphires, fix Burr Browns, setup jetdirect cards or printers for networking, write up the contingency/disaster recoveries for the building, build the hot spares, in addition to fixing all the easy email, msoffice, and 1000 OTHER THINGS ETC....

As well as some people think we are payed. Know this: The top rate hub union guy walking around doing QC and just taping up boxes IS MAKING JUST AS MUCH PER HOUR AS SR TECHS AND HAVE BETTER BENEFITS. IF YOU ASK ME, THE GOOD TECHS ARE A BARGAIN FOR THIS COMPANY. JUST TRY TO GET OUTSOURCED TECHS TO DO ALL THE UPS SPECIFIC STUFF CHEAPER. UPS PAYS $700 A DAY FOR THE EDS (SICK COMPANY)TECH ALONE. TSG IS MUCH CHEAPER.

 

[paidslave]

Any of you overpaid houly driver care to share your bucks with the tsg folks???

And how our we overpaid exactly? Am I missing how the computer forgot how to deliver all the boxes....What am I missing...


Technology comes, like it did, and technology goes just like you! Sorry drivers are not overpaid and are probably smarter to drive than be unemployed!

Remember one thing with Technology: once your job is done it is done.....until the next Technology.......unlike sombody needing there QVC order the next day! Technology doens't get it to the door a Driver does and that pisses HIGH tech people off!!!!

I am not here ripping you apart......This is the field you opted in......Remeber you needed to go to school to operate a computer now you don't!!!!


Computers are making jobs easier and thus creating unemployment!
Viscious cycle!

 

[ImpactedTSG]

The workforce may be reduced. However, the Techs in my district do more than just swap pcs. Computers are only one small portion of the Internal Tech job. For instance, I work with an infrared scope lining up LMS lasers for the SICK EDS systems, punch down jacks ripped out by the hub, replace fusers in printers, data recovery on failed drives (especially SFA laptops), use Visio to update the building wiring diagrams, use a Yellow Jacket for Wireless site surveys, perform the Server and production workstation upgrades, train users, do inventory, troubleshoot Wireless air cards, replace outside Feeder Lane phones, swap tech10s and sapphires, fix Burr Browns, setup jetdirect cards or printers for networking, write up the contingency/disaster recoveries for the building, build the hot spares, in addition to fixing all the easy email, msoffice, and 1000 OTHER THINGS ETC....

As well as some people think we are payed. Know this: The top rate hub union guy walking around doing QC and just taping up boxes IS MAKING JUST AS MUCH PER HOUR AS SR TECHS AND HAVE BETTER BENEFITS. IF YOU ASK ME, THE GOOD TECHS ARE A BARGAIN FOR THIS COMPANY. JUST TRY TO GET OUTSOURCED TECHS TO DO ALL THE UPS SPECIFIC STUFF CHEAPER. UPS PAYS $700 A DAY FOR THE EDS (SICK COMPANY)TECH ALONE. TSG IS MUCH CHEAPER.

Other than the SICK/LMS/Omni adjustments, most of that can be done by anyone with a technical background for about $13 per hour. Most of the UPS application stuff will probably be migrated to web-based apps if they haven't already. That moves the troubleshooting to a central location. All the end user needs is IE and maybe a few Java or Flash plug-ins. I met an IT contractor in my work that has been approached at the district level about providing some hardware/technical support for UPS buildings. I don't know what the status of this is, but it doesn't sound good.

 

[Anonymous Guy]

Good. When you call them to fix something, they tell you to put in a work order over the internet. Then 3 days later, that same person that you called finally comes down. I am still waiting for my phone to get fixed. It has been about 7 weeks.

 

[ImpactedTSG]

Good. When you call them to fix something, they tell you to put in a work order over the internet. Then 3 days later, that same person that you called finally comes down. I am still waiting for my phone to get fixed. It has been about 7 weeks.

They HAVE to have you put in a work order. Otherwise they are doing work that is not documented and not getting credit for it. When the reports an ran, that never shows up so it looks like they have too many techs. People like you are what helped lead to the layoffs. Call or submit a workorder, get a case numer and follow up on it if it is not resolved.

 

[paidslave]

The TSC/TSG people that are effected by these cuts don't control these servers. They are controlled by Corp TSG.1

It just goes to show how uninformed you really are about this whole situation. It's no wonder you have so many posts. You have to back-track 4 or 5 times every post, to cover your stupidity. What a !

 

[paidslave]

Well, it's almost two years since we got the announcement that our district tech staff was getting cut in half. How is everyone doing that left TSG? What about the people that are still there? How is morale? I heard talk of unionizing TSG, did that ever happen?

Management doesn't unionize! They only want to join them when the BOAT gets rocked!

 

[ImpactedTSG]

Management doesn't unionize! They only want to join them when the BOAT gets rocked!

TSG is not management. They are just hourly employees with no union and no MIP.

 

[paidslave]

TSG is not management. They are just hourly employees with no union and no MIP.

Hmm, I thought that all hourly non-union was considered management even though that can't give directives...I thought they were under the guidelines of management, because this is how these jobs were formed without the UNION getting involved and unionizing these positions. Sounds like they pulled a fast one on their own people!

What a lie and count your blessing for paying UNION dues!

 

[ImpactedTSG]

Hmm, I thought that all hourly non-union was considered management even though that can't give directives...

Nope. Even people that are given the title of Senior Tech have no authority over anyone else. They get no stock, and are paid overtime for anything over 40 hrs per week.

 

[23456789]

It's Management & Technical, quit complaining and get a real IT job if you want more.

 

[Deeohem]

Actually, it's Administrative Or Technical.

 

[10thLetter]

and what happens if monkey presses this button??? oohh...this not be good...

 

[OrganGrinder]

I'm curious to see what happens this year. If there's any announcement it will be in January or sometime during 1Q. The region/district consolidations, new contract and pressure to increase stock price might force another "workforce balance initiative".

I've been out for over a year and as everyone has stated, your experiences in TSG won't get you very far in the real world. I feel like my years in TSG were almost a waste of time.

To anyone still in TSG - update your resume and put it out there and see what kind of bites you get. Take a look on monster, dice, career builder and see what kind of jobs are out there and what you qualify for. Talk to a recruiter just to see what you're worth. I'm not saying go out and get a new job, just get an idea of what's out there and what you could make if you left UPS. You'll be surprised how little you've learned in TSG. Yeah it's scary.

Stop paying attention to what's going on in the UPS bubble and look at what's going on in the real world. Keep up on emerging technologies, stay on top of the latest from Redmond, and pay attention to what other big corps are doing.

I had completely forgotten about this site. I had to do a google search of TSG Downsizing to even locate it.

I was one of the people who posted a dozen or more times in this site during the 30 or so days that my district waited on hearing who stayed and who left.

I left -- on my own, though. I took a voluntary separation package.

Just last week, I had dinner with one of my old co-workers. He is still in TSG. He and a number of others give me information from time-to-time about what is going on at UPS. If it pertains to someone I know, I am always interested. If it is UPS stuff in general, I couldn't care less.

I am doing fine. I got a job doing work that was similar to what I did at UPS. My current company has a lot of technology -- almost as much as UPS (North America). I got a Tier 3 promotion in my first year.

I learned a lot at UPS. The downside is that I didn't need to be in TSG for a decade to get that knowledge. You can probably learn all you need in TSG in about 12 to 15 months. I made Senior Tech at UPS in less than 1 year. I spent another 9 just being unhappy.

I would say that most TSG techs are probably no where near as skilled as they like to think. I deluded myself, too, when I was there. Over the last 5 years, a lot of TSG management and technicians in my district left. I don't know a one that won't support me saying that UPS technicians are overpaid when compared to the technology industry. I would say that TSG techs could be paid about $10 - $15 an hour when the work is compared to industry at large. Since TSG is part of UPS, the wages they do get is fair. Drivers make a killing, and why not the techs.

It took me a year to catch up my skillset to what is expected of a technician outside UPS. Some things I was better than the industry, but on many others I was subpar.

A UPS technician is a different creature --so much is proprietary. The biggest problem for TSG techs is that almost everything that is done is scripted. This is just the nature of large companies. I see it where I am.

As long TSG techs are honest with themselves and others about what they do, there is nothing wrong with being in TSG at UPS. If mainstream technology is your passion, you won't get to be too involved in the creative side of support. If you just like a technology challenge, I can see getting this at UPS. You can make a career out of being knowledgeable about scanning and such at UPS.

There are worst places to retire from than UPS -- UPS is tops in this regard. There are worst places to work than UPS -- not many, though. UPS really is a sucky place to show everyday. Like I said, though. It is probably one of the best in the world to show up on your last day.

I hope UPS continues to do well -- I've got a partial retirement coming some day.

I hope I didn't come off too negative. I've tried to put all that behind me since leaving. It is hard, however, to talk honestly about TSG without saying brutal truths.

take care, All.

 

[10thLetter]

It use to be fun. Fun was wrong. Fun was changed. It's wasn't fun anymore. It's good to be free. Being a TSG tech was fun but it is not like being a mainstream tech. Some skills will carry over but there are a lot more skills you will need to learn. Take control and make the change. No one will do it for you unless they're showing you the door.
I was bitter until I realized I didn't have to stay and I could make a change. Once you start down the path to change, the fun starts to change back to right. It's fun again.