| Author | Message | ||
     engine31 |
I'm not sure if UPS is actually a "cult" but they definitely utilize manipulation and empty promises to control their employees. My boyfriend works for UPS, for a few years now, and in the time I've known him, he's been promised, and then had those promises retracted, several times. He believes if he sticks with it, he'll reap the rewards in the end, and the main reason he tolerates it is because of their benefit package, which they offer to part-time employees. Here's the manipulation-EVERYONE is a part-time employee. You can't get hired full-time, until you've worked there for many, many years. And, likewise, you can't get seniority, unless you drive for them consecutively for a month. So, they schedule you to drive for 29 days, then put you back in the HUB (warehouse) on the 30th. This way, they keep you from getting seniority benefits indefinitely, meanwhile, getting your back-breaking work for less. When you work in th HUB, you're just a machine, emphasis is placed on output, so you have to maintain a certain standard. It requires little skill, but it does require you to work yourself to the ground. I guess one "cultish" aspect to all this is MY BOYFRIEND KNOWS ALL THIS, AND HE REFUSES TO LEAVE! They dangle this benefit package in front of your face like it's the best thing you could ever hope to get as a part-time employee, and then work you to death while you hope to get a better position and full-time status. It's heart-breaking for me to watch him get so royally screwed, over and over again. I can't tell you how many times he's been promised a better position, and then told he can't have it. One time they actually re-assigned him, and eveything, I almost actually believed it was really happening, and I even kept asking him, "What if they put you back in the HUB?" to which he replied, "They won't!" Well, they did. He actually told me the night it happened he didn't want to talk about it. I felt so bad for him. He's a hard-worker, and they know it, so they take full advantage of him. Does anyone else have info on this company? I'd love to hear your thoughts, or experiences. Everyone always reacts with awe when they find out my boyfriend works for UPS, then I tell them the truth. It's just because they present themselves so immaculately, and it is a well-known company. Then when I tell them what he goes through, they change their mind about their thoughts on UPS. As they should! | ||
| formercalvarymember |
My fiance' works for UPS, he's been there for 2 years now. We both agree that it's the best job he'll ever have. Don't you realize how much money he'll be making in the near future ? ALOT! Good things come to those who wait. Do you think he is the only one that has to wait his turn ? It's just like any other job, you have to work your way up from the bottom of the barrel. You should be happy when he drives 29 days in a row, thats good money. AS far as it being a "cult", I was raised in a cult, and trust me UPS is no cult. Unless they are telling their employees what to do and how to dress while they are off the job, and they are not. In fact, I think UPS is pretty liberal in alot of ways, for instance....allowing their employees to smoke while driving the UPS trucks, alot of places refuse that. I'm just sitting back and waiting for my fiancee to become a full-time driver, and I don't care if it takes 10 years, because I'm thankful that he has a job to go to. I just think you should chill, and if you wanna see a cult....you need to visit my childhood church (aka Baptist cult in Butler, Pa.). UPS is not a cult, there is no brainwashing going on there. | ||
| Anonymous (68.20.72.174) |
My husband also works for UPS and has done so for 5 years now. He worked his way up from a Package Handler to a Part Time Sup and now is a Full Time Supervisor. With every promotion he has had, his paycheck has doubled. His benefits far outway the time he has put in to get to this point. While I don't agree that they are a cult, they do tend to force the "owned by UPS" mentality. This is especially so for management where the higher you go, the more you do and in turn are owned by UPS. My husband currently puts in anywhere from 50 to 70 hours weekly and he works the night shift. I am very religious and have seen a change in my husband since he used to be religious too. I say used to because he now lives for money and his job. He is very much into how much he will be making and getting in the long run. He constantly calculates his future pay, stock and 401K. Money and success have become his cult. If you read the posts of others on this board, they are all concerned about this church or this belief or that one. I say that there is only one cult. That is the Church of the Almighty Dollar. Think about it. You don't have to attend services to want it. You can be under the influence of others just because you need it to survive. Think about it. | ||
| Bobby (207.112.90.176) |
To Engine31: Well, every company has its own good and bad side. If you're not happy with the company you're working with leave it. But in your boyfriend's case, probably he's happy with UPS. I worked with UPS before but I resigned due to my back problem (I have it before I work with them). If not because of my back I might still working there. | ||
| Anonymous (69.149.242.255) |
I have worked for UPS for 5 years this month. I am currently a part time Supervisor. When I tell people I work for UPS they are like, Wow thats a good job! They make good money! I don't have a college degree which is most likely making the promotion process take longer for me. Although I know several full timers that lack degrees that took less time to get promoted than me. I get very frustrated at times, I see UPS promote hourlies to latteral positions that I never even heard about, nor had the chance to interview for. Its almost like if you do a good job at running an area then they don't really want to lose you or enable you to expand you self in the company and move to other areas of the hub. My area ran 1/4000 on misloads for the entire month and I hardly heard so much as a thank you. Its not that it bothers me so much as the other things they have done rescently. They have pretty much done away with gain sharing in my district. When I signed up as a supervisor i was told i would get quarterly gain sharing checks and even signed a form stating this. we were #1 in the district and had 0 injuries and we received zilch for a gain sharing check. Not one Damn penny! They stated that they were no longer doing that anymore and they would probably do away with it all together. With this last union contract also, they promised the union employees raises etc... which is a good thing for them. On the other hand it became a bad thing for us, because soon after the negotiations were complete with the teamster. Our insurance rates went up, does that not seem a little odd that they happened at the same time? I mean that insurance hike damn near cancelled out my yearly raise. Yeah, I put in my letter for full time management only to get a reply back stating that the promotin process is taking longer than it ever has in the past and that for interest in the position. I have spent half of my 20's with UPS and just want a change, even if it is just another part time job in the company. This is just a few of the things that I have encountered in the last five years. I could go on for a while, the best part about this job is just the people I work along side are some of the coolest people I know and that is one of the key things that keep me working there. I just want to quit working 2 jobs in order to make a descent living. I know that there are worse places to work, It just gets very damn old... | ||
| Anonymous (67.163.73.245) |
I have a not so nice UPS story. When I applied, I wanted to be a voicer at the Hodgkins plant in Illinois. They told me if I got a 100% on states abbreviation test, I would be chosen to take the additional test to be a voicer. I got the 100 during training, and was excited I was going to do this, until I find out I was chosen to be a loader. I couldn't figure out why I was chosen to be a loader, especially since all the other women were chosen to be small sort, and voicer. I asked them why I didn't get voicer, and they were rude to me. I had a very hard time lifting packages and was slow at this. They told me in a week or two I would be transferred. Ok, I figured I would stick it through, then about a week later I had my accident. I was trying to lift a package, when I either fell off the truck, or was pushed (I am not sure which one). I was sent to a doctor and was told if I signed this paper not to sue, they'd put me on light duty, and pay for my injury. I went to the doctor, then went home. The next day I went in to work assuming I now had light duty. The supervisor called me in, and started accusing me of falling intentionally! He then fired me. The problem is this happened in 1996, and since then I have had numerous surgeries on my back and arm. It has cost me a lot of money out of pocket. I now own a company that sends out things, and guess which company doesn't get my business? I will never forgive them. | ||
| Anonymous (69.242.21.100) |
they force people to work odd-ball hours and yet still be partime | ||
| newbie (newbie) Junior Member Username: newbie Post Number: 49 Registered: 2-2005 Posted From: 68.75.38.164 |
Hurricane katrina:: I have it on good authority (a UPS employee) that although UPS donated $1.25 million to hurricane relief efforts, they are not contributing enough to take care of their employees in the gulf area who are now out of jobs due to the hurricane. They are not continuing these people's paychecks but are continuing their health benefits. And they contributed a measly $250,000 to a fund that they are expecting other UPS employees to contribute to for the benefit of misplaced employees. Seems to me that their people should come first, but it doesn't look that way. | ||
| formercalvarymember (formercalvarymember) New member Username: formercalvarymember Post Number: 14 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 24.154.34.102 |
No one is FORCED to work at UPS ~ Since my original post in 2003, my Fiancee has moved up and is making more money ~ He enjoys his Job, the Money, and the GREAT Benefits ~ You won't find better benefits anywhere else ~ If you or anyone you know feels "forced" to work certain hours then it is because you are not speaking up for yourself ~ They cannot fire you for not working overtime ~ Read the handbook and do some research ~ As long as you keep saying yes to extra hours, they'll keep calling you ~ UPS has a well rounded Union ~ Tell your Union rep that you are being pushed or forced to work overtime , and they will put a stop to it {{{{{ As far as the woman that fell, or was pushed while working at UPS, you have a law suit on your hands, call a lawyer before it's too late ~ You were wrongfully fired and you should even consider contacting the Union rep at that Center.}}}}}} | ||
| rescueforlife New member Username: rescueforlife Post Number: 1 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 70.62.27.53 |
Will UPS help pay for school loans acquired prior to beginning work? Also, is it a safe environment i.e. rape, theft? How hard is it to move up from package handler to small sorts or part-time supervisor? Thank you  |
