Community Chat

[songbird]

I've mentioned this before.  UPS guards their full time positions.  Getting a full time slot for UPS is near impossible.  They have a very powerful union.  The majority of delivery trucks you see are driven by part time men. I say men because some upper body strength is needed to haul heavy packages up front  stairs.   It's not a gravy job.  Heavy packages in all kind of weather. Plus avoiding left turns during the route. UPS drives are encouraged to drive avoiding left turns as much as possible.  Right turns are faster.  Time is a factor too in delivery.  Full time drivers are paid well to work a thankless job (sometimes)

[Stray]

They deserve what they get and more. They worked thru the pandemic, late during holidays & it’s hard work

[chrystaltree]

Well, with overtime bus drivers here make $125k.  School custodians make more than teachers.  Ups drivers and all the other delivery drivers serve a vital function in this society.  It's hard work and they deserve to paid accordingly.  Workers want their share of the pie now.  They see the upper echelon of those companies making millions of dollars a year and they are not content to do hard jobs for peanuts.  

[FiddleDeeDee]

@Kachina624  I've mentioned that we have a very dear friend whose sons work for UPS; one of our sons' best friend works for UPS; my best friend was the first woman driver in our area for UPS (her ex was a driver and retired from UPS) and another friend works as Christmas help with a driver every year so.....we hear a LOT and quite often about UPS and the issues everyone deals with.

My answer: No.

I was shocked at the working conditions drivers and their helpers have and it's worse at Christmas. They deserve every penny and then some. Those who work the conveyors deserve more as well. The healthcare benefits are excellent; once they kick in after 9 MONTHS of being employed. Are you aware that due to these negotiations, UPS corporate chose to NOT grant health care benefits to those employees who have fulfilled the 9 month employment time? Yes indeed...there are families with NO healthcare because UPS said one thing and did something else.  Know also that the BULK of employees are PART TIME. They will not hand out full time hours despite the majority of employees wanting full time. There is so much that we, the public, don't know when it comes to the day to day struggles these workers face. Many people are NOT college material and in the "good old days", it was these type of unskilled jobs with great benefits that produced the middle class.

Remember, unions are not needed when management is good, is fair and takes care of their workers in every way. UPS needs to do better by their labor force and this is a start. 

[NYCLatinaMe]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@NYCLatinaMe.  Most of these guys and gals enjoy being outside with some freedom away from a boss.  They're young or youngish in good physical condition.  The work isn't backbreaking. They have dollies for heavy items.

We're  not discussing executive salaries.

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@Kachina624 How do items get on and off the dolly? How many delivery locations have steps?  Why are you putting down workers?

[NYCLatinaMe]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@NYCLatinaMe. Executives have a lot of preparations for the job.  I just enumerated them.  That also have huge responsibilities.  I don't know what their salaries are so can't comment on whether they're overpaid.  Maybe yes, maybe no.

I do know that UPS has no educational or skill requirements outside of a clean driving record and read and write.  I don't think that's worth $170,000/yr.  The don't work any harder than many other blue collar workers, less than many.  They  work 5 days a week and, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, should be eligible for overtime.

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I practiced law in NYC for over 30 years with high level "executives" in the private and public sector.  They don't know or do as much as you think.  They have staff.  The staff does the work. I know because I was part of the "staff."  Management is interchangeable and changes all the time.  Most of the executives are not that smart or that skilled.  They are good oIe boys or gals who know someone that knows someone.  The ones that know something may be difficult people like Elon Musk.

[Effie54]

Hi Kachina, You are so right! My husband mailed a very small package out from his business account and they charged him $34.00 for it! OMG - he almost fainted. He called UPS a few times and always got the customer service agents from India, that he could not understand. Finally, he got through to someone who credited his account a small amount back. He learned the hard way that he hast to send packages through USPS from now on.

[shoekitty]

Depends on where you live.  Some areas it seems high.  I imagine that might be top pay after years and promotions.  Here in California near Silicon Valley  a family cannot live on less than 170,O00 @ yr. Well. Not if you haven't owned a home for a least 10 years, or are younger and just renting. With rests 3700- 7000 per month and home starting a million it's hard. 
also, I know when I worked for the city yearly income that was posted to public often included perks and benefits. Maybe that's it.

[Sooner]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

I was flabbergasted this morning to hear that, under their new contract, UPS full-time drivers will earn $170,000/yr.  Part-timers will earn $25 to $75/hr and receive full benefits and pension.

I'm fully aware that these people really hustle and must work under adverse weather conditions but isn't that excessive for a job that requires no education beyond high school and no vocational training?  No other local delivery job even comes close.

That raises the bar and puts pressure on other employers to also raise pay rates, ultimately causing price increases for consumers.

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@Kachina624 Absurd.  Who could afford shipping?  Like my Social Security will go up enough?  

[Kachina624]

@Effie54.  In July, I mailed my sister a 31X34 oil painting so lightweight 8 could pick it up with one finger.   UPS packed it in a cardboard box.  Imagine my shock when the bill came to $408.  She wanted it badly and was willing to pay.