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Why UPS needs a new contract...Part Deux

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Why UPS needs a new contract...Part Deux

Old 04-25-2006, 02:35 PM
  #1  
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Default Why UPS needs a new contract...Part Deux

Okay…this really isn’t my style, but here goes:

Just read a post on the union message board from a CA looking for people to join a country club for something like $8500 plus annual dues.

Here I am about halfway through my second year. I’ve yet to get paid more than 75 hours and until my last paycheck, I’ve never received any substantial per-diem.

I made it through my first year by spending every penny I’ve ever saved (and I saved specifically knowing that UPS pays $26K for the first year) and I’m now starting to get behind. The savings are gone and 75 hours doesn’t cover my fixed costs. I don’t have a fancy car, I don’t have a boat, a motorcycle or a second home. I haven’t taken a vacation in years and my wardrobe is fixed firmly in 2002.

Herein lies my rant. I’ve been eyeing open-time. There seems to be plenty, but because of the contract situation, I’ve refrained from picking-up anything. I’ve also been “unavailable” for every JA (the phone rings at least twice each week).

So recently, there was a 5 day trip with a DH on day-one and day-five that would have allowed me to essentially be away from home for about 50 hours and get paid for about 25. But I didn’t do it. I gave myself a pat-on-the-back for doing the "right thing" and resisting the temptation to ease my financial strain. Then I read this guy’s “anyone wanna join a country club?” post. The rest of the union message board is peppered with preachy posts proclaiming that anyone who picks up open-time only cares about themselves and how these people are helping the company and screwing their fellow pilot.

Well, here’s what I’ve got to say. I’m not going to pick-up any open-time. I don’t want to hear about it from the guys who spend their days monitoring this type of thing and I don’t want a label attached to my name. I will continue to get into debt and hope I receive enough in retro pay to bail myself out in one fell swoop when this contract finally settles.

But I could do without hearing about CA’s shopping for country club memberships (or airplanes, or sports cars or farms, etc) while I’d get categorized as “the enemy” and “selfish” if I’d picked up a few legs so I don’t have to pay Visa 13.99% just to get by.

That’s why we need a new contract.

EDPM

PS…We all have friends who are no longer flying because this industry has imploded around us. I realize how fortunate I am to have a stable job and I know there are many, many others who would like to be where I am.

I just think it’s real easy for some guys to sit at the top and preach about the evils of trying to keep ones head above water while their toughest decision is choosing between the country club or the Corvette.
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Old 04-25-2006, 04:46 PM
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Originally Posted by EDPM
Okay…this really isn’t my style, but here goes:

Just read a post on the union message board from a CA looking for people to join a country club for something like $8500 plus annual dues.

Here I am about halfway through my second year. I’ve yet to get paid more than 75 hours and until my last paycheck, I’ve never received any substantial per-diem.

I made it through my first year by spending every penny I’ve ever saved (and I saved specifically knowing that UPS pays $26K for the first year) and I’m now starting to get behind. The savings are gone and 75 hours doesn’t cover my fixed costs. I don’t have a fancy car, I don’t have a boat, a motorcycle or a second home. I haven’t taken a vacation in years and my wardrobe is fixed firmly in 2002.


Herein lies my rant. I’ve been eyeing open-time. There seems to be plenty, but because of the contract situation, I’ve refrained from picking-up anything. I’ve also been “unavailable” for every JA (the phone rings at least twice each week).

So recently, there was a 5 day trip with a DH on day-one and day-five that would have allowed me to essentially be away from home for about 50 hours and get paid for about 25. But I didn’t do it. I gave myself a pat-on-the-back for doing the "right thing" and resisting the temptation to ease my financial strain. Then I read this guy’s “anyone wanna join a country club?” post. The rest of the union message board is peppered with preachy posts proclaiming that anyone who picks up open-time only cares about themselves and how these people are helping the company and screwing their fellow pilot.

Well, here’s what I’ve got to say. I’m not going to pick-up any open-time. I don’t want to hear about it from the guys who spend their days monitoring this type of thing and I don’t want a label attached to my name. I will continue to get into debt and hope I receive enough in retro pay to bail myself out in one fell swoop when this contract finally settles.

But I could do without hearing about CA’s shopping for country club memberships (or airplanes, or sports cars or farms, etc) while I’d get categorized as “the enemy” and “selfish” if I’d picked up a few legs so I don’t have to pay Visa 13.99% just to get by.

That’s why we need a new contract.

EDPM

PS…We all have friends who are no longer flying because this industry has imploded around us. I realize how fortunate I am to have a stable job and I know there are many, many others who would like to be where I am.

I just think it’s real easy for some guys to sit at the top and preach about the evils of trying to keep ones head above water while their toughest decision is choosing between the country club or the Corvette.
I understand your situation however, short of crossing the picket line everything is fair game. Feed yourself and pay your bills i.e. pick up open time. We have those same types here at fedex. We have the boat mafia, the hangar mafia, the vacation in tahiti mafia and most of those guys are the self appointed scheduling police. Not to mention alot of these guys have military pay that they could fall back on (Im a civilian token whose paying back flight school loans). Coworker intimidation unfortunately happens but in the end you gotta pay bills particuarly if you have a family. UPS first year is horrible. Its much better here at fedex, so I defintely could see someone working extra to survive. Good luck my friend, I hear your frustration. The angry bunch has made it an extra motivation for me to help the new guys out as much as possible when I start earning second year pay. If it bothers you that much you may think about donating a percentage of your draft/open time money to either a charity or back to the union. Just a suggestion.
 
Old 04-25-2006, 07:32 PM
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"Donating a precentage back to the union", for what, he's not even protected by them. That's great advice!
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Old 04-26-2006, 01:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Brown Cow
"Donating a precentage back to the union", for what, he's not even protected by them. That's great advice!

Actually, if he's mid-way thru his second year, he is covered by US.
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Old 04-26-2006, 05:53 AM
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Originally Posted by jack
....... The angry bunch has made it an extra motivation for me to help the new guys out as much as possible when I start earning second year pay........

I think we found one of SkyHigh's disciples, abet, with a flying job
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Old 04-26-2006, 06:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Trash Hauler 1
Actually, if he's mid-way thru his second year, he is covered by US.

Sorry misread that part!
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Old 04-26-2006, 12:23 PM
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EDPM-- That's a tough call regarding open time pick ups. Keep in mind that those of us hired in 2004/2005 made less than everyone else at UPS during our first year. Adjusted for today's inflation new hires in 1990 made 50k, while new hires in 2001 made 38k.

The contract crap is not complicated. Go look at the current FedEx pay scale. We are paid about 40% less than our counterparts on the FO scale. If this is not fixed, I would bet all the recent new hires off of probation will vote no. Additionally all the 2000/2001 hires will vote no since the retro pay would be significantly less. we are in effect on strike already by not picking up open time/JAs. The CAs can afford to do this but 2d year folks cannot.

The true obscenity of this current contract is not first year pay. It's 2d though sixth year FO pay where we make 40 grand a year less than FEDEX for flying the same planes!! Heck eveb a FedEx 727FO makes $22,000 more than an MD11 FO here.
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Old 04-26-2006, 12:58 PM
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Don't know where you get your info as I was hired in 2001 and made maybe 20K by the time taxes were taken.
 
Old 04-26-2006, 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by fr8tdog
Don't know where you get your info as I was hired in 2001 and made maybe 20K by the time taxes were taken.
Originally Posted by To Stay or Go
Adjusted for today's inflation new hires in 1990 made 50k, while new hires in 2001 made 38k.
I think To Stay or Go was implying what $26K of today's dollars would buy in 1990 and 2001.

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Old 04-26-2006, 01:12 PM
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Read the whole thread eh!

Tipsy 2

Last edited by fr8tdog; 05-15-2006 at 07:55 AM.
 
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