Alfaro120

OK, why do you go to work? Why do you leave your family and home? Why did you spend all that time in school, college, making pocket change at a flight school or regional airline? The answer is simple...money. We work for money. Yes, its nice to work at a job that appreciates your hard work, respects you and provides a comfortable work environment but in the end however, this is not why we go to work. We work for pay (including benefits/retirement). Looking at the two pay scales UPS pays quite a bit more than Fed-EX. It would take a Fed-EX FE 13 years or 10 years as a narrow body FO to make what UPS would pay in 2 years. I know that life isn't all about money but if, God willing, I were to get hired at UPS someday I would use that money wisely, invest it and perhaps retire a few years early. After the first year, I could afford to take a nice vacation somewhere, perhaps take a few extra days off or give to those in need. I don't need a big boat, mansion or ocean front property nor do I care for those kind of things. It would be nice however to live comfortably, let my wife stay at home and raise the kids, help my children with college, help out family members and the list goes on and on. UPS helps you to achieve that kind of life quickly. You don't have to wait 5 or 10 years of "pretty good money" until you start making "really good money." If you need someone to pat you on the back and tell you how great you are, then maybe FedEX or Southwest is for you but if you are like me and just want to work hard and go home and enjoy the fruits of your labor than there is no doubt in my mind that UPS is the place to be. Besides, I doubt that UPS management is just waiting for opportunities to screw its pilot over. I'm not saying that Fed-Ex sucks just that UPS is better.

757upspilot

All of the UPS pilots ex wives appreciate the money. Last word is that 80% of UPS pilots have an ex wife.

detpilot

I've heard that Fedex pilots actually make more than UPS pilots, due to better work rules. I'm not sure how that's possible, looking at the different pay scales.

finedavefine

Alfaro120,

Ding, ding, ding....we have a winner. Unfortunately, it's not you. Your entire post is nothing but wishful thinking on your part. First of all, money is not THE ONLY determining factor when committing ones entire working life (considering 20+ years an "entire working life), it's only one factor, and if you cared to look, the reason UPS may pay higher, in hourly rate as well as some benefits, is that every other aspect of company life there sucks, with a capital S. If you don't believe me, as I know you don't, just ask the guys on furlough. This when UPS is making money hand over fist. So for these guys, if they're out two years, how long will it take them to return to parity with the FedEx guys, and of course, that's discounting all the heartache, mental anguish, family strain, self-doubt, etc, that goes with being without a job.

I'm not saying that UPS is a lousy place to work.... wait a minute, that's exactly what I'm saying, and if you care to look around this forum, you'll see that most guys who work there feel the same way, and have said so many times right here. What is that saying they are always using? Oh yeah, now I remember. It's: "Best job I ever had, worst company I've ever worked for."

Since you're not employed there, you just can't understand their working environment. All you see is the pay scale and benefits, but I can assure you that spending half of ones working life in that kind of environment is not healthy for either your mind or your soul. You say: "Besides, I doubt that UPS management is just waiting for opportunities to screw its pilot over." I say I wouldn't bet the farm on that statement, and if you don't believe me, just seek out that UPS pilot who got stuck in China, abandoned by his company, because someone broke into his layover room and stole his passport. UPS treated his exactly as their name implies. UPS = You Piece of $h!t. However, I hope you're lucky enough to get hired there, because from your posts, I think that you and UPS deserve each other.

B00sted

I think you need to look at the big picture, not just the hourly rate. Work rules that give you 'soft' pay (ie:trip/duty rigs, min day pay), can increase your income substantially.

UPS:Most junior captain hired: Jun 1998 (MD11/ANC)
Monthly guarantee: 81 hours*

FedEx: Most junior captain hired: Feb 2005 (A300/HKG)
Monthly guarantee: 74 hours*

Food for thought - Would you rather have been on Captain pay at FedEx for the last few years or on FO Pay at UPS?

I'm not saying one is better than the other; only that pay rates are a small part of total compensation.

golfandfly

You are just taking pieces of the pay scale to suit your argument. If you are a 10 year narrowbody FO or 13 year FE, you chose to be there. For that matter, if you have been here 13 years, you could bid wide body captain.

All of the people hired within the last two months have had (or will have) the chance to be wide body FOs very soon.

Fedex is hiring 500 (or so) and UPS has about 100 on furlough. This from a company that is still making millions per quarter. Fedex has hired one UPS furloughee and other UPS pilots have interviews upcoming.

The fact of the matter is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Payscales are a piece of the puzzle. How long is upgrade time? Who has the better retirement? Workrules? Crew bases? Difficult management? Vacation? Sick time?

UPS may be the place for you, but there is much more to a company than a payscale.

UPSFO4LIFE

First of all, I am very greatfull for my job at UPS. Second, money is not everything especially when your QOL sucks. Too many 20+ year pilots here that have a horrible QOL. Yes, they get paid lots of money, but unless you are in the top 30% of your fleet and seat, you get crappy scheds. UPS does not believe senior guys should get better scheds. And lastly, what does it tell you about a company that promotes ground guys to run an airline. You will never see any FQS here work their way up to that position.

Lineslug

Alfaro, most of us here are WAY beyond the point in our lives where we need a pat on the back to make us feel good about our job. It goes way beyond that working for UPS, and even though most people try very hard to maintain a positive attitude, until you actually experience it day in and day out at UPS you would not be able to understand it.
And I have to disagree that it's all about the money. I, and many others I work with, would be more than happy with making "pretty good money" working in a much better atmosphere, than making "really good money" when working for someone who tries their utmost to let you know at every turn that they think you are an overpaid liability. Ask the next SWA pilot you meet if he would quit and come to UPS if given the chance, and you'll see what I'm talking about. I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just trying to tell you from experience what it's really like. I've seen people come here for over 20 years. Time after time they start with a great attitude and are thrilled to be here. If you could only see the difference in them after 2 to 3 years you would be shocked.

magic rat

Get back to your brown cubicle...

seefive

Okay.........I'll respond.

OP has some growing up to do.