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General => General Discussion and ??? => Topic started by: brandon on July 12, 2023, 09:56:01 PM

Title: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: brandon on July 12, 2023, 09:56:01 PM
Hey,

Just curious of others' plans if the two parties cannot reach an agreement. End of month is fast approaching. Our last shipment using UPS will be on the 24th so no orders are held up for weeks. Fedex is already getting ready so that is good but theu honestly can't handle it. USPS has its own issues and can't handle large boxes yet alone 10 or 25 of them all at once. Who else does that leave?
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: whitewater on July 13, 2023, 09:06:33 AM
Leaves...carrier pigeon?
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: mk162 on July 13, 2023, 09:09:45 AM
now would be the perfect time for Amazon to start offering shipping.  There was rumblings they were setting up to do that, but that was years ago.

is DHL still a thing?
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: balloonguy on July 13, 2023, 09:51:26 AM
I have been wondering the same. My FedEx air guys seems pretty confident that (in this area at least) they are ready to handle the excess. My ground driver just laughed.
I have been warning all my customers to expect delays and plan accordingly.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Sbrem on July 13, 2023, 09:51:56 AM
What are the distributors going to do? I sure hope they can get it worked out.

Steve
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: mk162 on July 13, 2023, 10:51:32 AM
Couriers around us have been horrible.  It used to be cheaper and faster than UPS, now it's neither.

It looks like we'll just be hoping for the best...but this might be bad.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ericheartsu on July 13, 2023, 10:54:54 AM
We've been talking with our fedex rep, and they are def. gearing up for it.

DHL is an option.

There are alot of private "last mile" places, but that's so hard to navigate.

Even if this strike does happen, there is no way anything will go smoothly. Think of the MILLIONS of packages that will be in UPS possession at that time.

And the other carriers have a hard enough time with their current volume, so having to carry the burden for others is going to be INSANE.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: whitewater on July 13, 2023, 11:35:29 AM
I think Jimmy Hoffas kid or a relative is in charge of the Union. I think one of my drivers told me that.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GraphicDisorder on July 13, 2023, 11:41:55 AM
I reached out to my rep on this. Here was the reply.

Hey Brandt,
In my opinion,  a strike is unlikely.
Neither side would benefit fit from a work stoppage. The current administration stepped in with the railroad labor issue at the end of last year and (in my opinion) this would happen with UPS/Teamster labor issues.
Here’s a link to keep you informed
Please call me if you have any questions!

Here’s the link for UPS Labor Negotiations 2023.  Feel free to check it out at your convenience.  You may need to copy and paste it in a browser.
https://about.ups.com/us/en/newsroom/negotiations.html
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on July 13, 2023, 12:04:41 PM
I also think it's extremely unlikely, but stranger things have happened. Apparently rank and file already
voted to strike at like 90%, and negotiations have stopped entirely. Management would be silly not to bend but
I'm not the CFO of UPS so what do I know. I do know their drivers work extra effing hard and probably deserve
what they are asking for, and I also know the one manager I ever met (on one of those evaluation ride-alongs
where they ding you for not unclicking your seatbelt with the same hand you turn the key off) was a piece of work.

Looming RR strike was a little different, that has precedent for the gov stepping in. Rail is seen as critical infrastructure
whereas package delivery probably isn't. (though in reality it probably is moreso than rail these days)
If you know any railroaders their situation is also super unique. They have companies over a barrel in terms of pay (largely)
and have their own singular retirement fund unlike any other in the US. They were literally asking to be able to take unpaid days off
without penalty.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GraphicDisorder on July 13, 2023, 12:11:37 PM
I agree, not buying what she said as end all be all, but I have hope it wont happen. Will be a huge mess.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Doug S on July 13, 2023, 03:03:04 PM
I remember the strike of 97.  I never thought it would happen.  It lasted for a week or a little more.  I worked there and we were getting $50 a day to picket.  I said F that and printed shirts until we went back.  I lost my truck driving Feeder run and got thrown into delivering random routes. 
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: whitewater on July 14, 2023, 09:36:50 AM
I have a few contract customers, I called them just to give a heads up, none of them knew anything about it.

I just said  to pay attention in case they get customers with deadlines.

Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: T Shirt Farmer on July 14, 2023, 05:49:24 PM
I spoke with SanMar last week they are hopeful but not optimistic. If they do strike I can easily see free freight disappearing.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: brandon on July 16, 2023, 02:12:42 PM
According to our UPS drivers it is happening. What's crazy is the sheer amount if money at play here. Forbes estimates UPS missing one day is around 150 million so just one week is insane. Both parties need to get back to the table and work this out. Not sure how either side can afford this monstrosity of a mess more than a few days.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ericheartsu on July 16, 2023, 05:42:11 PM
that's so wild. I wonder if the government will step in to make sure it doesn't happen.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: rusty on July 16, 2023, 08:08:43 PM
If the government steps in like they did with the railroad strike thats BS. Whats the point of capitalism if people can’t stand up for themselves and deserve better pay and/or treatment.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Homer on July 17, 2023, 09:43:08 AM
No matter what happens, the only thing you can guarantee is prices will be going up...again...
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on July 17, 2023, 12:37:09 PM
If the government steps in like they did with the railroad strike thats BS. Whats the point of capitalism if people can’t stand up for themselves and deserve better pay and/or treatment.


We quickly convert to socialist mores when large sums are to be lost. Temporarily embarrassed millionaires and all...

As is typical in these situations management will likely roll up their sleeves and start driving routes. It won't cover 5% of the workload
but it's always seemed a bit of a parable to me that they are physically reminded of the job being done.

As a data point our long-term driver started a conveniently timed seven week vacation (high seniority that one) and his replacement hopes
to not strike as he just came back form a three month furlough.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GraphicDisorder on July 17, 2023, 01:19:36 PM
I would assume that Fed Ex wont be able to cover the slack as well, as much as they want to pretend they can.  So the gov stepping in might be a good idea, this could have a significant effect on the economy if some large % of packages stop or are delayed weeks/months?
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: TCT on July 17, 2023, 01:22:32 PM
Our new location is a block from the hub here in Minneapolis. Same street. Neighborhood is a total zoo with cars parking everywhere and 2 busses parked out back of UPS. Our driver said once the drivers left on their routes today they brought all these people in to start training so they could try to limp along...
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: T Shirt1 on July 17, 2023, 01:28:34 PM
We were here for the ‘97 strike. Jeep GC with u-haul trailer to a DC. I’m older and looking to contract vans or pick up trucks for Chicago - Terre Haute runs. Pays by mile, about 400 r/t, and pick up if second stop necessary. If interested hit me up or 888-TShirt1 (874-4781) or 340-715-9701.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on July 17, 2023, 01:40:13 PM
We're lucky to have several regional shipping companies out west, Sanmar etc already offer the option.
Sincerely doubt them being able to handle the volume though, their claim to fame is beating UPS by a day
for shipments from southern California to up here. They succeed ~%50 of the time.

Local stuff can go courier which we're doing more and more of anyways, it's frequently less expensive than
UPS for large local shipments, which might lend credence to UPS managements position.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: mk162 on July 18, 2023, 09:42:47 AM
We're lucky to have several regional shipping companies out west, Sanmar etc already offer the option.
Sincerely doubt them being able to handle the volume though, their claim to fame is beating UPS by a day
for shipments from southern California to up here. They succeed ~%50 of the time.

Local stuff can go courier which we're doing more and more of anyways, it's frequently less expensive than
UPS for large local shipments, which might lend credence to UPS managements position.

Our local couriers here went to sh!t.  It was same day, sometimes half the price of UPS.  Now I'm lucky if they pick it up within 6 hours.

We'll see how this plays out.  UPS has been almost unusable the last few months anyway.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ericheartsu on July 18, 2023, 10:20:40 AM
We're lucky to have several regional shipping companies out west, Sanmar etc already offer the option.
Sincerely doubt them being able to handle the volume though, their claim to fame is beating UPS by a day
for shipments from southern California to up here. They succeed ~%50 of the time.

Local stuff can go courier which we're doing more and more of anyways, it's frequently less expensive than
UPS for large local shipments, which might lend credence to UPS managements position.

Our local couriers here went to sh!t.  It was same day, sometimes half the price of UPS.  Now I'm lucky if they pick it up within 6 hours.

We'll see how this plays out.  UPS has been almost unusable the last few months anyway.

We had a last mile service that we were using for a couple of years before covid. I'd place an order at 4pm, and the order would arrive by 8am the next day. It was AWESOME. then during the pandemic, they just got extremely overwhelmed. Shipments that were single day ship via UPS or fedex became upwards of 7 business days with the last mile service. We had to switch off of them.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GraphicDisorder on July 18, 2023, 10:47:24 AM
My UPS driver who's been a friend for years just told me his internal Management said that if there is not a deal by Monday, they will stop picking up by Wednesday. FedEx Driver also told my UPS driver that internally they are going to handle their regular customers first and the rest of us as they can. Which I guess is logical.

Expect a mess.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on July 18, 2023, 10:55:45 AM
Anybody know what the demands are or what the sticking point is?

Obviously their workload quintupled during the pandy, it's definitely gone down
some since but I think a lot of the volume stayed.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GraphicDisorder on July 18, 2023, 11:30:00 AM
Anybody know what the demands are or what the sticking point is?

Obviously their workload quintupled during the pandy, it's definitely gone down
some since but I think a lot of the volume stayed.

UPS driver told me the contracts are 95% done/agreed and most of the hang up was part timer pay and some other details.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Doug S on July 18, 2023, 11:47:56 AM
Anybody know what the demands are or what the sticking point is?

Obviously their workload quintupled during the pandy, it's definitely gone down
some since but I think a lot of the volume stayed.
I've heard from a driver that one of the demands are that if they stay 35 yrs. they are trying to get them to pay double the retirement.  I imagine that is one that is hard for them to swallow.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on July 18, 2023, 12:33:24 PM
Just noticed McMaster used FedEx for us, a first.

The end is nigh.

Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Sbrem on July 18, 2023, 01:00:17 PM
Just noticed McMaster used FedEx for us, a first.

The end is nigh.

It's hard to not see it that way, but life always finds a way. Trying to be upbeat...

Steve
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GoWestRob on July 18, 2023, 01:50:12 PM
We've started this week preparing for the worst.  some things on our mind -

Keeping the shop busy.  We're trying to close up any bids and get as many blanks in transit today and tomorrow.  Unfortunately we don't have a local distributor warehouse anymore, so picking up at S&S isn't an option.

Shipping out goods for non-local folks.  Anything scheduled for next week that is for a non-local client, we'll finish this week so we can get it in transit now.  Local-ish clients we can deliver or find a courier.

We want to avoid having inbound or outbound goods stuck in UPS's custody during the strike, we're going to stop ordering inbound blanks via UPS on the 24th.  We should maybe pull that up a few days. 

The distributors have a ton of product coming in each day via LTL and going out to printers via UPS, they're going to be motivated to move product to avoid an inventory glut.  Hopefully they'll have some backup options, we might just have to hold ordering until we have a pallet's worth, maybe Alpha will send our mixed orders via pallets. 

I expect clients to be understanding since we'll all be in the same boat, but having enough blanks on hand to keep the staff busy is probably the top concern. 

Hopefully we can just avoid all of this though....
Title: a
Post by: Homer on July 18, 2023, 02:57:43 PM
I think there's too much money on the line, higher ups need to realize without employees they are nothing
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: inkman996 on July 18, 2023, 02:59:11 PM
We are prepared to do our own hauling, we are lucy to be between Robinsville NJ (Sanmar) and Middleboro MA (Alpha). Worse comes to worse we will rent a box truck and do deliveries and pick ups.
Title: Re: a
Post by: TCT on July 18, 2023, 05:51:15 PM
I think there's too much money on the line, higher ups need to realize without employees they are nothing


 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D This is UPS we are talking about. Unfortunately, a realization like that will NEVER happen.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Sbrem on July 19, 2023, 09:38:46 AM
We are prepared to do our own hauling, we are lucy to be between Robinsville NJ (Sanmar) and Middleboro MA (Alpha). Worse comes to worse we will rent a box truck and do deliveries and pick ups.

We are west of Boston, so Middleboro will be what we have to do. Not sure about the SanMar products, but we'll see when we get there. There used to be a Bodek & Rhodes in the area too, but that was then, this is now.

Steve
Title: Re: a
Post by: 3Deep on July 19, 2023, 10:49:58 AM
I think there's too much money on the line, higher ups need to realize without employees they are nothing


 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D This is UPS we are talking about. Unfortunately, a realization like that will NEVER happen.

The company one my sons works with is going through something like this now, they want to cut work staff but not the higher ups that makes the big bucks, if you got an EX in front of your name you better believe your against anything that cuts some your pay to give workers a little more.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GoWestRob on July 24, 2023, 03:38:42 PM
My UPS driver who's been a friend for years just told me his internal Management said that if there is not a deal by Monday, they will stop picking up by Wednesday. FedEx Driver also told my UPS driver that internally they are going to handle their regular customers first and the rest of us as they can. Which I guess is logical.

Expect a mess.

Hey GraphicDisorder, does your UPS friend still plan to stop picking up on Wednesday?  It makes sense that they would want to limit the number of packages in their custody during a strike.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Sbrem on July 24, 2023, 05:34:37 PM
Our driver tells us this morning that it seems to be down to one sticking point, whatever that is...

Steve
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: brandon on July 24, 2023, 06:46:21 PM
My UPS driver who's been a friend for years just told me his internal Management said that if there is not a deal by Monday, they will stop picking up by Wednesday. FedEx Driver also told my UPS driver that internally they are going to handle their regular customers first and the rest of us as they can. Which I guess is logical.

Expect a mess.

Hey GraphicDisorder, does your UPS friend still plan to stop picking up on Wednesday?  It makes sense that they would want to limit the number of packages in their custody during a strike.

Yes on the Wednesday
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GraphicDisorder on July 25, 2023, 08:31:13 AM
My UPS driver who's been a friend for years just told me his internal Management said that if there is not a deal by Monday, they will stop picking up by Wednesday. FedEx Driver also told my UPS driver that internally they are going to handle their regular customers first and the rest of us as they can. Which I guess is logical.

Expect a mess.

Hey GraphicDisorder, does your UPS friend still plan to stop picking up on Wednesday?  It makes sense that they would want to limit the number of packages in their custody during a strike.

He told us yesterday they are confident they will reach agreement today. They picked up as normal yesterday.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GraphicDisorder on July 25, 2023, 08:31:54 AM
Worth noting, for the first time EVER we got some Amazon stuff yesterday by FedEx.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: mk162 on July 25, 2023, 11:59:02 AM
Worth noting, for the first time EVER we got some Amazon stuff yesterday by FedEx.

UPS here doesn't deliver Amazon.  I thought it was company wide, not just our region.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GraphicDisorder on July 25, 2023, 12:20:49 PM
https://apnews.com/article/ups-teamsters-strike-labor-logistics-delivery-a94482dbff7bfb67ad82f607ab127672
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on July 25, 2023, 12:49:59 PM
Thank jeebus.

I wonder how much damage has been done already though. If McMaster doesn't switch back to
UPS you'll see a grown man cry.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Sbrem on July 25, 2023, 04:17:27 PM
It's good to get that off our plates...

Steve
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on July 26, 2023, 01:04:04 PM
On a side note....

Does anyone else have that odd "feature" where if you track a UPS package (say coming to you) it shows all the
shipments being delivered on that day to that address? It started happening a couple years back randomly and now it's every time.
It's pretty inconvenient to the point that I can't help but think it's a bug.

My one major complaint with brown has always been their tech. They need a complete re-do.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Frog on July 26, 2023, 01:19:04 PM
On a side note....

Does anyone else have that odd "feature" where if you track a UPS package (say coming to you) it shows all the
shipments being delivered on that day to that address? It started happening a couple years back randomly and now it's every time.
It's pretty inconvenient to the point that I can't help but think it's a bug.

My one major complaint with brown has always been their tech. They need a complete re-do.

You want a bug? Though this goes back to the days of "lower tech", back around 1981 Christmas, I bought a camera for the wife, and was having it delivered to my workplace, an engraving and embossing print shop in San Francisco, to keep the surprise.
When it hadn't arrived before my Christmas Week vacation, I changed the address to my home.
BANG! You may have guessed it. I was suddenly inundated with all shipments to the shop arriving at my house! Though certainly not my fault, the boss never forgave me for the inconvenience it caused them.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on August 02, 2023, 04:58:43 PM
McMaster is back to using UPS now. Everyone can breathe easy.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: whitewater on August 02, 2023, 05:21:23 PM
They still have not voted on it yet...
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: brandon on August 02, 2023, 05:22:42 PM
Voting starts August 3rd and ends 22nd

So technically everything is on hold for 3 weeks
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: Sbrem on August 03, 2023, 11:43:31 AM
Yellow Freight is going down I hear...

Steve
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GoWestRob on August 03, 2023, 12:27:57 PM
Yellow Freight is going down I hear...

Steve

Yes, I read one article that said they move 45,000 shipments per day, with their capacity removed from the LTL market, LTO shipping prices expected to jump 9-11%
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: ebscreen on August 03, 2023, 12:46:59 PM
We had a shipment booked with Yellow two weeks back and they called to tell us they missed the pickup and I asked
when they would be able to get it and the lady said she didn't know and I thought that was a little odd so I re-booked with a different company.
Hopefully get the refund from Yellow before bankruptcy haha.

It's a bummer they were one of the better ones in our area in a sea of horrific companies. Apparently drivers didn't like them much though,
their trucks and facilities were a little long in the tooth.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: mk162 on August 03, 2023, 12:58:38 PM
Yellow is gone, they ceased operations about a week ago.

Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: bimmridder on August 03, 2023, 01:07:45 PM
My understanding is the Union at/for Yellow was trying to get the great benefits like UPS will get if it all passes. Not the same benefits, but very generous. The management said no and the Union didn't budge. Yellow ceased operations....for now.
Title: Re: UPS and Coming Strike
Post by: GoWestRob on August 03, 2023, 01:50:46 PM
Here's a summary regarding YRC that's focused on the brewing industry, but a lot of it is general info -
https://mailchi.mp/ff4533c34479/urgent-alert-tforce-tariff-change-for-hauling-alcohol-6134168?e=a3c7ddfd2c