Amos 8:11

JEREMIAH PROJECT

BIBLE PROPHECY

CULTURE WAR

NEW WORLD ORDER

TRASHING AMERICA

DECEPTIONS

What people are saying about the Jeremiah Project and the article about the Teamsters vs. UPS.

UPS vs Teamsters: A look at greed and discontentment in the workforce.

While I haven't received nearly as much supportive mail, not everyone is so negative as some of the following comments show:

Dieseljones wrote, saying: "My Brother I am very impressed with the manner in which you took on this issue. If we could look at the rest of the world from a biblical perspective this world would be a much better place to reside in. You have peeked my curiosity to the utmost. I read the article wondering which side of the fence you stand on, or whether your an onlooker from around the corner. Wherever you stand you were well informed and quite impartial for the most part. Impartial, I do not know if I can be that. I can only make decisions based upon my experience.

My experience is ten years as a UPS employee roughly four part time and six full time. I thank my God, often for my job, that allows me to provide a comfortable living for my family. I enjoy being a driver, I love the work that I do being out and about meeting new people seeing new faces daily. I am proud to represent such a well respected company as well as be a member of the largest organized Labor Union there is.

I am truly blessed to have a job that pays me well enough to provide for my family with a little left over to enjoy. There are millions of Americans who are not as fortunate as myself. They work long hard hours and are paid very little with no benefits. Therefore you are correct in saying we are the highest paid employees in the industry with better benefits than anyone else. You have obviously done your homework.

The experience that I have can only come from being an hourly UPS employee. Regardless what you do the work is fast paced, physically grueling and above all stressful. As a part-timer I unloaded 1300 packages an hour in a trailer that got upto 130 degrees in the summer time. All the while my supervisor breathing down my back wanting more production out of me. As a full-time driver its the same pressure 20 stops an hour 11 hour days in the Texas heat. With the constant pressure of doing an even better job the next day because its never good enough for the "Tightest Ship In The Shipping Business". I have seen drivers harassed for not moving as fast or being as productive as someone half there age. I have seen drivers fired for reasons that the general public would laugh at. I have seen drivers work in constant pain due to injuries suffered from the fast paced, strenuous jobs that we perform. What scares me most is the drivers I see leave because of injury never to return. I fear of not being able to lift my grandkids one day due to the beating my body takes on a daily basis.

I see our competition on a daily basis riding in air condition vans delivering letters and such meanwhile , the back of my truck is 120 degrees and I am wrestling with 120 pound parcels. There is reason for that difference in pay. There, is a huge difference in the work. Your article mentioned those who would be happy to be in our place as UPS employees. That is partly true many would like to bring our checks home on Friday but very few are willing and able to do the work.

I have trained people coming from minimum wage jobs. They know that in a short period of time they will be making more money than they have ever made, yet after a few short days they gladly walk off of UPS property never to return. They're biggest problem is keeping employees, yes the public is beating the door down to be a UPSer , but they beat even harder to get out of those same doors after experiencing the pain and the pressure.

I support my local union. I am proud to be a Teamster. But I am not naive, our Union can stand improvement. I wish this was a world where unions were not necessary. But it is not, quite obviously, it is a huge necessity at UPS. I do believe the benefits and the lucrative wages would not be there if we were not a union company. Furthermore please do not believe everything you read. If UPS was to raise our pension fifty percent I would be making more money retired than I ever did as an employee, the numbers just don't add up.

Is UPS greedy? YES , Is Teamsters greedy? YES It is a lesser of two evils meeting somewhere in the middle. It is unfortunate that the strike happened. I literally pray that there will not be another. But neither side is innocent , and most certainly, neither side was truthful.

I commend you for your perspective, but your facts were not factual. And If I may quote a Native American proverb, "Judge no man until you have walked a mile in his mocassins". I do not know who you are or what side of the fence you stand on, I am a driver who works very hard for my pay. I have never gone home and felt as if I have not earned every red cent of my paycheck. Take care my brother and God Bless!"

Ozzy wrote, saying: "So, I know it happened a while ago, but I've been an hourly at UPS, and now I'm a member of management, let me give you the real deal. For the most part, Teamsters are just lazy whiners. They are also bad workers. Don't get me wrong, some of them are good. But usually its just the folks that have been there less than 2 months. You tell them how they are supposed to do their job, you train them, and they do it the wrong way in spite of you. You write them up, but they don't care, they hide behind that p.o.s. union, get fired, and just get their job back. What i really don't understand is that if they don't like the job, why in the name of God do they stick around? Well, luckily, ive read over and over the last contract. And one by one, I'm firing the bad workers. Oh yes. The more they screw around, the harder I ride them. And the best part is, they HAVE to do what I tell them, or its termination time. I'm sick of all these lazy people.... However these people made it this far in life being as lazy as they are is beyond me. But that's ok. I just chalked another teamster today, and i'm gonna do 2 more tomorrow. So if you ever work at the 81st street hub in Indianapolis... Pray to God that you're not in Sort 2. Because (GASP!) I will make you work for that 9.50 an hour!"

Trothay wrote, saying: "As a part-time UPS employee, I have come to several conclusion about unions. For one I see it produces employees who are whiny, lack initiative, and use it to hide behind when their work performance is lacking. The whole work structure is based on seniority for job promotion( i.e. full-time driver ), double shifts or vacation. This environment in return promotes poor work ethics, lack of initiative and whininess. You are not rewarded for doing a good job and being a good employee. However, working for UPS is not a walk in the park. All the jobs are fast pace, attention to deal, precise, routine and high pressure. That is where the union comes into play. The union protects the employee against unfair abuse and ensure good wage and benefits amongst other things. We UPS employees provide excellent package service. It amazes me the precision and timely delivery of packages we offer our customers. The union does have a good and bad side. I don't know what's the best solution is but we shouldn't allow the union to jeopardize our company i.e. greedy wages, interfering with company business decisions which in return would turn away customers, who should I remind you is our bread and butter. I still contend that UPS is a great company to work for. They reward us well with good pay and benefits. However, in return the company asks us to give 100% everyday to make the company what it is."

Bob wrote, saying: " I am a pilot for UPS's competition, FedEx. We had our own labor-management difficulties, but we resolved ours - or actually God did - through prayer. A group of Christian pilots began meeting as talks bogged down. Some, including myself, fasted and prayed that God would not be pre-empted at Thanksgiving and Christmas by the shadow of a strike of clearly demonic origins (If you have ever been there, you recognize the hate and disloyalty that blinds those who have no spiritiual moarings.). Miraculously, before Thanksgiving the union called off any and all job actions and went back to the bargaining table. Within a few weeks a deal was struck and the holidays were saved for worshipping our Lord!

One passage of scripture that many overlook as Christian guidance is I Tim. 6:1-6. It is a precise description of union activity and what the Christian's response should be to it! Notice, unions do "teach otherwise," co ntrary to the teaching of servants counting their masters as "worthy of all honor," and they do not "consent to wholesome words...and the doctrine which is according to godliness.

And look what Paul says of these: "He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings..." This is the "rabble-rousing that goes into organizing. Pride of self, knowing nothing of spiritual and eternal consequences, just doting on questions like "Don't you deserve what XYZ is making?" Obviously envy, strife, suspicion, etc. come of such talk.

But notice the motive, 6:5, "supposing that gain [$] is godliness." Paul hit the nail on the head! Either gain is godliness or it is more important than godliness in the union's eyes!

The Christian response: "from such withdraw thyself," 6:5. Pretty clear; pretty simple. The master is ordained of God; no man can serve 2 masters; ergo your union master must go.

I published this and distributed it to our 2500 pilots. My close was your passage from I Tim. 6:6-10 and the observation that, when the judgement comes, it won't matter how much you earned but whether you have Christ in your heart that will count! There was an impact for God! Would I had done the same at Eastern Airlines where I lost my job in a union strike while no one was crying out with God's Word. Though God is clear on the issue, even the FCAP (Fellowship of Christian Airline Personnel) waffled on the issue "Is Striking Biblical." "

Thanks, Bob, for your insight. If more so-called Christians would only approach their jobs from a more Christian viewpoint and rely on the power of prayer, there would be far fewer problems. - ed.

Helen wrote, saying: "I think you are right about UPS. I see the same thing happening to Overnite Transport. What the people need to realize is that picket line is not a sacred thing. If you want to go to work step across otherwise you are facing financial ruin or you can go look for another job. Jr Hoffa will still take his paycheck to the bank. You will not have one if you listen to them."

Mike wrote, saying: "I believe that we should take the time to make the contract more exact, there certain areas of the contract are left up to interpretation, which makes difficult to communicate ones concerns. I think that most of the anonmocity can be removed, if in every center the management team and the associates have collective consciences on how the system works most efficiently. The system in which we work is the definition of work time, weight, distance, with an emphasize on order. I would like too see more suggestions on how to solve the conflicts and make ups even a better company. "

This site was designed and is maintained by Vic Bilson © 1996-2008 All Rights Reserved