I'm stuck between two rocks and a hard place. I need advice.

[HEMIHUNTER]

I know a few UPS drivers and it’s very hectic and busy. Being a tech there is probably the same thing. If you like that kind of environment ( I do ) I would pick that.
Did you ask about OT?
They’re also Union don’t know how you feel about that and the big corporation set up.
+ 65,000 on what everyone else is telling you.
Make sure whatever you do leave your current job on good terms



Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

Move to KC. I'll hire you.

No one wants to live in Iowa anyways.


EDIT: I'm dead ****ing serious on both statements.

Eastern Iowa along the river is beautiful.

 

[93Cobra#2771]

Top options in my mind:

1. UPS
2. Ford
Distant 3rd - buying the business with co workers.

Running the business side is a HUGE undertaking. Working side by side with someone is one thing. Making a business run, deciding how to spend money, etc etc is a HUGE step. How old are the co-workers? Do they have experience running a business, and if so, why aren't the still running a business?

I like the UPS gig. Yes, it's mega corporate, but so is Ford. With the ford job, you're paid X rate determined by Ford. With UPS, that job is going to continue to grow as we all know UPS is continuing it's growth rate year after year.

 

[13COBRA]

Eastern Iowa along the river is beautiful.

Eh. A few spots. But I'm not a fan of the Council Bluffs/Omaha area.

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

Eh. A few spots. But I'm not a fan of the Council Bluffs/Omaha area.

Certainly not. I was referring to the areas around Bellevue and Guttenburg.

 

[Recon]

I’d go with ups. My family has multiple generations that worked for ups and they were well taken care of during their service to the company.


Sent from somewhere in the twilight zone…

 

[SolarYellow]

I informed my foreman about this, and he then informed me, he had been wanting to talk to me about possibly going in with he and another coworker on purchasing our place of employment. (Retirement age owners with kids that want nothing to do with the business.)

Being a good mechanic doesn't necessarily mean you are business savvy and if you are putting your money and life into a situation, one must be cautious. Not you per se but too many people seem to think opening a business (and making it successful) is something not only easy but approachable by anyone.

 

[CompOrange04GT]

Isn’t UPS laying off like 12k people due to the new contract ?

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

@specracer
@1Kona_Venom
@Blown 89
@DSG2003Mach1
@Weather Man

Why are all of you against the partner/ownership option? Presuming this advice is based on personal experience, perhaps you can share.

He’s relatively young and his goals will change with time. He will not be able to wrench forever and enjoy retirement as an able bodied person.

late getting to this and wouldnt say Im 100% against it but it represents the most risk, especially not knowing anything about the other 2. It's already been mentioned but turning wrenches doesnt mean they know how to run a business and definitely agree that someone has to be the majority shareholder. Even when my uncle and I had a business for a bit he was 51% so there wouldnt be a stalemate.

Im part of an executive round table group and the guy that runs it has two people in another group that were partners in a business and despite thinking they had everything laid out in the operating agreement one decided he wants out and they've been going back and forth for 5 years

 

[TerminatoRS]

Anywhere near a Dayton Freight facility? We're always looking for diesel techs. We don't pay the most, but the company and atmosphere is hard to beat. That's coming from someone who left UPS after almost 16 years, by the way. Fleet maintenance is boring, but consistent. Sure beats getting random team drivers showing up unannounced wanting a service done in an hour. Then finding they cut a hole in the floor so they can shit on top of the transmission without stopping.

The UPS thing , even though it looks shiny, is still a gamble. Maybe not so much in IA given the political atmosphere, but it certainly is in more major metro areas like Milwaukee. I spent all but one of my 16 years in management so my perspective probably doesn't line up as well under the circumstances, but it's a firsthand perspective nonetheless.

I did it all over my tenure. Loading, unloading, driving, training loaders and drivers, safety, payroll, operations...you name it. I tried to get into the shop, but I was told I was too valuable in operations and was on the short list to become a division manager. Oooo eee oooo. Most colleagues are good people who just want to get the job done and go home. However, there are plenty of whine-bags who put more effort into making everyone else's lives difficult than they do into minding their own damn business. Yeah, you have these people everywhere, but they're almost untouchable thanks to the umbrella they get to hide under at UPS. These days, it's gotten worse; I blame the caliber of new, soft employees coming through the door. The bar has been lowered in a big way. Not saying people need to run themselves ragged every day, but the amount of coddling and babysitting of adults I had to do made me sick. While the union stuff sounds nice and probably leads to more money and better bennies, it can also create a shitty work environment. One lazy nut swinger with some seniority gets to dump on everyone else and it takes an act of congress to hold him accountable. That leads to an "us versus them" situation where ultimately a status quo is established and senior, protected guy continues to drag his dick and the lower guy has to pick up his slack. It gets old in a hurry. Any amount of training, coaching, and/or discipline is met with animosity and entitlement. Everyone owes them something simply because they've held a job for a decade, often times with numerous "get of jail free cards" from the union. Keep in mind that at the end of the day, the union is a business too. They're no different from politicians. Make you feel warm and fuzzy, go to bat once in a while, but ultimately care most about making themselves look good and drumming up more incoming dues. After all, just like the big dogs at UPS, they've gotta put new roofs on their lake houses too.

Also keep in mind that given the size and affiliations of UPS, they'll be pushing even harder for EV and CNG stuff soon. I'm not sure what kind of training UPS offers, but they were never eager to open their pocketbook the whole time I worked there unless it directly and immediately benefitted their bottom line. Updating facilities, equipment, or just plain doing a cookout for employees was an uphill battle met with restrictions even though they're making money hand over fist. That's the big corporation crap others have already mentioned. If you were 15-20 years older and thinking about jumping ship, I'd probably tell you to stick it out. But if you're a self-motivated, hardworking, take the initiative type, I think you'll be frustrated by others around you who don't operate a nearly the same level yet get paid the same or more while getting pampered.

 

[Adower]

Isn’t UPS laying off like 12k people due to the new contract ?

Only managers/admin. The drivers/techs are union protected.