Alternative ERI 2007: The Results

Here the results:

How did you find out about our survey?

• 30% are browsing the Galley or the Galeere regularly
• 19% heard about the survey from a fellow worker
• 8% said that a shop steward/ the union told them about the survey
• 43% found the alternative ERI through another website or a search-machine

Most of the English-speaking learned about the survey via internet, while 47% of those who took the German survey are already browsing the „Galeere“ regularly

Have you participated in this year´s ERI, or are you going to do so?

• 74% were also taking part in the company´s survey

Have you ever been advised or forced to participate in the survey?

• 53% said that their supervisor/manager strongly suggested that they should take part
• 23% were virtually forced to participate
• 24% were neither forced nor advised

Did you ever suffer disadvantages after completing the ERI-survey? Did you ever suspect the ERI-survey not to be anonymous?

• 14% considered the survey to be anonymous
• 64% never had to face any negative consequences, but felt the survey might not be completely anonymous

*14% stated that their manager´s/supervisor´s behaviour towards them changed after the ERI

• 6% had to face reprisals
• 5% were directly confronted with accusations after completing the survey

Did you ever get the impression that UPS is combatting the union/union activists/shop stewards in an unfair and wrongful manner?

• 56% had to approve this
• 28% were not quite sure
• 16% answered in the negative

In the English version of the survey the percentage of those who approved was considerably higher. This might be due to the fact that in Germany there are many UPS locations whithout any union presence.

A question about harassment at work: Does your local management stick to the respective laws and the official UPS policy concerning the matter of workplace bullying?

• 60% answered that parts of the management are using harassment systematically to meet their objectives
• 15% said that their management is doing nothing against bullying
• 10% stated that management is taking measures against bullying and harassment by superiors doesn´t occur in their location locations
• 15% were not sure

Do you think that the job at UPS is affecting your health and well-being?

• 13% never felt any noxious effects
• 55% do have minor health problems, caused by their work
• 19% do have serious problems with their health sometimes
• 13% answered that working for UPS keeps them sick or injured nearly all the time

In case you gave an affirmative answer to the question above: What caused your illness/injuries?

• 59% mentioned the physical strain. 38% especially too heavy packages
• 58% thought psychological stress to be a cause of their illness
• 41% mentioned air draft or a too hot/too cold workplace
• 28% had problems caused by sitting, standing or workplaces that are not human-engineered
• 24% complained about injuries caused by sorting facility, vehicles or parcels
• 22% mentioned working in polluted air as a cause

English-speaking colleagues also mentioned defective equipment several times

How does your supervisor/manager treat you when you have to call in sick? * 46% are being questioned about the details of their illness

• 36% are being punished in one way or another after returning to work
• 34% said their boss would challenge their illness or assume that they´re just skipping work
• 32% are being told that they would do harm to fellow workers
• 20% get a „Get well soon“ from their boss
• 13% never had to call in sick

Have you ever been threatened with dismissal or have they already tried to dismiss you?

• 18% answered that a dismissal had been taken into consideration. 2,6% have been dismissed.

Do your earnings satisfy you (in relation to your performance on the job)?

• 33% are content with what they are paid
• 30% can live with it, regarding the wages on other jobs
• 37% feel underpaid

Are assignements, promotions and the general treatment of employees being handled according to the official UPS policy and to given laws?

• 50% answered that unfairness and discrimination are constitutive parts of UPS´ management methods
• 27% said that managers acting arbitarily, having only their own advantages in mind
• 13% think that management in their locations is sticking to guidelines and legal regulations
• 10% were „don´t knows“

Are you working overtime frequently? Are your contracted hours accordingly adjusted?

• 37% do overtime work frequently, but are FT already
• 33% do overtime work frequently, but their contract is not being adjusted

The rest does not work overtime or doesn´t wish the contract to be adjusted

Does management notice and appreciate a good job being done?

• 33% said neither does management notice nor appreciate it
• 37% think that good work is being noticed and utilized to require even more
• 21% answered that it´s being noticed, but not valued
• 9% (in the English survey only 5%) hold that managers notice and value good performance

Is it all right to you that members of management are given shares of the profit in the form of stock?

• 15% think that this was completely okay
• 30% suspect that this only incites management to exploit us to the limit
• 55% answered that all UPS workers should get shares

Would you recommend UPS as an employer to your best friend?

• 13% answered: Yes, of course
• 39% would do so in case of necessity, if there´s no other job available
• 48% (even 55% in the English survey) said: No, after all I want him/her to remain a friend of mine

What is your occupation at UPS?

• 48% are delivering parcels
• 26% are sorter/loader

The other participants are working in various areas, a significant number in offices. More than half of those who took the English survey are drivers, while in the German version sorter/loader were the biggest group.

UPSers from Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and almost all the states of the USA participated. Here you can find a selection of the commentaries.