Talk:United Parcel Service/Archive 1

Archive 1

Archive 2

Archive 3

Strikes

• RJ had added a 1994 1-day strike to the list of UPS history. This was not a nationwide strike and only affected about 30% of the United States. There have actually been a large number of localized strikes at UPS, most recently a Canadian work stoppage in 2004. A comprehensive list of localized actions would overwhelm the article. This would be better explored in depth in a new article - perhaps about union/management relations at UPS or a list of strikes throughout UPS's history. --User:ssherris 15:35, Dec 16, 2004 (UTC)
  • "A comprehensive list of localized actions would overwhelm the article"? It's just one yet. - Jerryseinfeld 22:47, 16 Dec 2004 (UTC)
• It's 2 so far - the 1994 strike plus the 2004 Canadian one. But it's inappropriate in a general article about the company because there are literally dozens and dozens of local strikes throughout the 95+ years of company history. The 1997 nationwide strike was a major turning point in UPS history and with regard to company/union relations and that makes it appropriate to include in a list of major events. A one day strike that affected a small portion of the country in 1994 does not qualify as "major". If you feel it's important, write a paragraph on strike history or union relations in the article. SSherris 20:31, 17 Dec 2004 (UTC)
  • • I wouldn't want to overwhelm the article. It was just the other Teamster stike I remebered because there was a lawsuit and a counter (and 30% of the US is not the same as localized). Good point about '97 strike (in which Canadian workers did not participate). Sherris, if you don't mind, could you expounded upon this "major turning point"? It deserves more than just a list bullet. -- Rj 07:52, Dec 20, 2004 (UTC)
      • I agree - it does deserve more than just a list bullet - from Clinton's uninvolvement to the jump start of Fedex Ground to altered UPS/Teamster relations, it affected American businesses and company history. But as a UPS management employee, I don't feel like I can a) write a fair NPOV article on it b) represent the company in a way my own managers would be happy with c) represent the union in a way that wouldn't bit me in the future. I'd be happy to add insight to anything written though. Plus, I also wasn't with the company in 1997 so I don't have firsthand knowledge. See the List of Strikes article though - it covers some of what you're looking for. SSherris 23:16, 20 Dec 2004 (UTC)
    • The President did halt the pilots strike earlier that year. Could explore the differences here if it's not on another page. I didn't see any mention in the List of strikes pages... --Rj 05:16, Dec 22, 2004 (UTC)

UPS vs United Parcel Service

In 2003 when UPS unveiled its new logo, it formalized a policy that they had been implementing for a few years, of not referring to the company as "United Parcel Service". You can see this gradual transformation if you go to the UPS Pressroom archives and compare press releases from 1999, say, to those of 2004. While the company is still officially titled, "United Parcel Service of America, Co", it is not "known" as such any longer. Employees have been instructed to answer the phones as "UPS" and not "United Parcel Service", for example. Also notice that a major part of the logo change in 2003 involved removing the "package" - the box and strings - that had been part of various logos since the company's inception. This is part of the company's strategy to diversify beyond parcels and into capital, logistics, freight, etc. SSherris 21:04, 17 Dec 2004 (UTC)

• Good insight, do you work for UPS or know someone? (The odds are not bad given the size of company) The change makes sense with all that the company does although package delivery is still the core business. As you say, the company is officially titled the same and the change is more a new marketing "look and feel" brand to reflect their evolving capabilities. We shouldn't change the name of this article. That would almost make Wikipedia seem like a marketing piece for UPS? I suggest rather that the changes be described in one of the introductory paragraphs because it is important. (Could be the largest global rebranding in corporate history with all trucks, planes, facilities, uniforms, etc...) --Rj 08:22, Dec 20, 2004 (UTC)
• Thanks - I do work for UPS. The company title is more a reflection on incorporation laws - UPS actually owns hundreds of companies that are otherwise seamlessly integrated with the parent, but for tax or tarriff or other such laws, there are multiple entities. For example - UPS is a separate company in each of the 200+ countries it operates in (Japan, Korea, Brazil, Bahamas, Canada). Plus, UPS in the US is made of 3 companies (NY, OH, and Corp) plus all of its subsidiaries. I disagree that changing the name would make Wikipedia a marketing piece for UPS. Look up BellSouth Mobility. It will redirect you to [Cingular Wireless]] because the company decided to reinvent itself. That just reflects reality. Would the rebranding make a good article? Again (see the strike) I don't think I could write a good NPOV article and I'd always be uncomfortable that I wrote a marketing piece because of my position. SSherris 23:16, 20 Dec 2004 (UTC)
• UPS' site still has United Parcel Service in the copyright statement. Sykil 00:51, 2005 July 17 (UTC)

I have worked at UPS since 2002; we are still known as United Parcel Service. My email signature includes "United Parcel Service". Most written material has United Parcel Service copyright. Obviously our internal materials are protected and I cannot provide any examples here. "UPS" is simply the initialized format for the formal name of our company. Do an online search for our stock quote (UPS) and you will see it is formalized as United Parcel Service. This is like comparing AOL vs America Online; it's the same company. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 32.211.46.240 (talk) 19:41, 23 September 2019 (UTC)

FWIW, you responded to a discussion from 2005, so I wouldn't expect any movement on this from the original editors anytime soon (a couple of them appear long-term inactive as well). Additionally when I read this thread I'm not sure what sort of specific article improvements are intended. Given how WP has evolved since 2005, it's likely that if the first post here were made today, the first comment might read along the lines of, "Okay...what changes do you feel we should make to the article?" Cheers. DonIago (talk) 13:17, 24 September 2019 (UTC)

Hubs

Anchorage, Alaska is listed in various UPS press releases as UPS's central hub for all packages transiting from the US to East Asia. As such, I would guess it should be listed in the table of hubs. However, I can't find any references to the hub identifiers (even the ones listed in this article) anywhere on UPS.com or anywhere else on the Web (with the exception of Wikipedia mirrors), so I didn't want to add it to the table. Anyone who work for UPS know about this? (See the section I added re: the UPS hub in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport article--can you confirm the size of the hub in terms of packages per hour, etc.? cluth 07:24, Apr 30, 2005 (UTC)

• I only see one hub (Redmond WA) in the western half of the US...I would assume the list is generally incomplete, but I don't know where to find a full one to copy either. Not to mention international hubs. Willhsmit 22:08, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

• I added Ontario CA, which always has a bunch of UPS aircraft on the tarmac, and which appears on the waybill for a UPS shipment I got today. SimonG 8/17/05

The hub list is far from complete. If it keeps getting added to, maybe it should be moved to a new page? I reordered it by SLIC numbers. ASchmoo 06:42, 6 September 2005 (UTC)

I question the hyphenation of the hub SLICs (sort codes). The only time a SLIC is hyphenated is on a package label - and only then for readability - UPS internally uses just the plain number. -armchairexec 11.04.2005

• I added a few hubs in Asia and Pacific which were found in a list on UPS website. However, that list is incomplete and only represents the major ones. Tomj 14:12, 7 May 2006 (UTC)

Sillyness

I removed this sillyness: ", so that minor parking violations (endemic to the courier business) can be dismissed in court for incompleteness." from trivia. UPS packages cars are not marked with the manufacturer's name due to it not having an advertising contract with the manufacturer. Some UPS Tractors are now bearing the Mack Bulldog.N9urk 13:53, 3 June 2006 (UTC)

Timeline/Corporate Spam

It looks to me like a ton of corporate advertising got dumped into this article, especially the timeline. Anyone have any opinions on what should go and what should stay, or is it all relevant? ASchmoo 21:31, 3 November 2005 (UTC)

The timeline looks like a probable copyvio to me, but I wasn't able to find any matches on the web... -SCEhardt 00:04, 8 November 2005 (UTC)

I removed the entire timeline since it was 99.9% a direct copyvio from upsers.com and very POV. ASchmoo 19:46, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

The timeline is from upsers.com, as is the trivia fact about the broadway play. There is an entire page devoted to company history.

Is the link to BuyBlue.org appropriate? One user in particular keeps re-adding this link to the article but I do not think it is relevant to the nature of the article - ie, UPS' operations and history. Also, I doubt BuyBlue.org espouses a NPOV, so linking to it, IMO, adds a certain bias. -armchairexec

I don't think it should be in the article. The user who keeps adding it seems to exist for the purpose of promoting the website. (contribs) In addition, the site says "BuyBlue.org supports businesses that share our progressive values and ideals."[1] so clearly not a NPOV link. -SCEhardT 00:51, 29 November 2005 (UTC)

In 2005, UPS was among 53 entities that contributed the maximum of $250,000 to the second inauguration of President George W. Bush.

Are political contributions of a corporation relevant, because this is the first article about a corporation that I have seen containing a 'factoid' on political contributions in the timeline, a political contribution does not merit enough significance for inclusion in a timeline, it should be removed completely or have a new home found for it somewhere else on the page. --Irishman76m (talk) 23:32, 14 October 2008 (UTC)

Buyblue.org

Political contributions of corporations are very relavent to the make up of the UPS organization. If you have a better link that shows political contributions please add it to the wiki page. I am only linking to buyblue.org unbiased write up of the organization. It simply has a brief description of the company with no bias, and the political contributions in the last election cycle. Simple and plane as day. I do not see any problem with this. I hope you do not feel threatened by this information. It's nothing to be ashamed of or proud of. It is simply fact. If you would like to get a moderator to figure this out that would be fine. Until then I will keep editing the page if you un-edit it. I am prepared to defend my edit.

I disagree. The fact that the only change you have made to several other pages is the addition of this link proves that you have an ax to grind. Your intentions are not without bias and thus, your link is inappropriate. If you link to a more neutral political donations website (which I doubt exists) that would be acceptable. Or instead of hiding the link with a general "UPS political contributions" try a different wording that mentions the viewpoint espoused by the website. -armchairexec

Although political contributions in general are a useful resource, I don't like the idea of such a POV website being linked. Where does BuyBlue get this info? Is it available on a government website? -SCEhardT 21:08, 29 November 2005 (UTC)

Here is where buyblue get's it's information. To answer your question, yes it is a government source. And I quote from buyblue.org:

"To ensure that the ratings are truly comparable, we adhere to a strict research protocol involving the following three sources: Hoovers.com; Federal Election Commission; and the Center for Responsive Politics. On Hoovers.com, we find the names of the top three key executives in a chosen company, as well as the names of executives of the company’s subsidiaries. We also get short company summaries, company addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and company websites from this site. The company websites help us identify top officers. We research all of these sources to make sure our information is accurate and up to date. When BuyBlue.org tallies political contributions, we get our information from the Federal Elections Commission site. We only consider donations from the three senior executives identified by the company website and by Hoovers.com, and any donations from Political Action Committees (PACs) associated with the company. We also count donations from spouses of senior executives, but only when we can confirm the relationship beyond a reasonable doubt. We never count contributions from rank and file employees in our data. We use The Center for Responsive Politics site to gather PAC information about a company because their presentation makes it easy to identify the distribution of the contributions of PACs between Democrats and Republicans. For each PAC we find, we summarize the spending for the election cycle and provide a link to opensecrets.org so you can examine the details if you wish."

Removed text

Tonight, I moved this sillyness out of the article: *According to the Seattle Underground Tour and the books it is based on, UPS started as messenger service whose clients were primarily prostitutes and their solicitors.

I have never heard this, but I did hear rumor that the early company meetings were held in a bar.

I removed the following text from the article namespace:

Transportation and Freight - One source, operating in over 120 countries and territories, with resources in air, ocean, rail and road.

Logistics - A single-source solution from worldwide distribution to post-sales service parts logistics.

International Trade - Customs-specific knowledge and expertise can help simplify the complexities of international trade management, from excellent customs brokerage to compliance consulting and managed services.

Consulting Services - Real-world strategic direction and counsel that help companies align their supply chain operations with their business strategies.

Industry Solutions - UPS Supply Chain Solutions can provide solutions to industry-specific problems including automotive, consumer goods, government, healthcare, high tech, industrial manufacturing, retail, and many other industries.

The text appears to be mostly a direct copyvio from [2]. - orioneight (talk) 02:38, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

I removed some dumped text about the airplane makeup - JamesCox

POV

This article, from the fourth paragraph through the timeline, reads like a PR brochure. I would refer you to FedEx's entry for an example of a more nuetral and informative article. I intend to write an alternative entry in the weeks to come.UPSer 21:16, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

I agree completely. It needs a complete reworking to avoid sounding like blantant PR drivel. Good luck with it. ASchmoo 07:36, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

A significant amount of it was copied directly from UPS's website, which would explain why. I'm deleting some parts that are straight copies. Night Gyr 04:58, 4 January 2006 (UTC)

Is this site POV? http://unitedpackagesmashers.com/?page=packages.php DyslexicEditor 14:07, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

I dont think so -- seems pretty neutral to me in that it just allows people to post whatever, which could be one way or the other... I included it in my Section 9 addition along with some other stuff. --Shortfuse 04:18, 27 May 2006 (UTC)

Removed reference to animal rights groups

I removed the following text. It's unsourced, POV, and this article isn't a newspaper article, it's an encyclopedia article, so this "controversy" is just too short-term to include.

UPS is currently the target of several animal rights groups, as it is the largest logistics firm still delivering to Huntingdon Life Sciences laboratories across the world. When prompted to sever it's ties with this organisation, it has repeatedly stated that it makes too much money from it's contract, and in private, bosses have stated that they will continue to put profits before the welfare of animals.

kmccoy (talk) 14:08, 7 January 2006 (UTC)

Package Cars

It should be noted that the package cars UPS are so famous for are not seen outside of the US (or possibly Canada). Here in Australia there are no UPS package cars. Of course, UPS is not nearly as common here, but they still have the trademark brown vans. The vans are almost all small 2.4L Toyota Hiace vans (picture something about 2/3 the size of a Ford Econoline), with manual transmissions. Very lame. Davez621 10:39, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

Seems you don't get out of Australia much. UPS Brown is seen in most countries, in fact UPS in Germany has been for many years and the same package car design and color are utilized there.

In Germany, we don´t have exectly the same design. The headlights are not round. They are square. And the backdoor is parted in two doors. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 178.200.172.168 (talk) 18:15, 28 August 2012 (UTC)

The squinty headlights used on the latest trucks in the USA are Oldsmobile Alero units. Google some high resolution pictures of both so you can zoom in, they're the same headlights. Did UPS buy up all the leftover headlights from GM or have they contracted with the manufacturer to produce new headlights? Bizzybody (talk) 01:02, 30 March 2014 (UTC)

When UPS entered the UK market they had a fleet of vans built by Mercedes based on the American designs. These certainly stood out on the street but not always for good reasons - they were impractically large for multidrop operation in UK residential streets, and the sliding front doors are amost unknown in modern vehicles and are perceived as dangerous. They are now adding some more conventional Mercedes panel vans to the fleet. --Ef80 (talk) 13:25, 1 March 2016 (UTC)

Trailer code numbers

I'm removing the trailer code numbers because it's not complete/entirely accurate, and seems unnecessary—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.18.242.14 (talk • contribs) .