What would you do?

[rarefish383]

Today one of our maintenance mechanics called me over and said he had something to show me. It was a brand new 36" Oregon bar. I took a quick glance at the stampings on the bar and saw it was for 404 chain. He said there was no trace of a box or return address. If I wanted it he would stash it where ever I wanted. He said when ever stuff like that is found they just pay the claim and tell him to throw it in the scrap metal bin. I've been at UPS for almost 30 years, and I've made at least $80,000 for the past 10 years. I've been a shop steward for 25 years, and have seen people fired for opening a can of peanuts or eating candy that fell of of the package. I don't know if he could tell how shocked I was. I know him and would think he was as honest as the day is long. Just because there is no way of tracing it, doesn't mean you can keep it. It's overgoods and needs to be processed. He asked what I wanted him to do with it? I said throw it in the scrap metal bin, Joe.

 

[BobL]

Good to see there are still a few honest folks around!

 

[GrantD]

Good to see there are still a few honest folks around!

^^ This, no reason to risk a job/career over a $100(maybe) bar...

 

[chads]

Yea I know what you mean, work a few hr overtime and buy what you need and move on sleep good and be employed.
I worked there at one time they once fired a guy for taking a ups bic pen home.
If they want to it can be hell.
I used to do overgoods, overgoods get sent to the national overgoods whse held for a while then sold off as scrap etc at some point if not claimed.

 

[KenJax Tree]

My FIL retired from UPS and from what he says i wouldn't chance it.

 

[rarefish383]

I guess the thing that got me is the friend that brought the bar to me. It makes me wonder if he sneaks stuff out that he wants. For two years I had permission to take home scrap 2X4's. The private contractors that bring their own trailers in use standard 96" 2X4's to hold the loads in place. We throw them away. Our Plant Engineering Manager told me "we don't pay for them, we don't get anything for them, they are trash, you can have them". So, I'd stack them up out of the way and when I got 60 or 70 of them I'd bring my truck in and load them up. The PE guy gave me a property pass to get them off UPS property. My truck has an 8' bed, so with the tailgate up and the boards loaded at an angle, you have that big space underneath. Guess who had the gig getting the 2X4's before me, yep, my friend, that's how we met. He's a maintenance mechanic/welder. Now I wonder how much steel he snuck out under the 2X4's? Now it makes me feel bad that I'm thinking this stuff about him, maybe he's never taken anything, but he sure opened a big door of doubt.

I have a 19 year old guy that helps me sometimes. I asked him if he was going to school or anything. He said no this is it, kinda like it was a dead end, nothing better to do job. I said " Welcome to a million dollar Job". He's making 9 bucks an hour, so he looked at me like I was nuts. I said in 2 years you can go full time, 2 years after that you will be up to full scale making 80 grand a year, times 30 years is 2.4 million dollars, hows it feel to be rich? As long as you don't do something stupid, like steal something. I just don't get it, how people that know right from wrong think that stuff that came out of a box and can't be returned, is up for grabs.

As Chads said, these"lost" parcels go to overgoods, they are assigned a number and description, then they are sent to our overgoods facility in Georgia. They sit for a year waiting to be matched up with a lost parcel. If not matched up they go to auction, and the proceeds go toward paying claims. What goes through some peoples minds? Joe.

 

[SDB777]

Explains why my new bar didn't show up.....



Scott (I'll never get it now) B

 

[820wards]

Today one of our maintenance mechanics called me over and said he had something to show me. It was a brand new 36" Oregon bar. I took a quick glance at the stampings on the bar and saw it was for 404 chain. He said there was no trace of a box or return address. If I wanted it he would stash it where ever I wanted. He said when ever stuff like that is found they just pay the claim and tell him to throw it in the scrap metal bin. I've been at UPS for almost 30 years, and I've made at least $80,000 for the past 10 years. I've been a shop steward for 25 years, and have seen people fired for opening a can of peanuts or eating candy that fell of of the package. I don't know if he could tell how shocked I was. I know him and would think he was as honest as the day is long. Just because there is no way of tracing it, doesn't mean you can keep it. It's overgoods and needs to be processed. He asked what I wanted him to do with it? I said throw it in the scrap metal bin, Joe.

Good call on scrapping, why should he or you take the chance of loosing a job over a chainsaw bar. It's just not worth it.
jerry-

 

[john taliaferro]

So how do you go bout getting invited to the auction to buy the bar for .12$

 

[Doug in SW IA]

I am a little confused. In your first post you told him to throw it in the scrap metal bin. Then in post 6 you say overgoods are assigned a number and sent to Georgia. Which is it?

Doug in SW IA

 

[Nato]

Hey Joe, as I'm shure your well aware, Big Brother has eyes everywhere. Keep your distance, do your time, and get ready to collect on that pension! Leave the stealing to the oil companies. N8

 

[rarefish383]

I am a little confused. In your first post you told him to throw it in the scrap metal bin. Then in post 6 you say overgoods are assigned a number and sent to Georgia. Which is it?

Doug in SW IA

The process is to turn it in to over goods. He said they often tell him to scrap stuff like that. I can't see scrapping a hard item. Food stuff that spills gets swept up and thrown away, a lot of small printed items that can't be salvaged get trashed, some things are so inexpensive it's more cost effective to just buy a new one. I drive past the scrap bin when I take trailers inside the building. I'm too paranoid about being watched that I haven't even looked in to see if he did through it away.

Oops, I see your confusion. I should have told him to take it to over goods, which I did. But, when he said "they" tell him to scrap steel items like that, I just held my hands up and said "SCRAP IT". I wanted to make the point that it had no value to me, none, zip, keep it away from me! As I stated, I've been a shop steward for over 25 years. One of the "Loss Prevention" sups used to get me when he busted someone for suspected theft. I gave him a good bit of leeway questioning people. Years later, I found out he would bust someone for minor theft and tell them he would let them resign if they ratted out someone else. So, the thought is always there. I wonder if they busted my friend and is working a deal trying to set some one up, like me. You just never know when a good person gets tempted and does something stupid, and then what they will do, trying to save their arse.

When I started the thread and said "What would you do", I wasn't asking for advice whether I should take it. I just can't believe he asked me if I wanted it. Then he kinda went on and on about how it was a beautiful bar and they were going to throw it away, and he could stash it for me. I can see him driving by to show it to me, on the way to turn it in. I wouldn't even do that. I'd tell my friends about it, like you guys. There are cameras every where, he even laughed once because Plant Engineering put one up on the scrap bin. He thought it was funny they were worried about someone stealing trash. Next time he drives by I'm gonna see if it is still on his cart.

Always remember, "Just because YOU ARE paranoid, it doesn't mean they are not watching you", Joe.

 

[imagineero]

It's good to hear that they take the issue of theft so seriously and have zero tolerance for it. Thieves ought to be afraid of getting busted. If they weren't so hard on the issue, you might have said "well, if they're just gonna chuck it out I might as well have it". Seems like a waste and all, but it prevents a whole lot of folks not getting their packages.