It's Peak Season

To the entire team at the Hagerstown Hub:

We have officially entered Peak Season. We know what this means: record-breaking volume, mandatory six-day schedules, and a collective push to deliver on the Purple Promise. The dedication shown by you, the Package Handlers, during this time is truly the backbone of our operation.

However, as we step into this period of intense demand, we need to have an honest, supportive conversation about the reality we are facing on the floor.

The Challenge: When Demand Outpaces Resources

We are committed to our jobs, but commitment shouldn't come at the cost of our safety or well-being. Right now, we are seeing a concerning gap between the official standards designed to protect us and the daily pressure to just get the job done.

Consider the experiences many of us are sharing:

• The Weight of the Work: We are seeing an increase in packages that exceed the 75-pound limit for a single lift. Official procedure mandates a Team Lift for these items (KB000394668), but understaffing often leaves us working solo, forcing a choice between slowing the line or risking our backs.

• The Pace of the Flow: Reports from the floor describe flow rates surging well past standard targets, sometimes exceeding 1,000 PPH for individuals working alone. While we pride ourselves on hard work, this intensity eliminates the safety buffers built into our engineering standards.

• The Equipment Reality: From unresponsive scanners to broken rollers, we are often forced to work around maintenance issues rather than our maintenance team fixing them on the spot. This adds unnecessary friction and hazard to an already demanding shift.

Why Your Voice Matters Now

We aren't raising these points to complain. We are raising them because we care about the sustainability of our team.

Working a mandatory six-day week is a significant sacrifice. That sacrifice should be met with a work environment that prioritizes our safety and compensation that reflects our extra effort. When policies like "Safety Above All" (POLICY-013) feel distant from our daily grind, it's up to us to bridge that gap.

Join the Conversation

We are gathering anonymous, fact-based data to advocate for the resources we need—whether that’s better staffing to support Team Lifts, realistic flow rates, or fair compensation for our Peak efforts.

If you are feeling the strain of this Peak Season, you are not alone. Your experience is a valuable piece of the puzzle.

Share your story with us. Let’s work together to make this Peak safe, successful, and fair for everyone.