(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Opinion: ULINE is one of the most recognizable companies in southeastern Wisconsin — a shipping-supply giant headquartered in Kenosha County, plastered across industrial parks, highways, and mailboxes nationwide. It is also one of the most politically outspoken major employers in the region, owned by billionaires Dick Uihlein and Liz Uihlein, two of the country’s most prominent conservative donors and vocal supporters of Donald Trump.
That alone isn’t unusual. Business owners have political views. Many donate. But what makes Uline different — and increasingly strange — is how deeply politics appears to bleed into its workplace culture, hiring practices, and internal operations.
For years, ULINE has been known as a notoriously difficult place to land a job. Multiple interviews. Strict appearance rules. Rigid expectations. An almost cult-like emphasis on “fit.” Employees are paid well, but the tradeoff is control — and for some, the cost is personal.
One of those people is Rita Bucur, a ULINE executive who works on the company’s graphics team and also serves as Village President of Salem Lakes. Bucur has told Kenosha County Eye that ULINE’s work-life balance is, in her words, brutal. The demands of the job routinely interfere with her elected duties. She has described being required to travel out of town and stay overnight — not for emergencies or crises, but to work on ULINE’s massive printed catalogs.
Catalogs that, ironically, often wind up stacked in recycling bins.
This isn’t a startup grinding to survive. This is a multibillion-dollar company run by owners who insist on old-school methods in a digital age, overseen by a founder who still inserts political and cultural lectures into glossy catalogs mailed by the millions.
Liz Uihlein, in particular, appears unable — or unwilling — to follow one of the oldest rules of business leadership: don’t inject personal politics into the workplace.
Yet she does. Frequently.
According to Bucur, Liz Uihlein’s “political guy,” Tony Povkovich, has an office directly next to hers. Povkovich’s own LinkedIn profile lists him as an operations analyst at ULINE since January 2019. Whatever the title, the proximity alone speaks volumes. Politics isn’t just tolerated at ULINE — it appears embedded.
That culture recently burst into national view after a Canadian ULINE employee resigned in dramatic fashion. As reported by The Guardian, Laura Wittmann quit after becoming overwhelmed by what she described as constant political messaging from ownership and a workplace environment she could no longer reconcile with her values. Her resignation letter — later removed from ULINE’s internal systems — was shared publicly and sparked widespread discussion about the company’s culture .
Whether one agrees with Wittmann’s politics or not is beside the point. The bigger issue is that an employee felt compelled to write a manifesto to escape her employer — and that management reportedly scrambled to erase it.
Then there’s the strangest contradiction of all.
Despite Liz Uihlein’s deep involvement in right-wing politics and her open disdain for certain media narratives, she is also one of the biggest financial supporters of the Kenosha News — a paper widely viewed as left-leaning by local readers. Uihlein purchases large quantities of the paper for distribution across ULINE facilities and is among its most significant advertisers.
At the same time, many ULINE employees openly support Kenosha County Eye.
On April 24, 2025, ULINE employees Rita Bucur, Sara Maslar-Donar, and other senior staff met specifically to discuss Kenosha County Eye. The feedback was positive. Complimentary. Curious. Not hostile.
Which raises the obvious question: what exactly is ULINE trying to be?
A conservative powerhouse?
A politically neutral employer?
A company obsessed with control?
Or simply a reflection of its founder’s personal worldview, imposed from the top down?
ULINE pays well. It attracts talented people. It also asks for a lot — sometimes too much — and seems unable to separate personal ideology from professional environment. That combination doesn’t make it evil. But it does make it unusual. And increasingly, uncomfortable.
Maybe that’s why so many people keep asking the same thing.
What’s up with ULINE?
141 Responses
A.I. will cut the Uline workforce in half by 2030.
Not if they reject it and keep a human-touch niche. Uline might do exceptionally well in an increasing non-human and inhuman AI environment. Counterintuitive. Uline’s old style ways to date have proven resilient and successfulb with loyal customers. Corporate culture “fit” has always been key in large companies for employee success. Other large area companies are also have demanding internal politics, e.g., Abbott and its premium compensated employees and culture. As a large successful pro Maga-Trump entity, it’s fully expected that Uline would be a very ripe target for Democrat partisan envy and anger.
Sounds like you need another hit of that “copeium” right there bud. You think for one minute they won’t embrace the efficiency and control Ai can bring? You’re not thinking like a fascist.
How much land is enough for Liz? They just bought all that land to the south of their big complex on 165 to the state line. And is she going to build another warehouse of paper products because she needs to have everything in her stupid catalog in a warehouse? She is a land whore and a wildlife killer. She wanted coyotes killed simply for yipping during her walking meetings on her outside track. She is crazy.
How much is enough for these awful solar farms?
Nah, Luiz knows what she wants and goes and gets it. Learn from her.
Uline paper bag quality sucks. They tear easily and are not worth a dime.
I bet Liz already gave Rita her walking papers.
Funny the money to start Uline came from Richard’s sale of Pabst for 12m in 1982. These 2 have to be older than dirt
The name comes from Schlitz family ownership.
And they drove it into bankruptcy
Sounds like you don’t know local history. Best to be quiet.
More money, more problems!!!!!
poor rita is going to be fired for this article. was it worth it? Back to being a realtor
How much space do you need to store bubble wrap?
Apparently a lot of big flipping warehouses.
A lot. Have you ever tried storing bubble wrap rolls? Obviously not, or you wouldn’t have asked such a stupid question. I don’t support what they’re doing, but I support their business practices. They have succeeded because when you order something from them there’s a 99 point something percent chance they will be able to ship immediately and frankly, that’s kind of important when you’re ordering something 🤣
I’m getting old, but wasn’t there a scandal at Uline a few years back. Something to do with employees planting video recorders in female shower facilities at a couple locations, like the RecPlex. Some top caliber folks this place employs.
Yes there was.
What does Uline have to do with how an employee conducts themselves outside of work?
Supposedly they only hire the top tier of citizens according to this article. Which is bullshit, lots of trash working at Uline.
“Top tier” = embrace the banality of evil. Or was it the dark side? Wonder if George Lucas was a Hanna Arendt fan.
Jeff Epstein was top tier
Not hard to be rich when you’re born that way. Their catalogs are annoying.
Plenty of other’s have managed to go belly up after having successful businesses handed to them.
Thats some resignation letter. Hit every left wing talking point lol.
She’ll have plenty of time off now.
The letter starts out with a false premise that we are rapidly descending into fascism. That makes the entire letter suspect
Let’s nationalize elections. Who needs conservative core American and conservative values right? State rights, small government, a ‘fiscal conservative’ 5 trillion in tax cut, kill legally holding 2nd amendment citizens, the law and order of ignoring du process… should I continue? So yeah, we are rapidly descending into a fascist America. We are 1930’s Germany. Next thing you know we’ll start pissing off all our allies and neighbors – oh wait. Hopefully we don’t start to lose our global reserve currency status and investors start looking for other places to put their money … oh wait. Maybe all the tariff money that “other counties will pay” will cover thr trade deficit- oh wait. Man so much winning. So glad we elected the swamp monster.
It is refreshing to see that a commenter on this site gets it. All these dim-witted MAGA cult members here are too enamored by Dear Leader to understand just how bad things are.
You misspoke, in reference to a legally holding 2nd amendment citizens. The man shot wasn’t legally carrying that day, a concealed carry permit requires you to carry the actual card as well as a valid ID and he carried neither.
Said no 2nd amendment Republican ever – you fascist.
THANK YOU…if he were legally carrying, he would have identification on him at all times…he was not legally carrying.
Are you sure? He didn’t have a chance to produce anything. He was shot first.
Also, you realize you’re diving into technicality to defend the killing of an American citizen who -regardless of procedures – was exercising his 2nd amendment rights.
Shame on you for trivializing his death over a technicality- if even true.
I can’t help but laugh about his death, along Nicole. They both deserve what they got.
lol what a troll. You think we’re upset? We know Heaven is real and that’s where he is. He wins.
Last time I checked we still have a 2nd amendment.
*Nazi voice* papers please. Papers!
Was carrying
So much gaslighting in a single post it’s hard to debate a lying marxist
Blind to reality. You must work at Uline.
I know many people who work at Uline, and they all say the same thing: the pay is great, but the rules are strict and unbending. I guess that’s why you can choose to take the job or not. If you want the money, you play by their rules, welcome to life.
Almost sounds fascist. Must be a comfort zone thing.
I find most marxist democrats don’t even know the meaning of fascist. They are, however, good at straw man arguments
Ok big shot make your argument. Better yet, what does the Republican Party stand for because I don’t know anymore. Voted Republican my whole life and it makes me sick when I look at what they have become.
Fiscal conservative? Nope. Faith based values? Nope. Small government? Nope. State rights? Nope. Rule of law? Nope. Meritocracy and the American dream? Nope.
So you tell me. What does they stand for? It sure isn’t American. Looks like a bunch of billionaire rapists all manipulating the system and taking advantage of everyone’s patriotism.
Imagine that. They want people to follow the rules and work. Do you even hear yourself?
It is expected in many companies that someone from any Creative/Design team would go on a press check for a catalog. That’s pretty standard.
Good for Uline. We still live in America…..they should be allowed to run their business any legal way they want.
Put your own money at risk ($12 or $12M if you have it) and then come back and tell us if you turned it into a multi-billion dollar business.
Spoiler: he hasn’t.
Exactly. It’s nice to see a successful business that runs things how they want to run them and not cave to society’s view of how they should do it. Do I agree with some of the details, no, but it’s not my business- it’s Liz’s. Good for her, congrats on the success.
They should be able to buy any politician they want.
Like all of the Silicon Valley Marxists?
Like all of the Citizens United ultra wealthy – regardless of geography or political leaning you partisan hack.
Nah, libtarded Marxists.
That’s Steve Mills job in Kenosha county
They have single handled saved the Kenosha Country Club from BK. Donating millions for renovations and improvements to the course.
These people demand high quality performance from their employees (as every organization should) but generously give money all over.
Take into account that usually when people leave there, they get much better higher paying positions… not because Uline is cheap, because they’ve trained you, you have experience, are now capable and disciplined because of them!!!
Cause most of us in the community are privileged enough to visit the Kenosha Country Club. 🤦
Well, try harder then.
Simple solution….Become a KFD Firefighter and have a veritable country club in your own back yard.
Work hard and you could afford the country club, why be jealous of those who can afford it.
Because they are socialists.
Oh I can definitely afford, but playing gold surrounded by snobby Italians is not what I call fun.
JEALOUSSSSS
Instead you stay home and play with your putter?
As a buyer for a manufacturer, Uline’s warehouses mean we get same or at the least next day shipping on everything we order. Our warehouse guys LOVE the extra “free” items too. Freaky how they answer the phone before I hear it ring on my end though. But I see buyer jobs open there all the time; tells me people don’t stay and there’s a reason for so many openings. Who needs that-
I wonder how the people at Manitowish Waters like ol Liz. She was all pissed off because they have floating bogs on that lake and she wanted to get rid of them as she did not care for them. It’s fucking nature Liz, you can’t bubble wrap your dock so floating bogs don’t stop in front of it. You are such a waste of skin.
Someone didn’t get hired LOL
Failed the pysch test
Errbody knows she bat-shit crazy —- been hearing that for 30 years from everyone —- she built a hell of a business , but all the other nonsense she does will be over soon —- she’s older than dirt
Ha. “Hell” of a business. The devil wears bubble wrap.
lol. How old is she ? Don’t forget her kids are involved in running the business so there’s that!
The owners did not support Harris-Walz unlike some Kenosha Firefighters and teachers.
The owners of Uline are very successful …they pick winners not losers.
Winners for whom? You must be a billionaire.
…and you’re not LMAO
Walz, the less masculine Hilary Clinton?
They employ a lot of people, who should be thankful to have a good paying job. If you don’t like what they stand for, leave. See if you can find another job that pays as well. Demanding, yes but you are learning life skills that will benefit you forever. If you don’t want to put up with the bullshit go work at Target. They are as liberal as they come and I bet you could make minimum wage with the bonus of working weekends and holidays. But you can put all of your liberalness out there for all the world to see with no political, LGBTQ or any other issues you have. It is refreshing that an employer can express their political views. I don’t see any stories on Penzey? They are as liberal as they come as far as companies go. No, pick on the Republican Company.
That is literally what the article is about. Leaving when you don’t like what they stand for. Know how to read?
The irony that she runs her company like a fascist dictator and supports one. It’s as if the Republican Party had become a fascist party.
You sound jealous
Nah, Biden is gone
Not so much liberal about their restrictive dress code.
So her “job” interferes with her “elected duties?” Boo hoo. Choose one or the other then. Nobody forced her name onto a ballot. Millions of people travel for work each week.
Hi, heres my resignation letter. i am a professional victim! liberalism is a disease. Entitled POS. Uline is better off without you.
Entitled? You don’t even know this person. Sounds like the world is better off without you. Fucking racist idiotic Trump thumper.
yawn. Trump is your president 😉
Yes, freedom of religion is a disease, freedom of speech is a disease, freedom of life liberty and the pursuit of anything core to American values are a disease. All those pesky liberal ideas said the British royalty.
Uline is a cult, do NOT WORK THERE!!
Do you get issued an arm band when you’re onboarded?
Sorry, no armband -at least not yet- just at hat.
If your lowly you get the red shirt.
Can you opt in for a red shirt?
Bright Russian Red
All I wanna know is when they going to start serving Chick-fil-a at the cafeteria. Taste the hate. Chicken marinated in liberal tears.
No, they do not pay well. I got asked to interview in corporate for a job I’m already doing somewhere else and the pay was half my current salary. Throughout the interview I learned, as a female, I needed to meet certain beauty standards and could be sent to a salon onsite if I was found to be lacking. And also, no pants for females?! Is this 1825!? I declined that “opportunity” the first chance I got.
That sounds rather fascist. Next thing you know and you’ll have to make sure the screws holes in the outlets are all perpendicular to the ground.
Yep. Applied there and found out about the “culture” during interview. It was a nope and I thanked them for their time.
Mature thing to do
Lol. I wore a skirt on my very first day of my very first job, back in the 90s. My team lead took me aside and explained very nicely that maybe I was bit overdressed for a job that involved a fair amount of crawling around behind desks hunting for cables. I do less crawling these days, but still haven’t worn a skirt to work since.
It’s hilarious when libs equate a rules-based/accountability-based work environment
to a cult. How did America become so soft and gross?
Also, now that Rita will be fired, she’s going to have more time on her hands
to fck up Salem. Thanks a lot, Kevin.
Rules like the constitution and due process? Like those kind of rules and accountability? Nah, those don’t matter. Who needs them as long as you’re cutting through that pesky political-constitutional red tape and “making America great again”.
BTW have you seen what MAGA stands for now on the international stage? Make America Go Away. We are so setup for the long haul. This President is winning the hearts and minds of the citizens of the world. We’ll totally be able to print our way out of debt with his international charisma and business acumen. I mean 1000% tariffs and Mexico paying for everything. Who could lose.
Trump won 👍🏻
Yep. He won the election and Americans lost everything in the process. Our morals. Our ethics. Our heritage. Our religion. Our constitution. So yeah, he won. We lost. You should probably go buy some Trump coin and hope that Martin Niemoller’s “they came for me” speech isn’t relived. Google it – educate yourself.
I used to love flipping through the Sears catalog, but that was 30 years ago. I cannot believe they still use catalogs at Uline, that is the only thing I took away from this article. That and it appears many of the ‘donations’ are self serving, so they mean nothing.
Yes, they do use paper catalogs. I’ve received several heavy print catalogs in the mail from them over the last few years – some thicker than the current phone book. It seems they’ve gone from several giant print catalogs each year to just one somewhat slimmer catalog once a year, but that could be just because it’s been a while since I ordered from them. I’ve never actually opened any of the catalogs, so I’m not sure what the differences are.
It’s hard to believe how liberals will talk poorly of a company that’s employed many people with decent paying jobs. Perhaps the author would prefer to see more Starbucks with barista positions. This is a private company and they are well within their rights to run it as they see fit. Obviously, they’ve been very successful and should be applauded for this.
Frank, that would require a thriving middle class, closing the billionaire tax loopholes, and then actually having them paying taxes.
Guess we’ll just have to settle for forced lower interest rates, at the expense of our larger economy, so they can barrow against their assets that appreciate faster than the interest they pay for living expenses AND never pay capitol gains like the rest of us peons.
You’re think way too pedestrian. Put your billionaire hat on man.
Yeah because the 5 trillion in tax cuts vs our healthcare wasn’t enough. Fuck republicans and their false promises and values. It’s all bullshit.
Here you go, fuck republicans cause handouts are being taken away. Go suck dick on the corner if you need healthcare.
Handouts like the sports team stadiums? Foxconn deal? What about Amazon tax credits? Endless list of ultra wealthy getting massive handouts while the middle class and poor are pitted against each other saying shit like this dumbass just posted above.
Reality is it’s aocialism for the ultra wealthy capitalism for the poor.
You’re one sad ignorant person.
I love being a Republican, it feels great to win
Well the Canadian far-left lunatic making her useless life visible for the world to see is typical. Maybe the POS should go work for someone more of her type. The racist and bigoted Bill Penzey who actually writes libelous garbage in all of his catalogs.
Not sure why the hate for Uline since they stand for all American’s and for America. Penzey stands with the Soros crime family as anti-American racists.
Is the buzz word of the year fascist? Nothing stopped any of you people complaining about the pay or their own income in starting your own company. My goodness… if ULINE were to pull up stakes and move to another state, you would have stroke over that decision too. They employ alot of people in this community as does Amazon. I swear… people are really something else. Its not Ulines fault on how expensive things are. Its the love of money that got us in the situation we face.Look in the mirror people.
Democrats are retarded, that’s why
It’s not a buzz word it’s a lifestyle. Just ask Republican Jesus. Google the memes it’s with it. The healthcare ones are my favorite.
Haha. I totally want a Republican Jesus t-shirt now.
Trump is your daddy, BITCHES! Three more years of his wonderful policies and millions of illegals still to be deported. Give 2 shits about anything else, I voted for him to take the trash out. And the last thing we needed was a dot head that claimed to be from Africa.
You realize we have no sustainable population growth to fuel our economy longterm and handle our debt based on current birth rates? Consumption is our economy and without new bodies we have no consumption. I guess we could just take away peoples liberty and just force them to have children that they can’t afforded through unrealistic healthcare policies grounded in religious beliefs vs medicine which creates a modern form o slavery based on debt.
This guy is big brain. Loves paying top dollar for produce.
Yeah but dude you say stuff like this to make yourself feel important. In reality, you aren’t rich enough for it to matter who the President is, you aren’t important enough, you aren’t educated enough, and you live in Kenosha….taking out the trash of other countries literally is something no one in Kenosha experiences ever.
So….what is Trump doing that has any effect, positive or negative, on anyone living here. It’s so weird to hear people talk about politics now. It’s like talking about famous people like you know them when they literally don’t know you exist. It’s weird.
Gas prices are down is one…
As a buyer for a manufacturer, Uline’s warehouses mean we get same or at the least next day shipping on everything we order. Our warehouse guys LOVE the extra “free” items too. Freaky how they answer the phone before I hear it ring on my end though. But I see buyer jobs open there all the time; tells me people don’t stay and there’s a reason for so many openings. Who needs That?
Why work and pay in to SS when the government subsidies are given for votes?
Republican should love to pay into social security. After all it’s abbreviated “SS” … get it? SS… nazi… Schutzstaffel
We just call it ICE now.
You all keep living the lie. Your opinions means nothing. Money talks and that’s it. Merica was built on genocide. Keep working and obey, at the end you will have nothing. “Confusion and Ignorance “ Will be your epithet
LMAO
Just speculation but in Kenosha County likely upwards of 50% of those able to work either decline or are to lazy to do so, or engage in very flawed life style decisions—many are unable to pass any type of pre-employment drug test, or have some sort of criminal record, no drivers license and certainly no ability to gain a CDL, and then there are those who exhibit anti social attitudes or unable to read and comprehend written instructions. Oh yeah….don’t forget the history you have left on social media.
It’s the way it is and generally those who proclaim they would never work in “that” environment never ever qualified in the first place—-but of course there is hope—apply at KUSD, KFD, or GTI–you will be among people no one else in their right mind would hire.
Wow Jake… go to a mirror and smile dude. Go to work and pay what’s owed has been in existence for a long time. Genocide??? Really? In the end I’ll have nothing?? Not true. Get yourself to a doctor or someone who can help you. BUT it may cost money to get that needed help. Yes we need money to survive and has also been that way for a long time.
This is fabulous,
In a country where you can build an empire, pay twice the amount of Amazon but require zero tolerance of Gen Z bullshit and excuses and still catch negative press. I don’t work there, but I know people who do and they all say it’s a typical production performance based job. If your W/B/M/Lgbtqrstuv you have an opportunity for succeeding within a place that’s investing in the area.
See, people like Bucur are now used not being recognized as a leader, because well. A billion dollar company requires people who have leadership skills and she failed in her expectational role, so being the narcissistic person she is, used that role to become a Salem lakes Administrator where she can utilize said Narc skill under the guise of “leadership”
Because “she knows crazy”
Jesus man.
This site is the one who backed Bucur in the race for that village or whatever little Salem Lakes is. Literally no one gives two fucks about what is going on in Salem Lakes except the 90 people who live there. Is it the same as Salem? Is there a lake in Salem? I literally don’t fucking care. She only won because this site was the only one who bothered to even write about the existence of it.
So whose fault is it really?
Yawn
Village idiot
I DO work there and agree 110%…..lol Gen Z bullshit and excuses….gotta love that statement …sad but true !!
I guess there is no morality clause at Uline or Rita would have been fired a while ago.
She has been buckwild since that divorce!
Does her boyfriend the farmer know he is in a open relationship?
That guy is a liberal wacko, so weird
So Kevin, rude people can say “Trump is your daddy, BITCHES!” but you’re censoring my rational comments?
That’s a pretty hilarious letter by Liz Uihlein: “… you can quit a job without losing coverage and go where the grass looks greener.”
Well, yes, that’s one of the glories of at-will employment, employees can quit if they think they can find a better job elsewhere. Sounds like Ms Uihlein believes the “at-will” should apply to employers only.
I would be curious as to how Uline gets around tariffs. Most of “their” product is from China. I hope someone at the federal level will look into this after the current regime collapses.