Couldn't agree with you more. A lot of folks think the company cares that they don't like their jobs or won't go out of the way to service the customer. Nothing could be further from the truth. They determined long ago that a happy workforce was a luxury more expensive than they cared to buy.
And yes, we all bow to those above us. If you're not in the 1%, you are a servant of the one percent. I could cause all kinds of problems for those above me and it might ripple at the district level and cause a water cooler conversation between two lackies in Pittsburgh, but that's about it. It wouldn't change the company and Fred S would never hear about it. It's exactly the way they want it.
No Teamsters=No union at Express. That should be evident by now. A grassroots movement has little chance against the RLA as it stands. And Smith consistently is able to keep the RLA unchanged through his political activities and connections.
If an entire Express station were to walk-out, it would certainly get their attention, but the end result would be a massive firing. Now, if 50 stations were to walk-out, you've got something tangible.
Sammy likes to poke fun at me because he thinks we need a charismatic leader who will lead us on to the Promised Land. As nice as that sounds, it simply isn't doable without a national, organized effort, and that means the Teamsters.
And as long as Jim cashes Fred's checks, that isn't going to happen.