FedEx has to do what is in the best interest of the corporation as a whole. "FedEx It" has been replaced by "how cheaply can I get it there?". Service has given way to the bottom line. As bbsam said, investors want to see results and don't necessarily care how those results are achieved. Buyouts have not produced the desired results. Shifting non-priority work to Ground and converting Express to a part-time opco may be their only option at this point.
Buyouts are taking place in 3 waves. And there are other components to their plan. The goal is $3.8Billion in profit by 2016 so why the expectation for instant results? Not defending what they're doing but let's not panic people. Last year layoffs and 5 hr splits and 3 day freight being shifted to Ground were all supposed to have happened by now if you believe everything written here. I've no doubt changes are coming, are already happening, and they aren't in our best interest. Where I'm at the route goals can't be met without working on my break. If I do that I'm pretty much giving back at least 5 years worth of raises. We need to stand up for ourselves but let's stick to what's actually happening, not conjecture.