Ricochet1a
Well-Known Member
Excellent question. To keep it short (I'll try), it all depends on what "type" of employee more so than what other company they work for.
As an aside, my background prior to Express was oriented towards white collar positions, so that was the perspective I had coming into Express - I had my own learning process in dealing with the different lifestyles and perspectives of fellow wage employees while I worked for Express.
In general (what it took me over a year to learn while attempting to organize), I found that employees who are traditionally defined as "blue collar" employees (Express wage employees), ARE NOT as likely to question the motives of their employer when it comes to changes in compensation, as are employees who are in either a "white collar" position or "professional" position.
I believe this is due primarily to the differing personal economics of the different "classes" of employees, and to a lesser degree the differing educational experiences between the two "groups".
Blue collar employees are (in my observation) more fearful of potentially losing their employment, since their personal finanical situation is more dire (for the lack of a better word), than the situations of white collar and professional employees. Put bluntly, if a blue collar employee lost their employment for whatever reason, they would be in finanical difficulty much sooner than either a white collar or professional employee. This very real fear results in blue collar employees being much more cautious in attempting to push for increases in compensation - and far less likely to voluntarily end their employment should their compensation be reduced. Employers know this about their wage employees, and exploit this fact to keep the compensation offered, relatively low. This is where unions have a role to play in helping to level the field between wage employees and their employer.
Conversely, white collar and professional employees are constantly looking for "greener pastures" - either actively or passively - so they are constantly evaluating their current compensation and comparing that with compensation levels offered by other potential employers. Should a "better deal" come along, white collar employees and professionals are much more likely to switch employers, than blue collar employees. Since "seniority" is a concept more tied to blue collar occupations, white collar employees aren't as concerned with "losing it" (seniority), should they change employers.
Blue collar employees tend to see "career" as building security with a SINGLE employer, giving their labor (hard work) and time (loyalty) in exchange for a wage that they can live and retire with. Blue collar employees by necessity develop a degree of "trust" with their employers (I'd argue that it is a quasi-form of "Stockholm Syndrome") - that white collar employees don't. Switching employers for blue collar occupations more often than not results in their losing seniority (the "currency" of wage employees) and therefore wage rate received. Given the more "dire" financial circumstances of blue collar employees to begin with, the risk of switching employers is GREATER for blue collar occupations than it is for white collar and professional occupations.
As far as educational differences... white collar and professional employees tend to have the "educational tools" to quickly evaluate any changes in their compensation (salary, health coverage, retirement plans and other benefits) offered by their employer, to determine NET value of their overall compensation. Blue collar employees tend to look solely at wage rate and deductions from their pay stub to pay for their benefits - to determine the "value" of their overall compensation package. This leaves the "hidden" changes done by employers (most often retirement plans, but also health insurance coverage), not being given the weight they should be by blue collar employees in determining the real value of their overall compensation.
To be blunt, most Express wage employees didn't/don't have a clue as to what they lost when the DBPP was pulled and replaced with the PPP. Under the DBPP, ALL employees could very quickly determine what their pension would be at age 60, based upon their time of service and average of end years income. With the PPP, hardly any employee can get an accurate picture of what they will receive as a pension at age 60 - and how long that will hold out. An Express employee which has no coverage under DBPP, lost over half of their "potential" pension (what they would've received under DBPP rules) with the adoption of the PPP.
Up until the mid-90s, Federal Express was "exceptional" - they were a growing company, they needed the employees in order to grow, and needed to compensate them fairly. The employees of Federal Express may not have received the absolute top of potential compensation, but the working environment made up for that. Well, the screw turned, and FedEx Express didn't really need the employees in order to grow (they could be replaced without too much loss in productivity) - so the compensation was gradually and deliberately squeezed, until the differential between UPS and Express has reached current status. Now the Couriers and RTDs of Express are in a situation where they are paid just over half of what comparable employees in UPS are paid. To add insult to injury, the working environment has deteriorated.
I doubt it. Back in 2009, I thought that the wage employees WOULD "see the light", seize the opportunity and organize. There are just too many "sheep" and "Kool Aid drinkers" out there, to ever realize a possibility for change. When the wage employees do finally "see the light", it will be too late for them to do anything about it. Dynamic ROADS will be fully implemented, so there will be no need whatsoever for experienced Couriers. When Express fully realizes their vision, the career Courier will be unnecesary, and Couriers will rotate through Express much like handlers do. Attrition will gradually eliminate the experienced Courier (not many will hang around for a "career" of putting in 10-11 hour days, and getting paid for about 7) and all that will be left are part-timers who will put in a "career" of 3-5 years (what many managers have already admitted is the goal of Express).
So much for my attempt to be short...
They think this is healthy for America, well maybe they don't. They think it's healthy for the company, but a healthy America is important to. Perhaps the Min Wage needs to be addressed higher, since a lot of jobs that used to not be one, are becoming one. This isn't going to do Fedex or UPS any good, too many people will not be able to afford the products they ship today. It's really short sighted and all driven by Traders, not long term investors. But how can you undo it?
