Making Ends Meet

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
As we are already seeing, FedEx is making an all-out effort to cut our pay. Not pilot pay, not management pay...hourly pay. Most couriers I know are nowhere near topout and probably make somewhere from $40-$50,000 per year, and that includes as much OT as they can get. OK, so what happens when OT is gone AND your weekly hours are just around 35?

I don't see a lot of fancy cars in our parking lot, and I know that most of my fellow employees have working spouses, kids, mortgages, and all those other expenses that add-up in a hurry. Lop-off, say 25% off your take-home pay each week, and what happens? Nothing good, I can assure you. And Fred will keep right on sticking it to you, with even higher insurance premiums etc, because of the "economic climate".

As soon as I write this, our Apologist-In Chief is going to get on here and say things like, "You should live within your means", "FedEx never promised anyone more than 35 hours", and "Down-sizing and right-sizing are the reality of today's business world", and on and on. You get where I'm going.

This whole scam is crap, and we all (except a few) get it. A 10% profit for Express is shooting for the moon, and Smith knows it. There are a lot of other ways FedEx could cut fat out of the operation, but Smith knows he can get it from us with the least amount of pushback. The pilots have a contract, smart flyboys that they are. Fred can try to screw them, but they'd shut his glider fleet down in a heartbeat. They know he's an A-hole, and they were smart enough to drag his whimpering ass to the bargaining table. Smith caved.

All of those cubicle-dwellers in MEM could stand a once-over. Over and over again, they make dumb and costly mistakes (buying obsolete fuel hog airplanes, ROADS, Re-branding Kinkos) and they still sit there, fat, dumb and happy thinking of ways to make us more "efficient". Never mind that they don't know the first thing about field operations. If the spreadsheet says it"works", then, by God, let's implement that stupid idea (think Gap times).

While you struggle to pay your bills, Fred and the upper echelon are going to be making big bank. So will Boeing. So will Ground contractors, who are going to see a quantum leap in volume. Investors will be happy, because Fred has promised them a 10% profit margin that will never be delivered. This is another "bulletproof" plan that will be shot full of holes like Swiss Cheese. It's what Wall Street wants to hear. Never mind that it's a crap sandwich. Fedex is already back-pedaling from 10% because Boeing won't be able to deliver all of those new airplanes for awhile. The excuses have already begun, and it isn't even October yet.

Why? Because the talent that makes efficiency possible at FedEx is going to either leave OR finally realize that they are just pawns in a big game of Monopoly that they can never win. So they won't give that extra effort, and when peak rolls around, maybe they'll tell Fred to stick it in his ass because they had to get a job at Target so they didn't lose their house.

So, come October, when you and your significant other sit down at the dining room table and wonder how you're going to meet your obligations, look toward Memphis, slowly raise your middle finger in the air, and say "EFF YOU, SMITH", because he is why you're going to suffer.

Thanks again, Fred.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
Y'all can't get to a measly 10%? I think you can.

On the lowest payscale a topped out courier averaging 45 hrs a week and dropping to 35hrs will lose close to $14k a year gross. That number goes up with each payscale. I think they'll make the 10%.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
Fedex is already back-pedaling from 10% because Boeing won't be able to deliver all of those new airplanes for awhile. The excuses have already begun, and it isn't even October yet.

I'm hoping this plus problems with Dynamic ROADS will buy me another year of 40hrs+ weeks. I need 2 years, 3 would be better. And don't discount local mgrs effing everything up.
 

Ricochet1a

Well-Known Member
...Because the talent that makes efficiency possible at FedEx is going to either leave OR finally realize that they are just pawns in a big game of Monopoly that they can never win. So they won't give that extra effort, and when peak rolls around, maybe they'll tell Fred to stick it in his ass because they had to get a job at Target so they didn't lose their house.

Full-time Couriers are already getting supplemental employment (outside part-time jobs), to make ends meets. I've received reports of station managers getting nervous about employees handing them their work schedules for their outside job. These Couriers are already being threatened with "outside employment cannot interfere with Express scheduling" and being threatened with disciplinary actions if their outside work in anyway conflicts with Express "needs".

The individuals that do station scheduling (ususlly a wage employee) can easily work around the schedules that are given to them by Couriers with outside employment, BUT station management is telling the schedulers to NOT give any flexibility - they want conflicts to arise so these Couriers with outside employment are forced into making a choice between Express and whatever employment. They want these people GONE.

There are also problems with part-timers who hold additional employment. Express technically can't compel these people to work outside their scheduled hours - but these people don't have the flexibility that Express management wants ("can you stay a couple of extra hours", or "can you run an additional route"). Part-timers who have outside employment have the ability to say NO, and there is nothing Express management can do about it.

With Express Saver disappearing, I think "peak 2012" will be much lighter than past peaks. There won't be as many over-the-counter consumer shipments (who in the hell is going to pay full 2nd day rates - unless it is an absolute emergency). The station CSAs will be swamped with Ground volume to be shipped, but I think Express over-the-counter volume will be no where near historical levels - with 3rd day option gone.
 

chargerlou

Well-Known Member
On the lowest payscale a topped out courier averaging 45 hrs a week and dropping to 35hrs will lose close to $14k a year gross. That number goes up with each payscale. I think they'll make the 10%.
I already figured im gonna lose over $220 a week just by the elimination of my pick up route..
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
I already figured im gonna lose over $220 a week just by the elimination of my pick up route..

I'm selling my pickup, speaking of pickups, to my nephew and biking fulltime. The town I'm transferring to is half the size in area of my current location. At 35 hrs I'll be in the mid-30k's. This sucks!
 

Goldilocks

Well-Known Member
Full-time Couriers are already getting supplemental employment (outside part-time jobs), to make ends meets. I've received reports of station managers getting nervous about employees handing them their work schedules for their outside job. These Couriers are already being threatened with "outside employment cannot interfere with Express scheduling" and being threatened with disciplinary actions if their outside work in anyway conflicts with Express "needs".

The individuals that do station scheduling (ususlly a wage employee) can easily work around the schedules that are given to them by Couriers with outside employment, BUT station management is telling the schedulers to NOT give any flexibility - they want conflicts to arise so these Couriers with outside employment are forced into making a choice between Express and whatever employment. They want these people GONE. Old news, has been going on since I was hired. Was told many years ago that if you are FT, Fedex is your main priority of income. And no, I dont agree but its just the way it is.

There are also problems with part-timers who hold additional employment. Express technically can't compel these people to work outside their scheduled hours - but these people don't have the flexibility that Express management wants ("can you stay a couple of extra hours", or "can you run an additional route"). Part-timers who have outside employment have the ability to say NO, and there is nothing Express management can do about it.
True, but management has a way of managing by intimidation, and can make it very hard on those individuals.

With Express Saver disappearing, I think "peak 2012" will be much lighter than past peaks. There won't be as many over-the-counter consumer shipments (who in the hell is going to pay full 2nd day rates - unless it is an absolute emergency). The station CSAs will be swamped with Ground volume to be shipped, but I think Express over-the-counter volume will be no where near historical levels - with 3rd day option gone.
 

Goldilocks

Well-Known Member
I'm selling my pickup, speaking of pickups, to my nephew and biking fulltime. The town I'm transferring to is half the size in area of my current location. At 35 hrs I'll be in the mid-30k's. This sucks!

Just curious, how much does a courier make per hour in California? I know the cost of living is outragous. Are you by any chance going to the Hollywood Station? I know the Senior there, no comment...
 

HomeDelivery

Well-Known Member
they'll start with the highest paid couriers first, once ROADS is in full effect & running efficiently... like i've seen on other coroportations/ even gov't, they're going to be reluctant to cut the fat from the top level.
 

Goldilocks

Well-Known Member
they'll start with the highest paid couriers first, once ROADS is in full effect & running efficiently... like i've seen on other coroportations/ even gov't, they're going to be reluctant to cut the fat from the top level.

You are probably right. I will be the first to go...
 

59 Dano

I just want to make friends!
As soon as I write this, our Apologist-In Chief is going to get on here and say things like, "You should live within your means", "FedEx never promised anyone more than 35 hours", and "Down-sizing and right-sizing are the reality of today's business world", and on and on. You get where I'm going.

No, no, and absolutely. You can dismiss it if you want to.

All of those cubicle-dwellers in MEM could stand a once-over. Over and over again, they make dumb and costly mistakes (buying obsolete fuel hog airplanes, ROADS, Re-branding Kinkos) and they still sit there, fat, dumb and happy thinking of ways to make us more "efficient". Never mind that they don't know the first thing about field operations. If the spreadsheet says it"works", then, by God, let's implement that stupid idea (think Gap times).

The cubicle-dwellers' ranks have been thinning over the past 3+ years and are still thinning as we speak.

If you have the business sense to run a multibillion dollar company and can submit a detailed plan to get Express to its 10% goal without cutting hours or hourly positions, send it to Memphis. They still get their 10%, hourlies will keep their hours, and they can avert the negative publicity that would come with job cuts.

Why? Because the talent that makes efficiency possible at FedEx is going to either leave OR finally realize that they are just pawns in a big game of Monopoly that they can never win. So they won't give that extra effort, and when peak rolls around, maybe they'll tell Fred to stick it in his ass because they had to get a job at Target so they didn't lose their house.

Still dreaming of the proletariat uprising?
 

XFILED

Well-Known Member
Just curious, how much does a courier make per hour in California? I know the cost of living is outragous. Are you by any chance going to the Hollywood Station? I know the Senior there, no comment...

Not enough unless your in Silicon Valley..
And the Hollywood Station closed down and moved into the Culver City Station..
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
No, no, and absolutely. You can dismiss it if you want to.



The cubicle-dwellers' ranks have been thinning over the past 3+ years and are still thinning as we speak.

If you have the business sense to run a multibillion dollar company and can submit a detailed plan to get Express to its 10% goal without cutting hours or hourly positions, send it to Memphis. They still get their 10%, hourlies will keep their hours, and they can avert the negative publicity that would come with job cuts.



Still dreaming of the proletariat uprising?

Yep, MEM sure has business sense, don't they? I'm not expecting a major uprising, but if one happened, I would enjoy it iimmensely. Please provide statistics that prove your statement that the cubicle-dwellers ranks are being "thinned". Another empty "fact".
 
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