Part-Timer Abuse

[MrFedEx]

If you're PT at FedEx, you are undoubtedly familiar with the feast or famine aspect of the job. Ironically,management seems to think lately that PT couriers are no longer subject to the rules that FedEx itself has laid-out for this category. If they don't need you, there's no problem for them in sending you home with only 2 hours on the clock. But if they DO need you, the employee is pressured to bend over backwards to serve the needs of the company. It doesn't really matter if you have kids, school, another job, or whatever reason you're PT in the first-place, if you don't work, YOU are "inflexible" and have a "bad attitude".

My favorite is when you do work all day for them, and then they send you home early another day so the 25 hour limit is not exceeded. You screw-up your plans for them, and then they slap you in the face by cutting your hours another day. And if you actually want FT, you can forget it because they can't afford to upgrade anyone right now. If you work 40 this week, you'll probably get 17.5 hrs next week as payback for all of your efforts to help the company.

Please remember that FedEx can only hold you 30 mins past your scheduled end time, and that if you have kids or other responsibilities such as elder care, another job, or school, that the 30 minute deal still holds. They also cannot force you to work your scheduled days off, another rule that conveniently gets "forgotten" all the time.

This is yet another example of how a "blanket" policy that covers the entire company makes little or no sense. Some areas are so short of drivers that there is plenty of work for the PT couriers who want the hours, yet they are not allowed to work. Both the company and the customer suffer under this scenario.

 

[helenofcalifornia]

I know that we have it bad at UPS, but, damn, I am sure glad we have the Union with a contract. I feel for you, brother.

 

[New Englander]

How is it a problem?
If your part time and want to go full time would it not benefit you to be flexible?

 

[superswing]

I guess it depends where you work. At my station, some part timers work as much or more hours than a full timer. Also, there isn't a problem if a mgr calls a part timer to work extra hours. If he/she refuses there's always some else that would want the hours.

 

[MrFedEx]

"Flexibility" is a one-way street at FedEx. Let's say you work a full shift to help out during the week and you're PT on a Tues-Sat schedule. More likely than not, your hours will be cut on Saturday so you don't exceed 25 for the week. In other words, if you just worked your regular hours, you'd still be at 25 overall. So being flexible gains you nothing.

The same manager who is begging you to work extra hours Monday will be more than happy to send you home with 2 hours on Tuesday...again, no net gain to the courier. So many PT people will bend over backwards to help out, yet there is no appreciation shown by FedEx....it's just expected that you will do it. Those who don't can get a lot of pressure by desperate ops managers who try to bamboozle drivers who don't understand FedEx policy. Most couriers don't bother to inform themselves and lose the chance to use the company PT policies to their advantage.

The other aspect of PT work that gets people in trouble is disability. If you get injured while PT, you're up Creek because there are no benefits. I know plenty of people who have busted their ass to help-out by working extra hours only to get injured and be denied any compensation. Once you're hurt, you're no longer of any use and will be a target for termination. Nearly every injury at FedEx is ruled "preventable", so whatever you did had to be your fault and you need to be kicked to the curb. What a great company!!

 

[New Englander]

Is not the compensation of working extra on one day getting out early at the end of the week or even having the day off? Some may actually like that. I would love it if I came into UPS and my manager said since you worked 11 hours last night you only have to work 5 today!

When I was a FedEx Express courier I got the same benefits Part-time vs Full-time. Has that changed.

On the flip side - if you hate it so much. Quit and go work for Brown.

 

[MrFedEx]

Part-timers don't get disability, otherwise benefits are the same. I'd work for Brown but I'm too old to switch over and do the waiting game. My plan is to change careers within the year and get out of the business entirely.

What UPS people don't understand is the absolute power management has at FedEx relative to UPS, where you have a union that sets some boundaries. It only takes a lIttle while for most couriers to figure it out and at least try and stand-up for themselves. Unfortunately, some never get it and are abused every day.

I have worked for UPS before, albeit as a seasonal Feeder Driver, and although you're worked hard, at least you have some power to limit the tactics of management.

 

[New Englander]

I never once saw any management/hourly problem at FedEx while I was there.

The Union/Management existence does not always make for a friendly work environment especially when there is little real fear for your job.

 

[MrFedEx]

I never once saw any management/hourly problem at FedEx while I was there.

The Union/Management existence does not always make for a friendly work environment especially when there is little real fear for your job.

You must have been with FedEx a long time ago. The lack of a union makes the fear of losing your job a distinct possibility at all times. The GFT and Open Door policies hardly qualify as legitimate grievance procedures since management holds all the cards. There are plenty of ex-employees who were fired for petty reasons that would have meant nothing at a union shop like UPS.The exception is if you are a minority...then you're like Teflon and are exceptionally hard to terminate. The double-standard is especially prevalent now that FedEx is trying extra hard to show how "diverse" and PC they are.

 

[kathy from Tn]

If you're PT at FedEx, you are undoubtedly familiar with the feast or famine aspect of the job. Ironically,management seems to think lately that PT couriers are no longer subject to the rules that FedEx itself has laid-out for this category. If they don't need you, there's no problem for them in sending you home with only 2 hours on the clock. But if they DO need you, the employee is pressured to bend over backwards to serve the needs of the company. It doesn't really matter if you have kids, school, another job, or whatever reason you're PT in the first-place, if you don't work, YOU are "inflexible" and have a "bad attitude".

My favorite is when you do work all day for them, and then they send you home early another day so the 25 hour limit is not exceeded. You screw-up your plans for them, and then they slap you in the face by cutting your hours another day. And if you actually want FT, you can forget it because they can't afford to upgrade anyone right now. If you work 40 this week, you'll probably get 17.5 hrs next week as payback for all of your efforts to help the company.

Please remember that FedEx can only hold you 30 mins past your scheduled end time, and that if you have kids or other responsibilities such as elder care, another job, or school, that the 30 minute deal still holds. They also cannot force you to work your scheduled days off, another rule that conveniently gets "forgotten" all the time.

This is yet another example of how a "blanket" policy that covers the entire company makes little or no sense. Some areas are so short of drivers that there is plenty of work for the PT couriers who want the hours, yet they are not allowed to work. Both the company and the customer suffer under this scenario.

 

[ex fed exer]

mr fed ex how true you are. what most people do not know or care to know is fed ex is an evil empire. Fred S is worse than hitler or stalin. smith tolerates his "assets" people becaus he needs some to be his pack mule.if there ever was a company that needed a union it's third reich fed ex.

remember, all of you non union people are "at will employees" which means that if they don't like the way you look today, bye bye. they don't ned a reason. i've seen the most dedicated people thrown out of the company for no reason.smith is an ass who will rot in hell for his policies. thank god u.p.s. and the union exsits. tomorrow 8/1/08 we get a raise and a new contract. $29.00 here we come

 

[New Englander]

mr fed ex how true you are. what most people do not know or care to know is fed ex is an evil empire. Fred S is worse than hitler or stalin. smith tolerates his "assets" people becaus he needs some to be his pack mule.if there ever was a company that needed a union it's third reich fed ex.

remember, all of you non union people are "at will employees" which means that if they don't like the way you look today, bye bye. they don't ned a reason. i've seen the most dedicated people thrown out of the company for no reason.smith is an ass who will rot in hell for his policies. thank god u.p.s. and the union exsits. tomorrow 8/1/08 we get a raise and a new contract. $29.00 here we come

At will employment varies from state to state.

 

[ex fed exer]

At will employment varies from state to state.

no union, no right to your job. period

 

[COSMOS]

I still think FedEx is one of the hardest places to get terminated from. Accidents and falcification are about it. And those kind of situations usually result in a long line of warning letters and decision days before you actually get fired. It always amazes me how many people who were fired with good reason end up with their job back.

 

[BLACKBOX]

As hard to believe as it seems I've run into a lot of ex-ups'ers working for FDX now and then. Its simple, the wait is so long to try to get a pkg driver position at UPS that probably economics forces them to apply at FDX where the odds of getting a full time courier job is greater.

Working part-time at any job you have to expect you will get tossed around wherever they need you and expect you to accept the challenge. What do p/t expect anyway? to be treated like someone who has tenure? Boo-hoo.......suck it up!

 

[MrFedEx]

As hard to believe as it seems I've run into a lot of ex-ups'ers working for FDX now and then. Its simple, the wait is so long to try to get a pkg driver position at UPS that probably economics forces them to apply at FDX where the odds of getting a full time courier job is greater.

Working part-time at any job you have to expect you will get tossed around wherever they need you and expect you to accept the challenge. What do p/t expect anyway? to be treated like someone who has tenure? Boo-hoo.......suck it up!

Every job has a period where you have to pay your dues. The problem is that at FedEx, it never ends. They want you to suck IT, not suck it up. There's no such thing as tenure at a company that considers you completely disposable.

 

[FEDEX ALL THE WAY]

All of you out there need to be thankful you even have a job. Count your blessings that you can bring a paycheck home. You need to look at the good things in life. Some of us don't have that in this economy right now, trying to feed your family.
Please get a grip and go on thinking positive thoughts about your job. A little hard work doesn't hurt anyone. Think about it first before complaining.

 

[Mr Right]

You must have been with FedEx a long time ago. The lack of a union makes the fear of losing your job a distinct possibility at all times. The GFT and Open Door policies hardly qualify as legitimate grievance procedures since management holds all the cards. There are plenty of ex-employees who were fired for petty reasons that would have meant nothing at a union shop like UPS.The exception is if you are a minority...then you're like Teflon and are exceptionally hard to terminate. The double-standard is especially prevalent now that FedEx is trying extra hard to show how "diverse" and PC they are.

When was the last time a FedEx employee was laid off? How would like to be in Chicago right now where the union and UPS has a hand shake agreement about a contract? That is great job security in todays times.

 

[drewed]

When was the last time a FedEx employee was laid off? How would like to be in Chicago right now where the union and UPS has a hand shake agreement about a contract? That is great job security in todays times.

Umm, thats how a union contract works, handshake, to ratification vote, to up or down by the union....theres job security in it because the union would fight it if they laid off any employees

 

[MrFedEx]

All of you out there need to be thankful you even have a job. Count your blessings that you can bring a paycheck home. You need to look at the good things in life. Some of us don't have that in this economy right now, trying to feed your family.
Please get a grip and go on thinking positive thoughts about your job. A little hard work doesn't hurt anyone. Think about it first before complaining.

You sound like the Church Lady...get a grip. If FedEx is so great, why are so many people LEAVING on a daily basis? And in a fairly deep recession too. Your username says it all. Do you also smoke crack while you drink so deeply from Fred's Kool-Aid? Jim Jones would have loved you...keep right in believing in the Purple Promise fool.