Serious Hours reduction coming after June 1.

Kevinmevin

Active Member
Just have to add that last week on the Ground side, we were informed that a new Time Keeping System is being rolled out system wide to ground, which automatically spits out write ups if you are late 3+ minutes from your scheduled start time. (This is the package handler side in the hubs not drivers btw). See how this goes, I assume this is to try to get rid of some people!
 

Ricochet1a

Well-Known Member
Just have to add that last week on the Ground side, we were informed that a new Time Keeping System is being rolled out system wide to ground, which automatically spits out write ups if you are late 3+ minutes from your scheduled start time. (This is the package handler side in the hubs not drivers btw). See how this goes, I assume this is to try to get rid of some people!

From what I understand on the Express side, they've already implemented a system if an employee keys in a start time that is later than the scheduled start time in their powerpad - an alert is automatically sent to their manager.

The reason this is being done, is to ensure uniformity in handing out discipline to employees for tardiness. The only reason to ensure uniformity in handing out discipline, is to prevent any legal issues from arising when they do start handing out Warning Letters then termination notices to employees due to clocking in later than scheduled. If there is a uniform corporate wide policy on tardiness and handing out discipline and potential termination due to tardiness issues, there isn't any room for lawyers to claim unfair treatment or arbitrary treatment in potential litigation.

Since the elimination of the performance review (the linking of the performance review to pay increases), there has been an increase in both tardiness and use of sick days within Express. Employees no longer have to worry about a single tardy or sick day cutting their pay raise by 0.3%. So employees are now more casual about clocking in a bit late or calling in sick if they want a day off. As long as they maintain less than about 9 late clock-in's within a 12 month running period, nothing can happen to them. In the past, employees wouldn't dare clock in late - it would cost them too much in their pay raise - with follow on consequences for each subsequent year since there was no way to "catch-up" the results of a bad review and lowered pay raise in a year.

There has also been an increase in requested LWOPs - day off without pay.

When I was still with Express, I calculated that if an employee were to have just one late clock-in (under the old performance review system) - and they did this in their 2nd year of a 20 year career (assume a full-time employee), that one late clock in would cost them $90 in lost pay for the next year and each year after that - approximately $1,620 loss in pay over a 20 year career (it is slightly higher than this since there is a compounding effect with pay issues being based on percentage increase over the previous year's pay rate). Pretty damn draconian penalty for a single late clock in.

The math is $15.00 base rate times 0.3% loss in potential pay increase in second year of employment times 2000 hours worked in a year times 18 subsequent years of employment. The loss in potential pay increase could never be made up, thus the continued "penalty" for a late clock in. The same thing applied to taking sick days too.

This is the primary reason why Express employees "cheered" the ending of the linking of the performance review to pay increases. However, they didn't expect what happened in March either (getting a pay raise that was LESS than they would've received under the old system). It was a case of "be careful what you ask for, you may just get it".
 

XFILED

Well-Known Member
They have already started our hours reduction already unfortunately...
Here are some of the ways they have reduced the overtime...
1. They schedule you starting at 11am three days out of the week and have a part timer run your p1 on those days..
2. Just on Monday you are scheduled for 3pm for your pick up route and T-friend normal schedule..On that Monday a part timer does the p1 and the p2 and oncalls till 3pm gets dissolved within the loop.
3. On Monday you stay the full day but on T-friend you just do your deliveries and early oncalls and go home..A part timer comes in T-friend for the pick up route...
4. They have also been putting people who work the morning sort on break at 8am till 11am a few times during the week and have a part timer do their p1 on those days...

I would also like to mention that part timers can only deliver till 10:30am...They are not allowed to do any deliveries or pick ups past 10:30...That has caused problems with p2 heavy routes as their is no help if the routes around them are heavy as well...they will have someone take your outbound freight so you can finish deliveries...their has been a lot of p2 lates lately..

Supposedly they are only gonna do this until they can make all the routes straight shift and hire enough part timers to do the pick up routes..but that will take a few months to do..
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
all the senior managers in the river district were out of town last week. Mandatory cuts coming.
No five days employees will be allowed to work six days. No 4/10 employee allow to work five days
and max hours 50. If you go over you will get an olcc and the manager will be written up. we have a
lot of pt couriers in jcats.

Max hours 50? R1A said 40. I'd be happy with 50.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
Most of my station are in the 4th quartile, we have over 35 couriers over 25 years service, and we're a small station! Unfortunately, I will never be close to the 4th quartile!

My sister-in-law made a snarky remark about someone my age working with all those young people. She just assumed most couriers leave for better jobs by their mid-30's. Was surprised to hear I'm about halfway in seniority here and at other stations.
 

Ricochet1a

Well-Known Member
Did some calling, and there appears to be some conflicting versions regarding how hours are to be reduced.

One source stated that employees couldn't be scheduled to work over 40 hours in a week, but if they went over 40 hours (heavy route, picking up a route on short notice due to a sick call, etc.) that would be acceptable - as long as they didn't go over 50 hours.

Another source stated that it is supposedly a hard requirement - no overtime allowed.

I suspect that the first source is closer to correct - no CRR scheduled for more than 40, but allowed to go over to meet operational need.

There is the issue of 4x10s working their day off (getting overtime). The current policy on open shifts state that extra shifts are granted first to volunteers on the basis of seniority - WITHOUT regard to whether that individual will incur overtime in filling that open shift.

This is where the 4x10s get their overtime day - they more often than not have enough seniority (and are the only ones available midweek) to fill a open route - they get overtime for the entire day since it is a "scheduled day off". How Express is to prohibit these people from running a route on their scheduled day off - while honoring the PEOPLE mandate that extra shifts are granted according to seniority WITHOUT regard to overtime being incurred - is beyond me.

It is a well known fact that Express managers attempt to strong arm PM part-timers to come in and do a delivery route (or at least the P1 portion), since they most likely won't go past 8 hours in a day (thus keeping them out of overtime territory). They schedule part-timers to come in about 30 minutes prior to the anticipated leave building time (to give them enough time to sort out the volume tossed into the truck they'll be driving and scan it all), have them run about 4 hours or so (P1 and a few P2 stops that are to large volume customers), then take a break then run their PM pickup route - all while staying just below 8 hours.

This minimizes service failures for P1 and keeps overtime from being granted (but there is a loss in efficiency due to having the extra stem times associated with that extra route).

I'm thinking this is yet another knee jerk reaction by Express to minimize costs - just as their move to kill all shift pay was. There is going to be a direct conflict with the policies set forth in PEOPLE - which I'm thinking will be amended yet again to allow part-timers to be compelled to come in and cover shifts outside their regularly scheduled hours.

There will also need to be a change in policy in how open shifts are handed out in advance to fully realize this desire of Express' to minimize overtime. PEOPLE would have to be modified to state that seniority is no longer the first determinant in granting extra shifts, but rather whether overtime pay would be incurred by someone being granted an extra shift (if someone were to become eligible for overtime pay in picking up a shift, then a lower seniority person who wouldn't be granted overtime would have higher eligibility to take the shift). This would be the final elimination of seniority of having any sort of privilege (the only thing left would be vacation bidding).

The only way to verify this at a local level would be seeing if extra part-time routes were being opened up in a station. I know they've been converting full-time routes to part-time routes whenever possible, but for Express to fully implement this policy, they'd have to add part-time routes to shift volume off of full-time routes, to eliminate overtime situations. This is all part of their "master plan" - I'm left wondering if they intend on merely getting full-timers to quit due to a lack of hours while "flooding" the stations with extra part-time Couriers. Many full-timers that aren't topped out (5 to 15 years of employment) would leave if they were held under 40 hours a week - the only way they can make a living is if they pull at least 50 hours a week.
 

59 Dano

I just want to make friends!
The INITIAL route planning, yes....the managers help structure them. But, OSS 'tweak' the routes and the managers have no clue the changes are made until we (the couriers) tell them

We've been pretty lucky in our area. Possible tweaks aren't sprung without notice and feedback is usually appreciated. If a tweak doesn't work the manager usually documents its failure and goes to OSS to have it changed. If all else fails the manager just says to run it as it was run in the past.
 

franknitty

Well-Known Member
If you've been working for this company for a while, then I don't think you should really be surprised about any changes this company chooses to make. As an employee of FedEx you have two options: 1) Except the changes FedEx makes or 2) Quit (retire). That's it ! You have the right to complain all you want (I guess), GFT all you want, but at the end of the day, "WHAT Fred S & HIS EXECUTIVES SAYS, GOES" ! Everyday I hear express employees saying, "They (FedEx) can't do that" ! YES THEY CAN ! FedEx isn't holding any of us hostage to work here. If it gets too hot in the kitchen, maybe its time to get out ! This includes myself as well.

Until then, working for this company is like playing a game. They make their move, I make the adjustment by making mine. No stress here. As an employee for FedEx you should always be saying to yourself, "Always expect the unexpected" working for FedEx Express. If you take this approach, you won't find yourself being mad or on the verge of a major crying session when the company decides to change the rules on you. LOL

And remember: Best Practices Pays ! LMAO
 

whenIgetthere

Well-Known Member
Lot of talk here that a buyout of topped out couriers is in the works. My opinion, no way, that would cost fredx money. I'd have to say they'd feel it's cheaper for then to take all those worthless pieces of paper they make couriers sign, and put together a puzzle that makes everyone they want to get rid of, look like a slacker! It only takes a couple of mistakes (a couple missed vans, a missed POD, run a day under 100% here and there, and they can make all of us look like the worst employee ever to an unemployment hearing).
 

CJinx

Well-Known Member
Just have to add that last week on the Ground side, we were informed that a new Time Keeping System is being rolled out system wide to ground, which automatically spits out write ups if you are late 3+ minutes from your scheduled start time. (This is the package handler side in the hubs not drivers btw). See how this goes, I assume this is to try to get rid of some people!
Interesting. Somebody recently installed a new time clock in our building, looks exactly like the old one. From what I am told, even regular office staff will be punching a clock now instead of using eTime. That is going to be a real pain in the ass.
 

LTFedExer

Well-Known Member
It is a well known fact that Express managers attempt to strong arm PM part-timers to come in and do a delivery route (or at least the P1 portion), since they most likely won't go past 8 hours in a day (thus keeping them out of overtime territory). They schedule part-timers to come in about 30 minutes prior to the anticipated leave building time (to give them enough time to sort out the volume tossed into the truck they'll be driving and scan it all), have them run about 4 hours or so (P1 and a few P2 stops that are to large volume customers), then take a break then run their PM pickup route - all while staying just below 8 hours.

I wouldn't say strong arm. Most of the PM part-timers that come in the AM really don't know better. Since P2 for PT'ers went away, I've seen less and less of the PM'ers on the AM side.

This minimizes service failures for P1 and keeps overtime from being granted (but there is a loss in efficiency due to having the extra stem times associated with that extra route).

The reports also show an extra route on the road. Which defeats the purpose. Less lates? Yes....but with more people and more hours being used.

The only way to verify this at a local level would be seeing if extra part-time routes were being opened up in a station. I know they've been converting full-time routes to part-time routes whenever possible, but for Express to fully implement this policy, they'd have to add part-time routes to shift volume off of full-time routes, to eliminate overtime situations. This is all part of their "master plan" - I'm left wondering if they intend on merely getting full-timers to quit due to a lack of hours while "flooding" the stations with extra part-time Couriers. Many full-timers that aren't topped out (5 to 15 years of employment) would leave if they were held under 40 hours a week - the only way they can make a living is if they pull at least 50 hours a week.

Isn't it cheaper for the company to keep a FT courier and make him/her a 4/10 rather than split it and get 2 PT'ers?

As an employee of FedEx you have two options: 1) Accept (not except) the changes FedEx makes or 2) Quit (retire). That's it !
Seems to describe 90% of the companies I know of.
 
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