The New Safety Lie
- Thread starter MrFedEx
- Start date
MrFedEx
Engorged Member
You're an experienced courier who probably isn't going to do anything dangerous. The same cannot be said of many of your fellow employees.
Ashamed of myself because I don't buy what you're selling? Hardly. So what you're saying is that some employees are unsafe because they are being asked to do more work? Those employees aren't experienced and/or smart enough to figure out that you don't take safety risks just because you have more work? And yet you want them to be paid like they're veteran couriers. Seems like there's a little bit of a disconnect in your argument.
So why don't you explain to all of us how my example of using the 195 is wrong and how that turns into a safety risk. A safety risk that isn't simply a poor choice by a courier.
MrFedEx
Engorged Member
So, going out 20 or 30 above your 195 isn't a safety concern? Nobody is going to feel pressured to speed or otherwise cut corners in terms of safety, especially a relatively new person? I guess I'm not buying what you're peddling, which is available in the fertilizer section at Home Depot for $1.98 per sack.
tracker2762
Well-Known Member
This is what I was trying to get at in my earlier post. thanks
LTFedExer
Well-Known Member
Going out 20-30 over your 195 doesn't change your stops per hour. You'll just finish later in the day. New hires might feel pressured to hurry and finish, but you and I know better. Try telling them that is like talking to a brick wall. They come in thinking that doing more/faster work will get them into a better position. Only to realize, in due time, that all the extra/faster work they did was all for nothing.
I've already explained this once or twice somewhere around here. But here goes again. No, it is not a safety concern. LTFedExer also explained it in post #20. I've also explained where going out 20 or 30 over could certainly be an issue in terms of service because if you have a pickup route you most likely don't have the 2-3 hours needed to do those extra stops. As long as you hit your stops per hour, if you end up with unattempted stops, nothing is going to happen to you. Your manager might try to make it your fault but in the end you'll be able to easily show where it isn't your fault as long as you hit your goal and as long as you sent a few messages during the day asking for help.
It only becomes a safety issue if you choose to make it a safety issue.
MrFedEx
Engorged Member
We usually don't have the option to stay out as long as we need to because there is either an airplane or CTV that your outbound needs to be on. At my station, they don't want you to give your outbound to someone else and then stay out until 1930 delivering because then you get OT. The expectation, as at most locations, is that you'll somehow "get it done" which means one of the following:
1. Driving faster (more dangerously)
2. Working through your "break" and lying to your PowerPad by doing pickups or deliveries and entering them later. Some call it "double-sheeting", and different locations use other terms for falsification.
3. Taking your "break" when you're really headed back to the station stuck in traffic.
4. Pushing customers to be ready earlier than their scheduled times.
5. Telling same that you're "bulked out" or some other lie so they'll have to go to a station or drop box.
Sticking you out on the road consistently over 195 goals isn't a mistake. They want higher numbers and pushing your nose against the wall works with most people.
DS
Fenderbender
Everyone has a good point here,but the one thing that is being overlooked.
When you have busted your butt all day and had your break and its 7:00pm
and you still have 18 resi stops to deliver in the dark,fatigue is a big factor.
Believe me, I know because it is happening a lot here.
It's the same at ups,they never consider that the extra 20 stops every day,
as a safety issue.When I have days like this,I tend to move slower,and do
one stop at a time.Like sober says,you just have to sigh and relax knowing
that it will get done eventually.
tracker2762
Well-Known Member
MrFedEx
Engorged Member
I believe it. What quadro fails to mention and most UPSer's don't understand is that FedEx Express has an absolute "hard" time that you need to return to the building with outbound. If you can give away your outbound, then you might have enough time to get all of your deliveries done in a safe and sane manner. The problem is, because FedEx is so incredibly cheap...they don't want you doing that. They don't want to pay overtime and the managers don't want to hang around the building until you get back at 2000.
As always, they want to have their cake and eat it too. That's why employees are pressured so heavily to do the impossible, and written-up when they don't perform up to expectations. This is how falsification and working through breaks became the norm in many locations. It's just expected, and management conveniently ignores it until something happens. Then you get fired, and they pretend to know nothing.
I did mention it somewhere in a post. Or at least implied that you have to be back by a certain time. I think it's interesting that you make the blanket statement that FedEx doesn't want you staying out late because they don't want to pay overtime. FedEx pays overtime every single day. It couldn't possibly be at least part of the reason that FedEx doesn't want you out that late is for safety reasons could it? I know you'll disagree with that because even when FedEx does something right, you turn it into a negative.
Once again, let's look at the math. If your 195 says you can do 75 stops after 1030, take a 30 min break, and be back by 1600, your goal is 15 stops per hour. If the return time for the pickup routes is 1800, you can easily do another 20 stops and be back on time. If, however, you leave with 95 stops and your manager tries to make you take another 25 stops on top of that putting you back at 1900, you simply cannot do it. If you point that out before leaving the building and the manager says take it anyway then all you have to do is have the route next to you witness the conversation, send some messages during the day that you need help and when you don't get it, come back in at 1800 and have about 15 unattempted stops. As I said before, the manager can try to make it about you but they won't get very far as you did nothing wrong. As long as you hit your goal you'll have all the ammo you need to show you did the right thing.
Falsification and working through breaks becomes the norm when you either cannot hit your goal or you just don't want to work as late as the amount of work dictates. Or you are simply too lazy to do it right.
MrFedEx
Engorged Member
Steer manure is $1.98 per bag. Chicken manure is only $.98 a sack. I'm guessing you're spreading the latter. I especially love the idea that FedEx doesn't want us out late because they're concerned about our safety. I almost choked on my coffee.
Something you have to factor in also is when they eliminate a route or give you 20stops at the last minute is you still have to make sos service. So at our station , we are continually having to break off to make standard overnight in 2 different areas, then retracing the same are to make e2. So at that point you dont make stops per hour, return to building goals, and usually dont make service. Route density is affected as our stops per hour goals dont reflect having to do the same areas two times. Im a 24 year employee and this is happening alot more often lately. Were starting to get alot of ngative feedback from managers regarding our productivity lately due to what I just posted. Maybe its just our station, not sure if its widespread or not. Sorry for the long rant but this crap is getting old!
MrFedEx
Engorged Member
Very widespread. This also encourages faking a lunch so you can keep on delivering and not have SOS lates because of the necessity of inefficient routing or "doubling back" as you call it. I always love it when managers come down on you for not making goals, then slam you if you don't take enough "break" just so you can get done, or OLCC you for coming in late. They know that a lot of couriers will buckle and work for free by falsifying, which is what the company wants. UPS did this for years, with package car drivers being expected to work through their "breaks". Then they got sued..and lost. FedEx is knowingly encouraging employees to falsify and work through breaks because it makes the numbers better and deflates your real wage because you're working for free on your "break". Any attorneys out there willing to take-on a class action suit? The numbers would be huge, and the case would not be difficult to prove.
Im not sure how you fake a lunch and keep delivering since the power pad locks up during break, but I wouldnt do it anyway because Im not giving in to there double speak. I make my manager work, I document and copy everything and put it back in his court. Im gunna give my mid 20's old manager ulcers before he cracks this old man!
MrFedEx
Engorged Member
It's easy to falsify. Even if the PowerPad is on "break" and you've acknowledge the legalese, you can still do deliveries and pick-ups. You just keep track of the information, and enter it later, when your "break" is over. It happens all of the time,management knows it, and they let it slide because it makes them look good and keeps the MD off of their backs. It's a complete scam.
That sounds like more work than the actual work involved. I just do it pretty much by the books and let the chips fall were they may. If they get too stupid, which is becoming more frequent it seems, Im right back in her face with facts and asking for an eeoc packet, that usually shuts her up a little while until they get brave again and feel like poking at this hornets nest, then repeat it over again!
