Washington Post Slam

[tworavens]

The hubs/centers that tried to force employees to write letters were wrong.
The employees that gave in are gutless.
The employees that only refused to out of spite because of personal grievances with UPS should be ashamed.

That's all I have to say about it.

x2!

 

[Speed Demon]

Whatever. I am assuming you're not just at a terminal where there is 100 or less employees, where you can ask every manager?

Not voluntary for a lot of us!

Funny...In my 19 years with UPS, I never knew UPS had terminals. I always thought they were centers and hubs. Hmmm....

 

[JustTired]

First off....I agree that both companies perform basically the same function and should be governed under the same regulatory rules.

Second...I don't agree with any heavy-handed tactics that would basically force someone to write a letter against their better judgement. (not saying it's happening, but if it is....)

Third...when those letters hit the congresspersons' office.....those in charge of opening them will look like little Johnny or Susie opening a birthday card. The first thing they'll be looking for is a check. No check.....into the circular file. At least that is my jaded opinion of those in Washington.

The sad fact of the matter is that those with the most money usually win. And this cuts across any political affiliation. Won't change until there is term limits....if then.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Danny

I think everyone's use of the word INTIMIDATION may be overused. But, the tactic used in the letter writing campaign is the same used in the United Way campaign. For every department, the manager is EXPECTED to get 100% participation. They don't care if you give 1.00 a week for UW. They didn't care if you were not for the letter writing.

Again, the focus at UPS was number based, not service based. No manager wanted to go to his/her superior and say only 49% of my people wrote the letters.

 

[Speed Demon]

Danny

I think everyone's use of the word INTIMIDATION may be overused. But, the tactic used in the letter writing campaign is the same used in the United Way campaign. For every department, the manager is EXPECTED to get 100% participation. They don't care if you give 1.00 a week for UW. They didn't care if you were not for the letter writing.

Again, the focus at UPS was number based, not service based. No manager wanted to go to his/her superior and say only 49% of my people wrote the letters.

I agree..."you get what you measure" is alive and well at UPS. It gets the job done, but focus quickly shifts to numbers rather than the original intent of the request.

 

[airbusfxr]

FDX is an airline with trucks, UPS is a trucking company with airplanes.

 

[dannyboy]

Because, like it or not, FedEx is doing nothing illegal.

Living

THat might be true if they would have stayed with what they started with. The issue has boiled over because they are into freight (before UPS was) and bought RPS to get into the ground business. Had they done that without using the Brand Fedex, then I would agree. The overnight portion of their business would be air package. But in most areas, the FedEx companies of "other services" has more employees and more delivery vehicles than Fedex air.

FDX is an airline with trucks, UPS is a trucking company with airplanes.

Thanks airbus fixer for making the point. Keep on drinking the coolaid.

So by design, they have become exactly what we are, competing with us, but hiding behind their status that was not designed to cover what they have become. The little game that they play with words about they were an airline that became a trucking company does not matter.

If your business changes, so do the rules and regulations that apply.

Let me give you one example.

The A company is a distributor that buys a product. They sell it wholesale to company B who is a retailer. Different rules apply to both companies when it comes to selling this product.

All of a sudden, company A decides to retail, but at a very steep discount. And he is telling the manufacture that the retail rules dont apply, because he started out as a wholesaler, not a retailer. He even goes as far as opening up a retail store, but still uses his wholesale business to get a huge price break discount that is not available to the retail businesses.

While some parts of the example do not fit exactly, you get the drift.

Like any other conversation, Fedex is trying to muddy the waters with all sorts of snippets that do not have bearing on the conversation.

Personally, without card check, I dont think Fedex will become union.

d

 

[ups2000]

do you really believe that? you think "officers" of our company have a list of drivers (edit: anyone at our company) who did not write a letter and are spending hours thinking of a plan of "how to deal with them?"

they do at least here seen a piece of paper saying i so and so refuse to write letter to senators so if you refuse you are to fill that paper out

 

[upssalesguy]

i guess fedex doesnt pay walkins to post on the weekend.

 

[upssalesguy]

they do at least here seen a piece of paper saying i so and so refuse to write letter to senators so if you refuse you are to fill that paper out

uhmmm, i have not heard of that. i want to see the paper.

 

[639OldTimer]

Re: Discuss: UPS Employees Say They Were Forced to Lobby Against Fed Ex

I think that people are missing the real point here.

First let me say that the Washington Post's spin is misguided and way off base. The real issue is not anything more than fairness and equality! Fed-Ex has had a free lunch and has cheated the American public out of millions of tax dollars for years. They have enjoyed an unfair advantage over UPS since they aqquired RPS back in the 80's. Simply put, Fed-Ex is not an airline but operate an air freight operation much like UPS. When was the last time you saw Fed-Ex deliver a package with an airplane? As long as I've been around they drive trucks just like I did when I was in package delivery.

In the Post's haste to paint UPS in a negative light they failed to mention those employees who are 100% behind the Company's & the Union's quest to see that there is a level playing field in the package & freight delivery systems in this Country. I have happily signed on and would help anyway I can!

What the Post also fails to mention is that there are thousands of Fed-Ex employees who are eager and willing to sign on as Union members to ensure a bettter life for themselves and their families. I saw this first hand in 1996 when Fed-Ex ressurected defunct language under the then Airport Reauthorization Act (spending bill) to classify themselves as "Express Carriers". It was a bad deal then and it still is a bad deal now.

The Washington Post gets a big friend- for this story.

I know that our 2 U.S. Senators from Maryland support this legislation. I just hope there are 58 more (to stop a fillibuster) who will stand up for fairness & equality.

 

[rwsmith67]

Living

THat might be true if they would have stayed with what they started with. The issue has boiled over because they are into freight (before UPS was) and bought RPS to get into the ground business. Had they done that without using the Brand Fedex, then I would agree. The overnight portion of their business would be air package. But in most areas, the FedEx companies of "other services" has more employees and more delivery vehicles than Fedex air.
Thanks airbus fixer for making the point. Keep on drinking the coolaid.

So by design, they have become exactly what we are, competing with us, but hiding behind their status that was not designed to cover what they have become. The little game that they play with words about they were an airline that became a trucking company does not matter.

If your business changes, so do the rules and regulations that apply.

Let me give you one example.

The A company is a distributor that buys a product. They sell it wholesale to company B who is a retailer. Different rules apply to both companies when it comes to selling this product.

All of a sudden, company A decides to retail, but at a very steep discount. And he is telling the manufacture that the retail rules dont apply, because he started out as a wholesaler, not a retailer. He even goes as far as opening up a retail store, but still uses his wholesale business to get a huge price break discount that is not available to the retail businesses.

While some parts of the example do not fit exactly, you get the drift.

Like any other conversation, Fedex is trying to muddy the waters with all sorts of snippets that do not have bearing on the conversation.

Personally, without card check, I dont think Fedex will become union.

d

Dannyboy, Your points make it plain and simple, well written!!

 

[pickup]

Dannyboy, Your points make it plain and simple, well written!!

Agreed! I like his analogy. I think I'll put the one he made into my arsenal.

 

[Just Numbers]

Whatever. I am assuming you're not just at a terminal where there is 100 or less employees, where you can ask every manager?

Not voluntary for a lot of us!

TROLL! UPS does not have terminals.

 

[pickup]

They list a website where everyone's anonymous as a source????

That's pretty laughable. Lot's of credibility at the Post....

You saved me a detailed post, I was thinking the same thing. Can you imagine a website for and by government workers where the posters are anonymous and one posts that 911 was an inside job by the government? Would the washington post make an article on the basis of that?

Speaking of the Washington Post, they got a black eye about a month ago when news broke out about potential ethic lapses where they were trying to generate revenue(because newspapers aren't selling anymore) in a manner that clearly violated their own ethical standards.

Here's the link , if anyone can sludge through it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy.../07/11/AR2009071100290.html?hpid=opinionsbox1


Maybe now they are selling off their articles and how they are written to the highest bidder.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

No - I get it. I just don't like how UPS is presenting it.

If there are two legal ways to do something, and you happen to pick the less expensive way, you are creative, bold, entrepreneurial.

If you make a mistake and use the more expensive way, you either live with it, or change to the less expensive way. Not UPS - if you are UPS, you claim the other side is cheating. If you are UPS, you try & change the legal option taken by a competitor into a non-legal option. If you are UPS, you call the legal option that the competition took a "cheating legal loophole".

If UPS would say "look, it is distasteful, but we can't get out from under the union noose, so we have to hobble the competition with the same thing. Hey, it's easier than just beating them on service", then at least I could respect the honesty. But what UPS is doing is being, for lack of a better term, a bully. Win the competition on the field you made for yourself.

Because, like it or not, FedEx is doing nothing illegal. UPS is trying to change the rules to put the competition at a disadvantage. And, sorry, to me that is distasteful.

No, I know the issues. It is UPS, people on this board who are ignoring the issues (to say it kindly) or just blowing smoke.

You continue to harp on the same issues. Fedex versus UPS, the companies. You are not considering WHY not all of FedEx employees would WANT union. To qoute you - 10x more UPSers want the RLA to cover FedEx express than FedEx express. Forget the big corporations for a minute and actually think....

Your long-winded response only demsonstrates my point. Go back and look at what I bolded from your post- what you just typed has absolutely nothing to do with what I bolded.

You basically just typed all of that just to hear yourself talk I am convinced.

 

[noahsdad]

Re: Discuss: UPS Employees Say They Were Forced to Lobby Against Fed Ex

I find it hard to beleive anyone would object to protecting their own job with a simple thing like writing a letter plus getting paid to do it and then complaining. My advice go to work for FEDX

I don't mind trying to protect my job, but to be forced one week and laid off the next is pretty dirty.

 

[bluehdmc]

Danny

I think everyone's use of the word INTIMIDATION may be overused. But, the tactic used in the letter writing campaign is the same used in the United Way campaign. For every department, the manager is EXPECTED to get 100% participation. They don't care if you give 1.00 a week for UW. They didn't care if you were not for the letter writing.

Again, the focus at UPS was number based, not service based. No manager wanted to go to his/her superior and say only 49% of my people wrote the letters.

Definetly agree. While I willingly wrote the letters, (and got paid for it), where I am working had names posted to see sups before punching out. Now that letter writing campaign is over, no more names on the board. Will probably start to see names again toward end of United Way campaign.

they do at least here seen a piece of paper saying i so and so refuse to write letter to senators so if you refuse you are to fill that paper out

If someone asked me to fill out something like that, I'd be hollering, "shop steward". Also I'd ask for a copy for my attorney, that in itself would probably stop them.

 

[olcc]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/06/AR2009080603863.html

"FedEx Express remains committed to putting our customers first and making sure Congress doesn't change the legal framework that is the basis on which FedEx Express created the air express industry," said company spokesman Maury Lane.

As in, before our employees. Just like the way they put the shareholders' interests before the employees. What a great company.

 

[JonFrum]

TROLL! UPS does not have terminals.

They have terminations!