Why Senior Employees Should Be Pro-Union

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
I guarantee that if Ground guys know that they are creating the bulk of FedEx' profit and it's going to pay for union high wages and great benefits at Express it'll be a problem. Can't imagine someone making $15hr, if that much, with little or no benefits being perfectly fine with Express drivers making twice as much with good healthcare and a decent pension.

Union or no union, everybody knows Express drivers have the better deal. That they have benefits isn't a novelty. That they get better? Maybe they would apply at Express.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
Union or no union, everybody knows Express drivers have the better deal. That they have benefits isn't a novelty. That they get better? Maybe they would apply at Express.

For newhires it's not much better. If after a few years, even 10 years, they were making much better you think the Ground guys wouldn't notice? And here's a dirty little secret about FedEx. Once they have you where it benefits them most they try to keep you there. Don't bet that the Ground guys will be able to get jobs at Express once the hiring mgr finds out they are Ground drivers.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
I have guys who have worked for me for 8 years who barely make what an Express driver makes starti g. I don't understand it either.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
Talk about a Debbie Downer...Ive followed this site and seen your posts for years and I have to say im disappointed with your posts the past few days...All your negative posts trying to trick people or discourage them from doing something about our ever degrading working conditions is sad....You seem as Pro-Fedex as Management....No one is asking for the things you are posting...It baffles me as to why you would do this....Company Plant? Argue to Argue? A Hater since your on your way out and that you would miss out on finally being treated fairly if the miracle could be pulled off??

What better plan do you have?? I would rather try for something better for my family,Win or Lose then to just come on this forum and bark with no bite...

Apparently you only want to hear that everything will work out great if we can just get a union in. I'm trying to be realistic, not give you false hope. I think most union advocates are sincere in their belief it'll really help them, but haven't taken a serious look at the numbers. They want what they want, and no one better tell them differently. I know it's not popular, but this isn't about popularity. I'm trying to give you an honest appraisal of your chances to obtain a union and get the kind of pay and benefits you want. My saying this doesn't stop you from trying to get a union, that's strictly up to you. But just know that roadblocks have been put in place to keep that from happening by FedEx, and if you still manage to get a union in don't count on it to give you UPS level pay and/or benefits. If you believe I'm a company shill and you will get everything you want if you can just get a union then you can't be reasoned with and will just have to find out the hard way.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
He hasn't changed his tune one bit. You need to go WAY BACK in posting history to get his angle. Whenever there is some remotely serious talk of organizing, he gets all nervous that things MIGHT just actually change, placing HIS little scheme to survive Express at risk. He wants to be paid more, but he is in no way willing to risk what he has, in order to get it.

His whole angle is that he has been morally wronged by Express, since HE has put out so much effort for Express over the years (he is super Courier after all), that he DESERVES better compensation. The rest of you can fend for yourselves, since you haven't gone through as much blood, sweat and tears as he has for Fred. He deserves more, the rest of you... He'll come up with any excuse he can to try to prevent the rest of you from rocking the boat too much, since that might threaten his plan to run away to some far off land when he can be super Courier no more.

He'll get on here and bitch and moan about the compensation, working conditions, etc., but no way in hell does he want a union to get into Express until AFTER he is long gone. He came right out and admitted years ago that he was 'glad that a union didn't get into Express'. He ISN'T your ally in attempting to get Express organized, he is an enabler of Fred, since he wants the status quo to exist till he can get out. Oh yes, he'll bitch and moan with the rest of you when it comes to pay and benefits, but should talk of the Couriers actually doing something to address it comes up, he'll flip on his back, wet himself and start spouting corporate talking points.

I've used myself as an example of how bad it can be at Express, but I've certainly been a supporter of a union in the past. So much so that I was willing to cross party lines to support Democrats getting in power as I felt that was our only real chance. I was deeply disappointed that they failed to come through for us, and further alarmed by their spending habits. Since it was highly unlikely that we could get a union in once the Republicans captured the House of Representatives I cautioned my fellow readers here to not act rashly, and was often attacked by you for doing so. I bought into your version of future events, and prepared myself accordingly with my finances. When they didn't materialize as you predicted I started to suspect, and still believe, that you have an axe to grind with FedEx and are using this forum as a launching pad for hurting the company in any way you can. I still believe that, and will continue to caution people to not get all worked up and do anything they will regret later. I did just that in 1997 quitting, and I've paid for that mistake. If people here want to obtain a union more power to them. It won't affect my future one way or another. I'm literally waiting for my old dogs to pass away before leaving the company. But I'm not going to fill them with false hope either. I have no intention to rail against unions from here on out, just wanted to call it as I see it and have been responding to the usual knee jerk attacks and accusations. But so we are both clear, you have viciously attacked me in the past and have gotten very personal. I have no respect for you and question your motives. And if we ever have the pleasure to meet I intend to teach you some manners.
 

overflowed

Well-Known Member
Talk about a Debbie Downer...Ive followed this site and seen your posts for years and I have to say im disappointed with your posts the past few days...All your negative posts trying to trick people or discourage them from doing something about our ever degrading working conditions is sad....You seem as Pro-Fedex as Management....No one is asking for the things you are posting...It baffles me as to why you would do this....Company Plant? Argue to Argue? A Hater since your on your way out and that you would miss out on finally being treated fairly if the miracle could be pulled off??
Unsettling isn't it?
What better plan do you have?? I would rather try for something better for my family,Win or Lose then to just come on this forum and bark with no bite...
Unsettling yes?
 

Broke

Well-Known Member
Talk about a Debbie Downer...Ive followed this site and seen your posts for years and I have to say im disappointed with your posts the past few days...All your negative posts trying to trick people or discourage them from doing something about our ever degrading working conditions is sad....You seem as Pro-Fedex as Management....No one is asking for the things you are posting...It baffles me as to why you would do this....Company Plant? Argue to Argue? A Hater since your on your way out and that you would miss out on finally being treated fairly if the miracle could be pulled off??

What better plan do you have?? I would rather try for something better for my family,Win or Lose then to just come on this forum and bark with no bite...
Honestly, the guy must have split personality disorder. He did this same back and forth over on the fedexaminer website years ago. I've battled him a time or two on this site and over at fedexaminer. I just pretty much ignore his posts and don't waste my time arguing with him because he's a lost cause. Hell, if he was drowning and you threw him a life jacket, he'd probably throw it back at you.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
Honestly, the guy must have split personality disorder. He did this same back and forth over on the fedexaminer website years ago. I've battled him a time or two on this site and over at fedexaminer. I just pretty much ignore his posts and don't waste my time arguing with him because he's a lost cause. Hell, if he was drowning and you threw him a life jacket, he'd probably throw it back at you.

It's a shame when grown adults refuse to consider all aspects of a given situation to try to determine any unintended consequences. It's always the same knee jerk reaction to anything other than what you determine is acceptable. Whatever is deemed unacceptable must be attacked. I don't see anything truly being accomplished here but we must rant mustn't we? For the record, and please pay close attention, FedEx is extraordinarily unfair to mid-range employees concerning pay, unfair to everyone concerning pensions, and beyond that I don't believe we are owed a great living, but if we work hard and are productive we deserve to be rewarded for the effort. If that isn't enough then go into management, go to school at night and get into something better, or accept what you get. That being said FedEx is so deceptive and underhanded in it's dealings with employees that anyone who goes into management in this company better be prepared to either sell his soul or get fired for trying to do the right thing. There is no real future for couriers here and none for anyone with a conscience in management. However, having quit in the past and having found it tough to find a decent job given I was in my mid 30's with no training in anything halfway lucrative, I've urged here, when things were at a fever pitch, to be cautious about giving up this job in this economy. Quite a few on here were expecting hell-on-earth at FedEx last fall and were talking about quitting before FedEx could lay them off. And were being urged to do so. As one who went through a very tough period without a job I didn't want them, especially if they had families, to quit before seeing how things shook out. And of course as a Republican I'm at odds with some here because I believe we must curb gov't spending while some seem to want a gov't that provides assistance no matter the costs. Hate me if you must, but I'm not one who goes along to get along if I believe I'm right. And if I continue to see extreme, off the wall comments being made, I will continue to point out that extreme positions rarely lead to the kind of results we want. And by the way, Fedexaminer was a joke, and boring. At least here I get as good as I give. So if you are going to participate here bring your A game, not the weak stuff you posted above.
 
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