A New Letter Writing Campaign

[SmithBarney]

Go HERE : TinyURL.com - shorten that long URL into a tiny URL
Enter: http://www.browncafe.com/forum/f50/

Print the output many times on one piece of paper.. cut it up make little slips of paper

Drop them all over the Station, in Vans, lockers, wherever you want.

 

[bbsam]

Don't even do it anonymously. Get it out there for all to see. Let everyone know there is nothing left to lose and Memphis is the reason why.

 

[hypo hanna]

Don't even do it anonymously. Get it out there for all to see. Let everyone know there is nothing left to lose and Memphis is the reason why.

I can see where it would be to YOUR advantage to get unhappy couriers fired but what's in it for him?

 

[bbsam]

I can see where it would be to YOUR advantage to get unhappy couriers fired but what's in it for him?

I don't see any advantage to me. But the question was getting media attention. In the YouTube age, that should be easy. Imagine if you suddenly had 500 such videos. Peoe would start asking questions.

 

[Epoisode7]

YouTube is the way to go.

 

[hypo hanna]

I don't see any advantage to me..

I do. As a ground ISP your fortunes are at least partially tied to Express. The corporation sells both as a suite of products, (with a present emphasis on ground). Between that and the general publics inability to distinguish between the two opco's, a loss of Express customers can mean a loss of ground freight.

as for getting media attention, they aren't interested until someone runs over a bus full of preschoolers and its caught on video. Stories about disgruntled employees don't sell papers, but sensational headlines about fiery accidents do.

 

[bbsam]

It isn't to my advantage because things are going in that direction regardless what any courier does or doesn't do. Eventually, if couriers want to make a difference they will have to do something radical and big. If not, well, more of the same.

 

[MAKAVELI]

It isn't to my advantage because things are going in that direction regardless what any courier does or doesn't do. Eventually, if couriers want to make a difference they will have to do something radical and big. If not, well, more of the same.

and that's exactly what WAD does on a large scale.

 

[bbsam]

and that's exactly what WAD does on a large scale.

Not really. All it does is show up negatively on balance sheets and give Fred a reason to go on quietly behind the scenes screwing Express harder and harder. It doesn't bring media, Teamsters, or the public at large into the arena.

 

[MAKAVELI]

and that's exactly what WAD does on a large scale.

Not really. All it does is show up negatively on balance sheets and give Fred a reason to go on quietly behind the scenes screwing Express harder and harder. It doesn't bring media, Teamsters, or the public at large into the arena.

You are not privy to what is going on at Express right now on the inside. It is the hottest issue right now. Not even during the peak of the recession were they this focused on our numbers and cutting routes. It's got managers all across the company thinking they are the gestapo and willing to put numbers in front of safety. Threatening every day if you don't hit your numbers you will be disciplined up to termination. It is also an act of defiiance and a show of unity, something they want to stomp out as quickly as possible before any serious union organizing can start. All the while they are desperately trying to show the stockholders that Express is profitable.So you can trivialize it all you want but all of us in Express knows what importance this carries.

 

[bbsam]

Did you ever stop to consider that these mid-level managers are as screwed as couriers? Your shows of solidarity are a nuisance to them because they know that they are as expendable to Fred as you and I. They have been told by Memphis the same as they have told couriers: make your numbers...or else. Memphis doesn't care about your shows of defiance. In the end, Express will be profitable under the current model or that model will change. If half the couriers and three quarters of the management have to be let go to get it done, then that is how it will be.

 

[hypo hanna]

Not really. All it does is show up negatively on balance sheets and give Fred a reason to go on quietly behind the scenes screwing Express harder and harder. It doesn't bring media, Teamsters, or the public at large into the arena.

It doesn't bring media or teamsters in but I assure you the customers are noticing and if the stories I'm hearing from higher ups are correct, they aren't being shy about voicing their displeasure. FedEx is taking it as far as they can getting rid of couriers without loosing too many customers. I suspect once it reaches that tipping point they will start to back off.

Even if the media did a piece on problems at FedEx, then what? Corporate would just trot out some talking head. Do a little spin control then back to business as usual. There might be a slight dip in stock value for a day or two then everyone moves on to the next story.

 

[MAKAVELI]

Did you ever stop to consider that these mid-level managers are as screwed as couriers? Your shows of solidarity are a nuisance to them because they know that they are as expendable to Fred as you and I. They have been told by Memphis the same as they have told couriers: make your numbers...or else. Memphis doesn't care about your shows of defiance. In the end, Express will be profitable under the current model or that model will change. If half the couriers and three quarters of the management have to be let go to get it done, then that is how it will be.

Then why don't they change it to the UPS model of combining express and ground operations? It seems that they do pretty well with that model without the use of of fake contractors.

 

[bbsam]

Then why don't they change it to the UPS model of combining express and ground operations? It seems that they do pretty well with that model without the use of of fake contractors.

Too easy to unionize? I think that's why they have never combined the two in the past. That hasn't changed.

 

[bbsam]

It doesn't bring media or teamsters in but I assure you the customers are noticing and if the stories I'm hearing from higher ups are correct, they aren't being shy about voicing their displeasure. FedEx is taking it as far as they can getting rid of couriers without loosing too many customers. I suspect once it reaches that tipping point they will start to back off.

Even if the media did a piece on problems at FedEx, then what? Corporate would just trot out some talking head. Do a little spin control then back to business as usual. There might be a slight dip in stock value for a day or two then everyone moves on to the next story.

If couriers are serious,they are going to need all the help they can get from every corner they can get it from.

 

[MAKAVELI]

Then why don't they change it to the UPS model of combining express and ground operations? It seems that they do pretty well with that model without the use of of fake contractors.

Too easy to unionize? I think that's why they have never combined the two in the past. That hasn't changed.

Now you got it!

 

[bbsam]

Now you got it!

Now your turn. As long as Fred can employ contractors, why would he do it any other way?

 

[MAKAVELI]

Now you got it!

Now your turn. As long as Fred can employ contractors, why would he do it any other way?

As you said as long as he can. That doesn't imply forever.

 

[MrFedEx]

Not really. All it does is show up negatively on balance sheets and give Fred a reason to go on quietly behind the scenes screwing Express harder and harder. It doesn't bring media, Teamsters, or the public at large into the arena.

Wrong. As SPH said, WAD means unity, specifically a unified effort against their insane push for even more productivity. FedEx Express has always been all about absolute control over the employee, and now they're losing it. The employees are FINALLY pushing back against management, and management is reacting by pushing even harder, which turns-off even more employees. These people who have "had it" then decide to WAD, which is perfectly acceptable because WAD only requires that you turn your brain off and do exactly what they tell you to do. WAD, when combined with minimum effort, is a powerful tool. And because WAD is all about doing it "by the book", there can be no discipline for WAD.

I think Express has reached the tipping point, and the behind-the-scenes push for an even harder screwing will backfire big time because employees have simply had enough. All the cheap BBQ and rah-rah rhetoric is worthless now, so Fred will have to figure something else out. My guess is that they'll double-down on the Fear Machine because it's always worked in the past, and because they are clueless.

Major accidents and deaths will eventually bring the media, and then the public. Sooner or later, someone is going to have a big one, and that's when the media will take notice. It's unfortunate, but it will take a tragedy to get some media attention on exactly what FedEx is forcing couriers to do out there on the road. The IBT will do nothing IMO.

WAD is also a powerful means of turning customers away from Express. You don't know, because Ground has never provided the level of customer service shippers have come to expect from Express. They are no longer getting it, because there is no incentive to provide it. Express is not only destroying the brand, but angering customers left and right...every single day.

All Fred cares about is the bottom line, but being a cheap bastard is finally coming back to bite him in his fat ass, and it's about freaking time.

 

[bbsam]

MFE

I am truly amazed. I expect you to be more forward thinking than this. It doesn't matter what Express "has always been about". That train left the station long ago. Now it's all about being profitable. If Fred has to throw Express' heavy handed management under the bus, he will do it. Right now he is thinning the ranks. First wave was buyouts, second is attrition, and I can only wonder if just to rub some couriers noses in it if the final wave will be lateral transfers to Ground in a new company driver role.