Really. So that's how it ends...with a whimper...a sigh...a silent and sad wandering in quiet desperation? There was such fire here just a couple weeks ago. Truly sad.
You followed the course of the 'conversation' here.
First week that no pay raises was announced - everyone is pissed off, THIS IS IT, time to take action!!!
So, I started posting again, putting up the links and basically telling everyone, "Put some action behind those words!".
Second week. Everyone is still pissed off, but they start to hem and haw at the prospect of actually having to start a grassroots organizing campaign to change the situation. Then, the lingering loathing of the IBT raises its head. Everyone hates what is happening to them in the shed, but they don't want to band together and get the IBT to realize that there maybe some life out there in Expressland.
The old, "I want a Third Option", comes around for the umpteenth time. So, the list of other unions go up and I challenge everyone to call around and get information on another union that may be interested in organizing Express. No responses. A few did call the IBT to confirm that the IBT has cut its losses in regards to Express, but as far as I could tell, no one did any serious calling to other unions to see if they would be interested. So much for working to get that 'third option'.
This week. The posting pattern shifts away from, "We've been screwed!", to talking about everyday work non-sense (drug shipments, wrestling, DRA, you name it). It took only 2 weeks for the sheep to give up and head to the shed on their own.
Fred's paying millions to keep the RLA isn't what defeated the Couriers, the Couriers were already defeated because they thought of themselves as being 'too good' to become Teamsters. They seem to have this notion that they are worth close to what the UPS drivers are - but can't 'soil' themselves with becoming Teamsters in order to achieve that. Thus the never ending game of holding out hope that some 'clean' union out there will ride out to the rescue of the Express Couriers and save the day.
Won't happen.
Express Couriers are now down to just two of my original three options: Leave or Bendover.
Choose wisely.