Contracting!

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bglyle

Guest
wkmac,
Thanks for the warm welcome! To put it as nice as possible contracting SUCKS! No benefits,no paid time off,no retirement. We work 12 to 14 hours a day and make about $200 to 250 a day. That is before you pay your fuel cost($45 a day)truck payment($25 a day)Fed,state,local tax($25 a day). Not to mention maintenance. Do the math. Contractors are getting screwed. We will have to work until we die because we don't make enough to live on so we can't set away any for retirement. From FDX boards I go on MANY contractors owe the IRS thousands of back taxes. FDX contractors and driver want a union. We are told the Teamsters are afraid of FDX. Thats why they don't come in. We are hoping it gets better but I doubt it. FDX is a company of lies. It's ashame because we could make some good money. We are suppose to be running our own business but we don't,we are told when to work where to work and how to work. Any questions please ask.

Bill (fhd contractor)
 
L

local804

Guest
Wow, Do you really think the Teamsters are scared of Fedex? LMAO.....What in Gods name would they be scared of? They would love to have Fedex join the union.
Btw Bill, What state are you in? The union is constantly at Fedex but never make any progress.If you want, and live in NY, you could be my helper and I will make a $100.00 bonus and split it with you.
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W

wkmac

Guest
bglyle,
Thanks for the info about the situation in which you work. Don't see how you make it over the longhaul. Your story is one I hear more and more from various FedEx contract drivers that I've met out and about from time to time. Da#n shame to because to a person everyone I've met so far were very nice folks.

I know one of the drawbacks to the Teamsters doing anything with FedEx, besides the fact they're broke, is with you guys being contractors and the company being protected under the Railroad agreement the organizing must take place companywide as a whole whereas companies like UPS can be organized one site at a time. This allows the union to concentrate their energy and effort and increases the odds of success. FedEx has an advantage of having a very high total employee count in Memphis so all they have to do is make them happy and forget the rest of the company and from what I hear this is exactly what they're doing. I wish I had good news or could offer some hope but I can't. Good luck to you and again thanks for sharing your thoughts and comments.

Forget local804's smart mouth. He's really Fred's brother-n-law posing as a Ron Carey wanna be!

OH LO-CAL!
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B

bglyle

Guest
We were told that the union is going to start in Memphis after the first of the year. What are you hearing?
Bill(fhd contractor)
 
D

dannyboy

Guest
Along with the rest, welcome.

I too have seen first hand what has happened to the contractors. Just remember one thing. Many of the management you have used to be with us. And we got rid of them for a reason
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Of the original drivers/contractors hired here there is only one that stayed past three or for years. They all went broke/quit you name it. Never days off, allways bills coming in and shrinking allowances (remember the people you have managing the show?)

I hope the union can make a difference for you.

804, things in the world are a bit different then in your small neck of the woods. Maybe if you get out a bit and look..............

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E

ezrider

Guest
Bglyle,

I've only been able to chat with about half a dozen FedExGround drivers over the last couple of years.The two that I talked to most often impressed me as very goal-oriented,commited and extremely hardworking.Some had good and bad things to say about thier working situation.One common theme among them was that they didn't seem to feel accepted by the FedEx air drivers.For the two I talk with frequently,that issue really gets under thier skin.It's obvious they take pride in what they do,and I sense they don't feel like they have been welcomed as part of the team even though they have become what looks like the growth engine for FDX.

Do you and your fellow contractors feel the marriage between the two operations can blossom down the road or are you guys ready to divorce Fred S?What do you feel could be changed in the current set-up to make it work better?If the other contractors feel the same way as you do,maybe collective bargaining couldn't hurt I would guess.
 
U

upsfred

Guest
A question for all. If a worker has to wear hearing protection if the noise level is 90 dbls or greater and a P-700 desiel runs 114 dbls almost all day and DOT says "No head phones or hearing obstructions while driving", what do you do? Go deaf?? With company blessings?? You cain't hear thunder in some of our rigs. Try a meter on yours!! Where is OSHA for this one??}
 
L

local804

Guest
Yea ok Dannyboy, small neck of the woods. I see where you are coming from.Maybe since you have all the answers, you could teach me.
 
W

wornoutupser

Guest
upsfred,
My P10 runs at 98 decibels. I have brought this matter to the attention of the management controlled safety committee, but the matter was dropped.
Have you found out how to bring OSHA into this?
Sit around and watch a bunch of the older drivers. It is a hoot, all you hear is "pardon?" "excuse me", etc. We are all deaf!
 
D

dannyboy

Guest
I dont have all the answers. But I also listen to what others have to say and learn.

But this is what this board is all about, the civil exchange of ideas and info.

The more we can learn from each other, the better equiped we each will be to do our jobs.

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U

ups79

Guest
I have a 1000 since oct. 97. I tell you the decibels don"t bother me at all, but it might be well worth the convience of getting in and out a truck that has many improvements over the old gas vehicles. You must not remember for one the difference in the step getting in and out of the truck. I would be careful what you ask for you might end up getting one of the old gas trucks back, and thus lose the improvements of the diesel.
 
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dannyboy

Guest
Under the new contract, article 18, section 16, the company agrees to follow federal laws regarding cab noise.

Wonder why they didnt before?

Wonder what the Union had to give up to get the company to follow the law?

Just wish the 1000 was as quiet as the sprinters! Hell, the dogs would never know I was there until I was long gone.

There are a lot of safety issues that abound. Like the noise causing deafness, drivers that will be killed or injured because of only having a lap strap instead of a shoulder harness.

Kinda funny. UPS says they cant change the vehicle from the way the manufac. designed it, the manufac. says I build what they order, the way they ordered it, and the union says what do you want us to do about it? And the Gooberment says hell they can do that, we made the loopholes for them.

And life goes on.

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(Message edited by dannyboy on November 15, 2003)
 
S

steward

Guest
Danny, you are the reason i get up on saturday after a long week. Bless You
 
D

dannyboy

Guest
A sense of humor helps with this job, no?

Add a loving wife and kids that understand what the true trials of a UPS man are. It also helps when some of the true freinds you have also understand (helps if they work/worked there before). Try not to take the job home with you. Then complete that with a deep belief in God, the One that allowed you to get a good paying job, have the health to do it properly, and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

After all that, how can you help but enjoy your time off. REcharge your batteries for the next week.

I guess even with all the troubles and problems, issues and answers, I am above all thankful, allways thankful for what I have and am able to enjoy. Life is too short to ruin it on issues that dont matter, or having sucky perspective on life. I prefer to see and smell the roses, instead of focusing on the thorns.

And while I do take issue with UPS at times to try and make it a better place to work, not only for the short time I have, but for the others that follow, I do have a loyalty and love for the company that has worked with me, and paid my wages EVERY week that I showed up for work.

THere ARE places this week that didnt.

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