FedEX buying back Ground Routes

[Brown287]

Spoke with the Ground guy in my area and he mentioned that there is a "TOP SECRET" rumor going around his terminal. This rumor was confirmed by a Manager in his building. Currently FedEx is exploring the cost and deployment of buying out ALL contractors and running Ground and H.D. as a legitimate arm of the company.

This arm will be operated and managed fully by FedEx and yes the drivers will be FDX EMPLOYEES. From the mouth of this manager, FDX acknowledges that the union will be quick to act so as of right now they are exploring with the union a possible set up, starting back east.

Apparently when the dust settles your years in will be the bases of your seniority and the contractors will get severance according to their years in. This driver was quick to say that yes this a huge change of course for Ground and while this manager is very serious, you really never know with FDX.

When the driver pushed his manager for more information he was reluctant to say any more, but he did say that the cost of litigation and the ongoing service issues due to a workforce that is not completely under your control is pushing this issue.

All I can say is that if this is true, good luck to you guys.

 

[bbsam]

Oddly enough, for the right price, I think I could go for this. Note also the management knows they are not the ones making all the calls, something that seems disputed around here. Of course alot of things that are "Top Secret" are really just over-blown B.S.

 

[grgrcr88]

I have not heard this, but if it is the case it would be a huge opertunity for the teamsters and the employees at Fed-ex. I seriously doubt though that Fred would give in unless he absolutely had no choice!!

 

[FedExer267]

What a hourly rate and overtime thats much better than what we get now. I guarantee if any of this holds water the first thing we would do is vote in the union. Ahhh to be a productive member of society again.

 

[bbsam]

What a hourly rate and overtime thats much better than what we get now. I guarantee if any of this holds water the first thing we would do is vote in the union. Ahhh to be a productive member of society again.

Seriously. I''m thinking a Stuart Smiley seminar might be in order for you.

 

[FedExer267]

You paying for me to attend. I will gladly take your money

 

[FedExer267]

The only thing with this is I cant see Smith giving up his bread and butter that is Ground he makes billions off us. Unless it is costing them more and more in litigation. However in some twisted way this could of been the plan all along, keep us Independent until Ground had a good core business between Gorund and HD. Then maybe merge it all into one and make us employees to cut out the middleman. Shrink down the routes to keep us in one area and then they could use the employee card when doing sales because lets face it if I am getting paid I will gladly reattempt deliveries and wait around for pickups.

 

[Brown287]

This driver approached me with this information and it was definitely nothing that I solicited from him. I too was in dis-belief but he was as serious as a heart attack! The reasoning that the manager gave him did seem to make sense and he gave a time line of 6 months to a year.

Funny thing is though that as of now there was no mention of combining Express with Ground/H.D.. I'm not sure if that has more to do with Express and the RLA, or that may be to much to do all at once.

 

[FedExer267]

Maybe its time to do some investigating. I have not heard of this in my area but who knows, but this could explain why management is doing more and more to make us feel like they run the show.

 

[bbsam]

This driver approached me with this information and it was definitely nothing that I solicited from him. I too was in dis-belief but he was as serious as a heart attack! The reasoning that the manager gave him did seem to make sense and he gave a time line of 6 months to a year.

Funny thing is though that as of now there was no mention of combining Express with Ground/H.D.. I'm not sure if that has more to do with Express and the RLA, or that may be to much to do all at once.

The thing that makes me dubious about the story is that a manager high enough to have that kind of information would be having that conversation with a driver.

 

[FedExer267]

Makes you wonder if it is something he overheard or did the manager indeed tell him. I know there are managers who hang out with drivers because in someway they are related or friends and that manager got this guy a job. Either way its very intresting info

 

[bbsam]

From my experience, managers at the local level don't have that kind of information. ISP announcement came out of nowhere when it finally came. There were signs, but you really had to be looking for it to see it coming.

 

[Brown287]

I'm not sure what the reason for the conversation was but this drivers contractor from what I have been lead to believe is a very respected contractor. For all I know the manager was feeling the guy out for info as well. With that said the driver said the manager is not a peon and he was very serious with specific information on what was happening and how it was going to happen.

 

[Cactus]

Oddly enough, for the right price, I think I could go for this.

Keep dreaming........Fred will want those routes back for cheap.

 

[bbsam]

Keep dreaming........Fred will want those routes back for cheap.

Maybe so. But let's just remember there is very little suggesting this is even happening in the first place. If As Brown says it will go as a function of time as a contractor, I think I could do fairly well.

 

[Cactus]

Maybe so. But let's just remember there is very little suggesting this is even happening in the first place. If As Brown says it will go as a function of time as a contractor, I think I could do fairly well.

And that's fine but only time will tell whether this scenario turns out to be fact or fiction.

 

[bbsam]

Yep.

 

[Brown287]

I for one think that this move would be to FedEx's benefit. With UPS just reporting their profit, it flies in the face of FedEx's notion that you can't make profit while fairly compensating your employee's. Also as stated before when they are in fact your employee's you have complete control of them and your business. This in large part is why UPS is able to increase profits through even the most challenging times.

Basically as it stands now at FedEx, they operate on a good faith model of business. They hope the drivers that they do not control on a day to day basis will do the job and meet all the needs and challenges of their customers. With FDX calling the shots though, they will be able to deploy the drivers as needed when ever and where ever FDX needs them. No questions asked.

 

[FedExer267]

Yep that all goes with being a employee. As it stands know we will not do it because they are not the boss, even though we get the never ending harassing from them because they like to think they run the show. Its simple I get a hourly rate, OT, Paid holidays, Vacation, and benefits I will then do what you want. Not until then

 

[MrFedEx]

Spoke with the Ground guy in my area and he mentioned that there is a "TOP SECRET" rumor going around his terminal. This rumor was confirmed by a Manager in his building. Currently FedEx is exploring the cost and deployment of buying out ALL contractors and running Ground and H.D. as a legitimate arm of the company.

This arm will be operated and managed fully by FedEx and yes the drivers will be FDX EMPLOYEES. From the mouth of this manager, FDX acknowledges that the union will be quick to act so as of right now they are exploring with the union a possible set up, starting back east.

Apparently when the dust settles your years in will be the bases of your seniority and the contractors will get severance according to their years in. This driver was quick to say that yes this a huge change of course for Ground and while this manager is very serious, you really never know with FDX.

When the driver pushed his manager for more information he was reluctant to say any more, but he did say that the cost of litigation and the ongoing service issues due to a workforce that is not completely under your control is pushing this issue.

All I can say is that if this is true, good luck to you guys.

This could be true. Long-term, the writing may be on the wall for huge lawsuits over the continuing mis-classification of workers who are really employees. Like others have said, Fred isn't going to want to pay full price if he has to buyout contractor routes and vehicles.