Is It Time To Disrupt Operations?

[MrFedEx]

I'm trying to do just that, and have tried to get MrFedEx to say some positive things about FedEx, but I guess he's just so unhappy. I just don't understand and can't comprehend how someone can be so miserable at a job. His posts reflect negative attitudes. I guess he's just not man enough to handle it.
Have a great day!

My negative attitudes are a reflection of someone attempting to get a union at FedEx and actually improve things. Also, while I agree that UPS drivers work a bit harder than we do in most cases, that isn't always true. My W900 is just as packed with deliveries as the UPS guy's P1000, and I cover a much wider area. A much higher percentage of my pickups are on-call as opposed to his much higher number of regular house stops. In other words, my pickups are much more variable and harder to plan for. I'm also responsible for a small residential area he doesn't have to deal with. At the end of the day, my truck is just as full as his with outbound. Who works harder? That's debatable, but I know who makes more money.

There are lots of areas in the US where FedEx couriers cover much wider areas than their UPS counterparts, so the debate would need to be case by case. In many cases, especially in semi-rural areas, the solo FedEx person has 3 UPS drivers within their coverage area.

 

[SmithBarney]

Whats your read on this situ. We have a manager(in a multi manager station) that is resigning to go elsewhere in the company, and we have a soon to be retired courier...
The manager position is already listed as an open position
The soon to be Vacant driver seat, is potentially not going to be opened for bid
(assumption being that the FT route will be replaced with PT workers or absorbed)

 

[MrFedEx]

Whats your read on this situ. We have a manager(in a multi manager station) that is resigning to go elsewhere in the company, and we have a soon to be retired courier...
The manager position is already listed as an open position
The soon to be Vacant driver seat, is potentially not going to be opened for bid
(assumption being that the FT route will be replaced with PT workers or absorbed)

I've heard that a lot of vacant positions won't be filled due to lower volumes, both management and hourly. Even if filling the position IS justified by volume, don't you think they wouldn't bother to hire for it and just make you and your fellow couriers work that much harder?

 

[FedEx All the Way!]

I've heard that a lot of vacant positions won't be filled due to lower volumes, both management and hourly. Even if filling the position IS justified by volume, don't you think they wouldn't bother to hire for it and just make you and your fellow couriers work that much harder?

Do you ever post anything good about the company (i.e., this article below).
FedEx partners with Gawad Kalinga to build schools

October 14, 2008

MANILA, Oct. 14 -– Federal Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FexEx Corp., the world’s largest express transportation company, recently partnered with Gawad Kalinga (GK) to construct schools in eight underprivileged communities in the Philippines.

In an agreement signed by both companies, FedEx committed to provide funding for the construction of school buildings and classrooms, as well as the salaries of two teachers per school for two years.
David J. Ross, Regional Vice-President, FedEx South Pacific, said “At FedEx, we are committed to improving childhood education for the underprivileged in the communities where we do business.”
He added, “Through this partnership with GK, we believe education can become a primary tool in enabling less fortunate children to realize their dreams and positively transform their lives.”
Jose Tale, GK Chairman, said “We are excited that we have been able to implement successful program that have helped in the development of the children. By working closely with FedEx, we are able to communicate the necessary knowledge and values among our youth that can help create more sustainable communities.”
FedEx employees will volunteer in the construction of these schools, through simple masonry work, painting and furnishing work.
Recently, FedEx and GK had a groundbreaking at Multinational Village in Paranaque City called the “FedEx-Gawad Kalinga Sibol School.” The schools aim to deliver quality and value-based education to pre-school-aged children in underprivileged communities.
Volunteers for both organizations will build more FedEx GK Sibol schools in the cities of Subic, Quezon City and Paranaque, Bacolod City in the Visayas, and Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao.
A total of 936 children will have their lives positively transformed by access to education as the result of the FedEx’s commitment to this project.
GK is a multi-million sectoral volunteer movement that builds integrated, holistic and sustainable communities focusing first and foremost on depressed areas throughout the Philippines.
Under their Sibol Program, values-based education is provided to pre-school-aged children.
The FedEx GK Sibol schools will be used primarily for pre-school classes, but will also be used after school hours by FedEx and GK volunteers to conduct activities such as tutorials, story-telling, and arts and crafts sessions.
During the 2006-2007 schoolyear, nursery and preparatory classes for 47 students were conducted in two temporary classrooms which had been prepared by parent volunteers to accommodate pre-school enrollees.
Students received additional exposure during monthly community days, as well as during educational trips. (PNA)

 

[MrFedEx]

That's great that FedEx is helping-out, but most of their giving is with strings-attached. The United Way is a perfect example. Employees are strongly pressured to give so FedEx can look like a good corporate citizen. Most FedEx charity work is designed so it can give the company maximum PR exposure. Give to charity, just don't do it in the name of FedEx, OK? If you've ever seen Frontline,UpClose, or any FedEx corporate communications then you've seen FedEx mercy flights headed to various disasters throughout the world. In every case, you will also see "FedEx Cares" stickers and signage plastered over everything in the cameras view field. Again, FedEx is more interested in positive PR opportunities that preserve it's reputation than it is in providing true assistance to those in need.

You say your husband is a manager. If that's true, then he's totally familiar with being forced to do community service as part of his job...once again, the FedEx PR machine working it's well-oiled magic. I personally believe in both charitable giving and community service, but nobody should have to do it with a gun at their head.

 

[SmithBarney]

I agree with that most of what FedEx is PR, such as the green fleet of hybrid trucks
Meanwhile we burn all the warehouse lights 24/7 with an electric bill roughly 2200-3000/month
We are told that they need to cut expenses, I offer shutting the lights off at
unneeded times, would probably net a 60% savings in electric. I was told
we couldn't shut them off because shutting them off at the breaker is a safety hazard
ok so pay someone roughly $100 to put a switch in so we can save $1100+ a month.

 

[MrFedEx]

I agree with that most of what FedEx is PR, such as the green fleet of hybrid trucks
Meanwhile we burn all the warehouse lights 24/7 with an electric bill roughly 2200-3000/month
We are told that they need to cut expenses, I offer shutting the lights off at
unneeded times, would probably net a 60% savings in electric. I was told
we couldn't shut them off because shutting them off at the breaker is a safety hazard
ok so pay someone roughly $100 to put a switch in so we can save $1100+ a month.

The hybrids are a perfect example of FedEx duplicity. They're a tiny part of the FedEx vehicle fleet, but you'd never know it from all the green hype. In my region, they shift them around from state to state so the public actually gets to see one in action every once in awhile. Meanwhile, they've got thousands of old gas 600's and 700's spewing crap into the air at about 8 mpg, and a large number of very inefficient(and noisy) 727's still flying. The only green that counts with FedEx is the kind you put into your wallet. Fred has already been quoted as saying that the hybrids are too expensive to be cost-effective, so you know that only a few stations in California and some of the more eco-sensitive states will ever see more than a handful. As usual, FedEx only complies when it finally has to, and then acts like it was the company that started the trend...kind of like Al Gore inventing the Internet.

I know exactly what you mean with the lights. They burn them 24/7 around here too.

 

[FedEx All the Way!]

That's great that FedEx is helping-out, but most of their giving is with strings-attached. The United Way is a perfect example. Employees are strongly pressured to give so FedEx can look like a good corporate citizen. Most FedEx charity work is designed so it can give the company maximum PR exposure. Give to charity, just don't do it in the name of FedEx, OK? If you've ever seen Frontline,UpClose, or any FedEx corporate communications then you've seen FedEx mercy flights headed to various disasters throughout the world. In every case, you will also see "FedEx Cares" stickers and signage plastered over everything in the cameras view field. Again, FedEx is more interested in positive PR opportunities that preserve it's reputation than it is in providing true assistance to those in need.

You say your husband is a manager. If that's true, then he's totally familiar with being forced to do community service as part of his job...once again, the FedEx PR machine working it's well-oiled magic. I personally believe in both charitable giving and community service, but nobody should have to do it with a gun at their head.

It really doesn't matter whether it's PR or not - have you ever heard the phrase - "one hand washes the other"? You just don't get it! When the economy is sooooo bad (i.e, people loosing their homes, stock market at its lowest) you bitch and complain. When the economy was in goooood shape and FedEx was there for you (i.e., paycheck, profit sharing, pension, 401k, bonuses etc.) you were ok. Now that the economy is at its lowest and a company like FedEx has to cut costs to survive you complain. You really need to stop and realize what's around you.
Have a great day!!!!!

 

[MrFedEx]

It really doesn't matter whether it's PR or not - have you ever heard the phrase - "one hand washes the other"? You just don't get it! When the economy is sooooo bad (i.e, people loosing their homes, stock market at its lowest) you bitch and complain. When the economy was in goooood shape and FedEx was there for you (i.e., paycheck, profit sharing, pension, 401k, bonuses etc.) you were ok. Now that the economy is at its lowest and a company like FedEx has to cut costs to survive you complain. You really need to stop and realize what's around you.
Have a great day!!!!!

If you will recall, FedEx eliminated profit-sharing and pensions when the economy was at it's height, so your post is wrong...as usual. Before you write something else that shows how mis-informed you are, why don't you research actual facts. It's you that doesn't get it. FedEx took full advantage of it's employees, not vice-versa.

And posting postive FedEx PR doesn't change anything. Did you ever stop to think that the PR program has accelerated at about the same pace as employee take-aways? No matter what they do to screw over their people, FedEx keeps trying to look good to the general public.

 

[FedEx All the Way!]

If you will recall, FedEx eliminated profit-sharing and pensions when the economy was at it's height, so your post is wrong...as usual. Before you write something else that shows how mis-informed you are, why don't you research actual facts. It's you that doesn't get it. FedEx took full advantage of it's employees, not vice-versa.

And posting postive FedEx PR doesn't change anything. Did you ever stop to think that the PR program has accelerated at about the same pace as employee take-aways? No matter what they do to screw over their people, FedEx keeps trying to look good to the general public.

My post is not wrong, like I previously stated "YOU JUST DON'T GET IT!" Because of the mortgage meltdown and the high prices of fuel which has hurt every business and has taken down the economy, you're saying that FedEx should give you all those things and still survive - I'm sure 99% of the employees right now are just content in having a job!

The general public is their business and any PR doesn't hurt anyone. I just hope that FedEx survives this economy just to keep good americans employed. I wouldn't want to see anyone hurting for work. Unlike you, you would say anything negative about the company and bring people's attitudes down and still have the gull to walk through FedEx's doors.
By the way, didn't you mention something about FedEx paying for your education? Does that mean your using them as well?

 

[MrFedEx]

My post is not wrong, like I previously stated "YOU JUST DON'T GET IT!" Because of the mortgage meltdown and the high prices of fuel which has hurt every business and has taken down the economy, you're saying that FedEx should give you all those things and still survive - I'm sure 99% of the employees right now are just content in having a job!

The general public is their business and any PR doesn't hurt anyone. I just hope that FedEx survives this economy just to keep good americans employed. I wouldn't want to see anyone hurting for work. Unlike you, you would say anything negative about the company and bring people's attitudes down and still have the gull to walk through FedEx's doors.
By the way, didn't you mention something about FedEx paying for your education? Does that mean your using them as well?

OK, ding-a-ling, here's today's lesson on Corporate America. FedEx eliminated the pension because they could, not because they were in financial difficulty. Unlike the airlines, FedEx was, and is,very profitable. FedEx was well able to continue funding employee pensions, but instead chose to pocket the money as profit and pay-out additional millions to it's already over-compensated top executives. They spun all of the adverse publicity about airline pensions into a campaign to eliminate FedEx pensions. You see, great dense one, FedEx isn't even an airline, although they'd like you to think they are. They, like UPS, are a systems integrator, which means that they offer a complete array of shipping and IT services through a family of companies like FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground, and FedEx Trade Networks, among others.

It's called GREED, and if you think that FedEx gives a damn about any of it's people except the top tier of execs, you're sadly out of touch. You are so ill-informed that it amazes me. Do you EVER read anything other than People Magazine? Just how high is your almighty husband anyway? If he's really up there, he's a beneficiary of screwing-over all the rest of us so HE could have more. In short, they took away our retirement so your husband could have a better one. Thank him for me, would you? Is Sarah Palin a relative of yours....your endless positive spin without regard for the facts sounds just like her.

 

[FedEx All the Way!]

OK, ding-a-ling, here's today's lesson on Corporate America. FedEx eliminated the pension because they could, not because they were in financial difficulty. Unlike the airlines, FedEx was, and is,very profitable. FedEx was well able to continue funding employee pensions, but instead chose to pocket the money as profit and pay-out additional millions to it's already over-compensated top executives. They spun all of the adverse publicity about airline pensions into a campaign to eliminate FedEx pensions. You see, great dense one, FedEx isn't even an airline, although they'd like you to think they are. They, like UPS, are a systems integrator, which means that they offer a complete array of shipping and IT services through a family of companies like FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground, and FedEx Trade Networks, among others.

It's called GREED, and if you think that FedEx gives a damn about any of it's people except the top tier of execs, you're sadly out of touch. You are so ill-informed that it amazes me. Do you EVER read anything other than People Magazine? Just how high is your almighty husband anyway? If he's really up there, he's a beneficiary of screwing-over all the rest of us so HE could have more. In short, they took away our retirement so your husband could have a better one. Thank him for me, would you? Is Sarah Palin a relative of yours....your endless positive spin without regard for the facts sounds just like her.

First of all, I would like to thank you for all the kind words you have expressed! Secondly, I mentioned your posts to my husband and his comments to me were - don't bother with him, he's a fanatic about bringing people down, not worth it. He will get lost in the system on his own! That my little man is a fact. Someone who continues to post negative vs positive is a very distressed little man. Have you gone to see someone about your condition yet? Can I help you seek some professional help? We would just ask the professionals why are you still walking through FedEx's doors?
Keep on posting negative stuff about FedEx and I'll keep posting positive things about the company and we'll just wait and see who comes out ahead. Kinda makes you feel like your on TV debating doesn't it? Only, one of us can't come up with a specific plan to help. Guess who that is!
As far as Sarah Palin is concerned - let's talk OBAMA where he dodges every question asked without a plan to it. What's his background - most people think he's MUSLIM? By the way (I found the word MUSLIM in Peoples Magazine! What about his experience (doesn't have any)! he will just go in and fix everything the next day!!!!! I guess your going to get your pension back - or maybe he will increase your social security check every month - please get real.
Instead of asking me if I'm related to Sarah - let me ask you, "are you related to OBAMA" because you both sound so much alike.
Have a wonderful (negative) day!!!!

 

[MrFedEx]

First of all, I would like to thank you for all the kind words you have expressed! Secondly, I mentioned your posts to my husband and his comments to me were - don't bother with him, he's a fanatic about bringing people down, not worth it. He will get lost in the system on his own! That my little man is a fact. Someone who continues to post negative vs positive is a very distressed little man. Have you gone to see someone about your condition yet? Can I help you seek some professional help? We would just ask the professionals why are you still walking through FedEx's doors?
Keep on posting negative stuff about FedEx and I'll keep posting positive things about the company and we'll just wait and see who comes out ahead. Kinda makes you feel like your on TV debating doesn't it? Only, one of us can't come up with a specific plan to help. Guess who that is!
As far as Sarah Palin is concerned - let's talk OBAMA where he dodges every question asked without a plan to it. What's his background - most people think he's MUSLIM? By the way (I found the word MUSLIM in Peoples Magazine! What about his experience (doesn't have any)! he will just go in and fix everything the next day!!!!! I guess your going to get your pension back - or maybe he will increase your social security check every month - please get real.
Instead of asking me if I'm related to Sarah - let me ask you, "are you related to OBAMA" because you both sound so much alike.
Have a wonderful (negative) day!!!!

Just the fact that you would throw-out the Muslim inference with Obama shows you are an absolute idiot.Even McCain has publicly acknowledged that Obama is NOT a Muslim. I suppose you believe the current Right Wing Internet campaign that is trying to say he's an Arab as well. I'd much rather be related to him than either McCain or Palin. God, you are dumb...and probably racist as well. Keep on doing and thinking what Rush and your hubby tell you to.

You can keep posting all the positive crap about FedEx you'd like, and if it's BS, I'll shoot it down in flames like most of your increasingly stupid posts. ANY company has positive attributes...even FedEx. But as long as Master Fred continues to treat me like his personal plantation slave, I'll be fighting back to go union and be treated with some degree of respect.

Keep it coming, and I'll give it right back. By the way, living in a dream world like you do reflects a degree of mental illness that probably cannot be helped. I may write negative things about FedEx, but at least they are based on reality instead of wishful thinking. R-E-A-L-I-T-Y means seeing the world as it is, not simply in the way you'd like it to be. I'm working to change FedEx reality for the better...that means a union that will allow me to bargain towards an improved workplace. If you actually worked there, instead of seeing it only from a management perspective, perhaps you'd figure it out.

 

[moreluck]

AP
FedEx drivers win $14.4 million in labor case
Monday October 20, 4:09 pm ET FedEx drivers in California win $14.4 million from delivery company in labor dispute

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Drivers for FedEx Corp. have won about $14.4 million in a dispute over whether the delivery company illegally classified them as independent contractors instead of employees.
Lawyers for about 200 drivers said Monday that a referee appointed by a Superior Court judge had awarded the amount in reimbursed job-related expenses and interest.
The award is about $9 million more than was awarded to the drivers by a trial court in 2005.
The referee, retired state Superior Court Judge William J. Cahill, was asked to decide the issue of additional compensation and interest owed to the drivers.
Documents in the case detailed expenditures for fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance and uniforms for the drivers.
Lawyers for the drivers argued that the company made drivers pay $7 million in improper expenses. FedEx objected to about $1 million in expenses, but of that Cahill denied only $32,000 worth.
Lawyers in the case are also representing drivers in dozens of other similar cases in about 40 states, which have been consolidated in a federal lawsuit in South Bend, Ind. They said more than 27,000 current and former drivers have been notified of the lawsuits and fewer than 150 have opted not to take part.
Shares of Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx rose $1.57, or 2.5 percent, to $64.12 on Monday.
The case is Estrada v. FedEx Ground Package System Inc.

 

[MrFedEx]

AP
FedEx drivers win $14.4 million in labor case
Monday October 20, 4:09 pm ET FedEx drivers in California win $14.4 million from delivery company in labor dispute

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Drivers for FedEx Corp. have won about $14.4 million in a dispute over whether the delivery company illegally classified them as independent contractors instead of employees.
Lawyers for about 200 drivers said Monday that a referee appointed by a Superior Court judge had awarded the amount in reimbursed job-related expenses and interest.
The award is about $9 million more than was awarded to the drivers by a trial court in 2005.
The referee, retired state Superior Court Judge William J. Cahill, was asked to decide the issue of additional compensation and interest owed to the drivers.
Documents in the case detailed expenditures for fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance and uniforms for the drivers.
Lawyers for the drivers argued that the company made drivers pay $7 million in improper expenses. FedEx objected to about $1 million in expenses, but of that Cahill denied only $32,000 worth.
Lawyers in the case are also representing drivers in dozens of other similar cases in about 40 states, which have been consolidated in a federal lawsuit in South Bend, Ind. They said more than 27,000 current and former drivers have been notified of the lawsuits and fewer than 150 have opted not to take part.
Shares of Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx rose $1.57, or 2.5 percent, to $64.12 on Monday.
The case is Estrada v. FedEx Ground Package System Inc.

This is just the tip of the iceberg...thanks for posting the good news!

 

[FedEx All the Way!]

This is just the tip of the iceberg...thanks for posting the good news!

You are such a ruthless man! Why would you want to see a company that you work for hurt?....? Why would you like to see a company hurt for the people that work there. Shame on you!

 

[FedEx All the Way!]

This is just the tip of the iceberg...thanks for posting the good news!

A spit in the bucket for FedEx......

UPS!
Claim under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that applies to all UPS SCS drivers classified as "independent contractors" in the United States in the last three years, and several claims under California law that apply only to California drivers. As a California driver, you may be entitled to benefits under both state and federal claims.

 

[MrFedEx]

You are such a ruthless man! Why would you want to see a company that you work for hurt?....? Why would you like to see a company hurt for the people that work there. Shame on you!

FedEx has been breaking the law by mis-classifying it's "employees" and ripping them off for years. How does my support for a legal judgement against an extremely unethical company make me "ruthless"? You, on the other hand, are as cold-hearted and ruthless as FedEx, because you mindlessly and wholeheartedly believe in a corporation that cheats and steals money like a common thief from it's hard-working employees. What a witch! Why don't you go roll a nun or spit on a homeless person...it seems that you're exactly that type of ***************
Breaking the law means that you have done wrong and require punishment for your illegal actions. How is that simple concept so completely foreign to you?

 

[FedEx All the Way!]

FedEx has been breaking the law by mis-classifying it's "employees" and ripping them off for years. How does my support for a legal judgement against an extremely unethical company make me "ruthless"? You, on the other hand, are as cold-hearted and ruthless as FedEx, because you mindlessly and wholeheartedly believe in a corporation that cheats and steals money like a common thief from it's hard-working employees. What a witch! Why don't you go roll a nun or spit on a homeless person...it seems that you're exactly that type of**********.

Breaking the law means that you have done wrong and require punishment for your illegal actions. How is that simple concept so completely foreign to you?

You are the ruthless **********. You can't tell me that those drivers didn't sign a contract and didn't know what they were getting into. You **********man they new exactly what they were getting into. On the other hand courts have a tendency to go against big corporations/companies because they know they have the money. You are a *********man and I truly feel very sorry for you.

 

[MrFedEx]

You are the ************. You can't tell me that those drivers didn't sign a contract and didn't know what they were getting into. You stup-d little man they new exactly what they were getting into. On the other hand courts have a tendency to go against big corporations/companies because they know they have the money. You are a **************8man and I truly feel very sorry for you.

Sorry that you are **************, but the courts nailed FedEx to the wall because they were GUILTY. The original CA settlement was for $9.5 million, and was raised in Superior Court to $14 million because the judge saw overwhelming evidence of FedEx running a scam on it's "contractors". In other words, he didn't think the drivers were asking for enough money, so he hit FedEx with a larger judgement...is that clear enough for you? With this precedent (look it up,or ask Hubby) on the books, FedEx will undoubtedly continue to lose, and deservedly so. They are a dishonest rogue corporation that thinks it is above the law and can just make-up the rules as it goes along. Justice has been served, and more is on the way. FedEx only plays by the rules once it has been caught. If you actually worked there, you would see this same pattern repeated in all of their operating divisions.

And no, Ground drivers were not told what they were getting into, as you state. FedEx had an agreement with them to be Independent Contractors, which is legally a much lower standard than Employee. Once contracted, FedEx breached said contract by treating them as employees. Have someone with an IQ of at least 40 *********** explain it to you. THEY WERE GUILTY AND NOW THEY PAY...understand?