ISP concerns and questions...

[gixxer squid]

Ok. I have searched high and low on this board and the overall internet. It seems like this ISP is some secret society and till your in it, info is sparse (except in my ground.biz which makes it seem like lackeys are lining up to sign up)

Our meeting with the Fedex minions was announced its going to be next month to discuss the changes with all the IC's and BC's.

I want more information from REAL CONTRACTORS the ins and outs. I can be PM'd if need be. Our entire terminal is tired of the same old BS where we are getting squeezed by the propaganda machine. I can predict now that they are going to try and convince us how beneficial and good this ISP model is knowing full well that without representation (contractors), we most likely are going to get friend* again. If we ever needed an uprising its more so now than ever!!!!!

That being said, I know we have to be to scale. I get that 500 stops per day min.

1. Is that 500 stops per day include supplements or only PSA's
2. Because our terminal split up areas, does it have to be within the same terminal for scale?
3. What happens to the area that we already have, can someone else bid and take it away?
4. We DO NOT want to combine our area with HD, do we have to take a certain zip code and service that whole area even if it means doing HD as well?
5. What negotiations ( if thats even possible) can we negotiate. Benefits? Vacation?
6. What happens to contractors that have paid a pretty penny for their routes? Are they just swallowed up by the lowest bidder?
7. What are our benefits? Is there anything positive with the conversion or is it all 1 sided?
8. For those that did have to bid for a zip code or area that you already owned, did someone else try and bid for your existing area to steal from you?



What pertinant questions should the Minion be asked in this meeting to expose the real jist so others don't fall for the "smoke and mirrors" chirade? Most of the contractors honestly at our terminal are not the most intelligent people, LOL, and English is NOT their first language.

I am looking for the good, bad and ugly in this model. I want to be prepared and not walk into something with my pants down so to speak. Trying to gather as much information as possible.

And please, lets have some decent dialogue. Theres enough negativity already. I want the skinny on the pro's and con's. I don't wanna hear, "yeah, your friend'd. I already know that.

If those that are already on the ISP model wish to PM me rather than post publicly, do so, I will gladly give my cell number or email address to discuss further. We are trying to educate ourselves before we have something jammed down our gizzards.

Thanks for reading.
GS

 

[Cactus]

I would say pm bbsam, however he has mysteriously disappeared around this forum lately.

I don't wanna hear, "yeah, your friend'd. I already know that.


GS

 

[gixxer squid]

I would say pm bbsam, however he has mysteriously disappeared around this forum lately.

We are in contact. Answers are slow and I want to get multiple opinions from others

It amazes me the number of contractors that are either not aware of this board or don't care about uniting. Boy what I would give to have that email list of all contractors.

Nothing against FedEx, like my job but sick of having smile* shoved down my gizzard without a say or representation

Stock at all time high on the sweat of my brow. Pontius Pilate can wash hands all he wants but day of reckoning will come soon...

 

[soc151]

1. It includes everything. Fedex no longer distinguishes between primary and suppliment. They frame it as, "it's your responsibility to service the contacted area, and it's your choice how many or few trucks you use to accomplish that. "
2. Here, it's 500 per terminal. No splits. So, when they arbitrarily decide to move routes, you could be hung out to dry by the 500 requirement.
3. Not to my knowledge, as long as you are in good standing.
4. Again, not to my knowledge. Could change though. I can see that being the ultimate goal with the establishment of co-locations.
5. From what I've seen, they should be called "negotiations". Pretty sure they are just following a set formula. If you ask more for a service fee, they lower the piece and stop count payments, vice-versa, etc.
6. Contractors that can't make scale sell at a discount, or buy more. Consolidation is the name of the game.
7. Unknown to me.
8. Never seen it happen, though not sure it would be outside the realm of possibility.

**disclaimer-I'm not a contractor, just a guy that has worked at ground under both systems and ask a lot of questions.

 

[gixxer squid]

Your input is greatly appreciated.

 

[CJinx]

The lack of information online regarding negotiations is likely the result of the non-disclosure agreements.

 

[gixxer squid]

The lack of information online regarding negotiations is likely the result of the non-disclosure agreements.

Negotiations?

Hmmmm.

More like, you either accept what we are offering you out of the kindness of our hearts, cough, cough, or we find someone else who will….

Honestly though, like another poster put said. I am NOT a fedex ground hater, I do like what I do, I just want to be paid fairly as a business owner.
( Rent starts at $1600 for 2 bedroom dump apt. to $2200 for something decent, pretty easy to figure out that 800 a week gross doesn't keep good drivers long but the money is not there for us to even pay.)

I want to be paid a wage that I can actually offer benefits or good wages and treat my guys with integrity as an honest company would, not try to squeeze blood out of them because Fred wants his stock over 200 a share

 

[bbsam]

Negotiations?

Hmmmm.

More like, you either accept what we are offering you out of the kindness of our hearts, cough, cough, or we find someone else who will….

Honestly though, like another poster put said. I am NOT a fedex ground hater, I do like what I do, I just want to be paid fairly as a business owner.
( Rent starts at $1600 for 2 bedroom dump apt. to $2200 for something decent, pretty easy to figure out that 800 a week gross doesn't keep good drivers long but the money is not there for us to even pay.)

I want to be paid a wage that I can actually offer benefits or good wages and treat my guys with integrity as an honest company would, not try to squeeze blood out of them because Fred wants his stock over 200 a share

That's not how it works. FedEx doesn't want you paying people decently. Unless of course it is with your profit margin. I just had a driver leave Friday for Express. One of my best drivers and went for the retirement benefits. He was also one of the better paid at Ground. But what am I supposed to do? We have had about 6 drivers leave for Express in the last year. Can't compete but they want safe, experienced drivers at Ground. Their own numbers show that the vast majority of accidents happen with driversion with two or fewer years experience. You would think that the exodus of drivers and the high turnover would get Pittsburgh's attention. Know what they say? "Nobody is forcing drivers to look elsewhere." My response is that's a very short-sighted and stupid attitude. Maybe they will figure it out. Maybe not.

 

[Garciawork]

You can log in to mygroundbiz at this point, there is a packet with new ISP info for California at least.

 

[Cactus]

That's not how it works. FedEx doesn't want you paying people decently. Unless of course it is with your profit margin. I just had a driver leave Friday for Express. One of my best drivers and went for the retirement benefits. He was also one of the better paid at Ground. But what am I supposed to do? We have had about 6 drivers leave for Express in the last year. Can't compete but they want safe, experienced drivers at Ground. Their own numbers show that the vast majority of accidents happen with driversion with two or fewer years experience. You would think that the exodus of drivers and the high turnover would get Pittsburgh's attention. Know what they say? "Nobody is forcing drivers to look elsewhere." My response is that's a very short-sighted and stupid attitude. Maybe they will figure it out. Maybe not.

As long as the supreme weasel Smith is with the company, no they won't figure it out.

 

[MAKAVELI]

That's not how it works. FedEx doesn't want you paying people decently. Unless of course it is with your profit margin. I just had a driver leave Friday for Express. One of my best drivers and went for the retirement benefits. He was also one of the better paid at Ground. But what am I supposed to do? We have had about 6 drivers leave for Express in the last year. Can't compete but they want safe, experienced drivers at Ground. Their own numbers show that the vast majority of accidents happen with driversion with two or fewer years experience. You would think that the exodus of drivers and the high turnover would get Pittsburgh's attention. Know what they say? "Nobody is forcing drivers to look elsewhere." My response is that's a very short-sighted and stupid attitude. Maybe they will figure it out. Maybe not.

If your driver left to Express for retirement benefits, then he's in for a rude awakening. The portable pension plan we have is a joke and the 401k is not much to speak of unless you can afford to put the maximum in. Which at the current pay scale is just about impossible to do. Just wait till he sees the the wonderful health plan we have.

 

[M I Indy]

If your driver left to Express for retirement benefits, then he's in for a rude awakening. The portable pension plan we have is a joke and the 401k is not much to speak of unless you can afford to put the maximum in. Which at the current pay scale is just about impossible to do. Just wait till he sees the the wonderful health plan we have.

That's how you see it! Imagine what Sammy's driver left behind...to run to that pot of gold at Express. One of those times where real bad beats p!$$ poor.

 

[MAKAVELI]

That's how you see it! Imagine what Sammy's driver left behind...to run to that pot of gold at Express. One of those times where real bad beats p!$$ poor.

Oh I know it might be a little better. But what I'm saying is if he thinks it's a pot of gold at Express, he will find out real quick that pot is full of .....not gold.

 

[Slick silver]

I will testify to that, it's a little bit better over here. I am going to make about 10k more this year, compared to when I worked ground. The only difference is the overtime I'm making and being hourly. Beyond that it's the same old bs on both sides


Sent using BrownCafe App

 

[bbsam]

I think he will be disappointed. He was very dependable but strictly 8:30 to 5:00 kind of guy. Knew a lot of area and would help out in a bind but we had an agreement. Honestly, with his wife having insurance, I think he would have been better off just putting money in a mutual fund or IRA but I do hope for the best for him.

 

[bbsam]

That's how you see it! Imagine what Sammy's driver left behind...to run to that pot of gold at Express. One of those times where real bad beats p!$$ poor.

If he had left for UPS, I could see it. As it is, his compensation won't change much and his hours will be far worse.

 

[M I Indy]

If he had left for UPS, I could see it. As it is, his compensation won't change much and his hours will be far worse.

Could very well be true, I'm sure your in depth research shows such trends. Yet, he still left you, not Ex, that might be very telling in and of itself. Maybe your savvy compensation plan, lol, educated him to world of Ex, where being average or below is the way to go. At Express he can WAD and get paid hourly. Freight is late, oh well, at least he will get paid for his extra time. No more stay out there til it's all off the truck, now, that's what next shift is for. He can just hang in the middle and not have to extend himself the way he would for a 5 truck supervisor who thinks they are running a business, and search for a real opportunity in the workforce that appeals to him.

 

[CJinx]

You would think that the exodus of drivers and the high turnover would get Pittsburgh's attention. Know what they say? "Nobody is forcing drivers to look elsewhere." My response is that's a very short-sighted and stupid attitude.

Nobody is held accountable for contractor/isp employee turnover because of just that, they're not our employees. PGH doesn't care about that and for the most part station management doesn't care either as long as service is uninterrupted.

 

[bbsam]

Nobody is held accountable for contractor/isp employee turnover because of just that, they're not our employees. PGH doesn't care about that and for the most part station management doesn't care either as long as service is uninterrupted.

That is only true to a certain extent. Safety is of prime importance and experienced drivers is core to that. If ISP's can't afford.to keep experienced drivers because Pittsburgh is too cheap and Express can and will pay better...well you tell me what that means.

 

[bbsam]

I'll clue you in: either safety isn't really that big a deal or they are just too slow to do anything about it. Over 60% of accidents are drivers with less than 2 years experience. Turnover with package handlers is a problem. Not being able to keep qualified drivers even more of one. From a safety standpoint, with their DOT number, their indemnity insurance...yeah it's their problem too.