Making Ends Meet

[Goldilocks]

I have no clue who works for Fedex and who doesn't on this forum...Thats ok, I am paid fairly, not great but its ok. Too late for me to change. But I as many of you have given my life to this company, and now I am at the end or near, so my youthful challenging spirit is declining. I dont like to fight battles anymore, but what I can do is to make all of you with less seniority, 28 or less, WISER. I will never ever forget what Fred has done for me and many of my coworkers, but what I will try to forget is the riff raff management that has tried to take so many down, talked behind their backs, betrayed their trust and simply tried to take certain employees down. I hate them for that. I had one senior that made a mockery out of this one guy who was heavy set and bald. He always wore a hat to cover his head because he was ashamed of being bald, people called him KOOL AID, like the smilling pitcher, he would just smile and take it. She announced very loud to everyone, #### take off your hat, you are not allowed to wear that on the sort, it was a company issued hat, she just wanted him to feel humiliated. Then she paper trailed him and he eventually got fired, probably because of his appearance, because he was never late or called in sick, a good employee. Hurtful hateful words are not good. This was NOT the beginings of Federal Express. The people placed in power have turned this company upside down. Fred has stood by our side until the little Federal Express exploded and is now a Huge Corporation. The Shareholders own us not Fred...



Guess my point is to blame whats in front of you, hold them accountable. We happen to have great managers in place at my station this time so I cant complain much.

Fred had never liked the Union,that was his fight, he placed the GFT and SFA in the system for unfair treatment and for disputes. But unfortunately the people running almost every aspect of this company are corrupt. The PEOPLE PROFIT SERVICE, has gone to simply PURPLE PROMISE.

 

[vantexan]

I have no clue who works for Fedex and who doesn't on this forum...Thats ok, I am paid fairly, not great but its ok. Too late for me to change. But I as many of you have given my life to this company, and now I am at the end or near, so my youthful challenging spirit is declining. I dont like to fight battles anymore, but what I can do is to make all of you with less seniority, 28 or less, WISER. I will never ever forget what Fred has done for me and many of my coworkers, but what I will try to forget is the riff raff management that has tried to take so many down, talked behind their backs, betrayed their trust and simply tried to take certain employees down. I hate them for that. I had one senior that made a mockery out of this one guy who was heavy set and bald. He always wore a hat to cover his head because he was ashamed of being bald, people called him KOOL AID, like the smilling pitcher, he would just smile and take it. She announced very loud to everyone, #### take off your hat, you are not allowed to wear that on the sort, it was a company issued hat, she just wanted him to feel humiliated. Then she paper trailed him and he eventually got fired, probably because of his appearance, because he was never late or called in sick, a good employee. Hurtful hateful words are not good. This was NOT the beginings of Federal Express. The people placed in power have turned this company upside down. Fred has stood by our side until the little Federal Express exploded and is now a Huge Corporation. The Shareholders own us not Fred...



Guess my point is to blame whats in front of you, hold them accountable. We happen to have great managers in place at my station this time so I cant complain much.

Fred is the single biggest shareholder. It was he at the front of building this company into what it is today. That includes terminating our traditional pension, building up Ground with poor pay and no benefits, and slowing our pay progression to a trickle. It was he who told us in the mid-90's that giving a 2% raise to topped out employees would cost FedEx an extra $30 million a YEAR and they couldn't afford it. That same month FedEx announced to Wall Street FedEx had a $250 million dollar in profit QUARTER, the first time that happened. It was Fred S who said that P-S-P was 3 equal parts, and that PEOPLE were never supposed to be first before the other components. Sure didn't jibe with what I heard all over the country: "People-Service-Profit, with our people always coming first". Or more recently he said that FedEx has a no layoff philosophy, not a no layoff policy. There's very little pretense anymore, these guys are in it from Fred to your local mgr to enrich themselves and exploit everything and everyone needed to reach their goals. If they, or he, cared like you think he does, I'd have been topped out several years ago, at least, and wouldn't be here upsetting LTFedExer...

 

[vantexan]

I've asked this before.......What is a livable wage? I consider what I get a livable wage (actually a little more than that). But, the courier next to me may not.

FS makes the final call.....period. If push came to shove, layoffs would be on the horizon.

Would you have come to work for FedEx if there was NO pension? I think you would have. I doubt the pension plan was on your mind when you were hired. Remember, FedEx doesn't have to give you a pension at all. Worry about saving for yourself and the pension would like a bonus.

No, I would have gone into truck driving. The one thing that brought me back to FedEx was the chance to increase my pension. I was told up front I'd top out in 7-8 years, so I was prepared to pay my dues and get back on track, earning a decent pension and getting together some good savings with top-out pay. Hasn't worked out that way. And man, there will come a day when you wish you had the extra income just to get by.

 

[MrFedEx]

Fred had never liked the Union,that was his fight, he placed the GFT and SFA in the system for unfair treatment and for disputes. But unfortunately the people running almost every aspect of this company are corrupt. The PEOPLE PROFIT SERVICE, has gone to simply PURPLE PROMISE.

OK, I'm going to help you kick the habit.

1. Take-off the purple sunglasses
2. Remove every packet of Kool-Aid from the house. Throw it away. No pitchers in the fridge, no secret hiding places
3. Remove anything purple and/or orange from your home. You'll still have to wear the uniform....that cannot be helped
4. Think back to 1982 or so. Fred was a good guy then, This is 2012, He has changed, and not for the better.
5. Keep a big container of water, juice, (not grape or orange juice!!)or soda with you at all times. When you feel a need for the Aid, reach for something else
6. Learn that the GFT, SFA, and every other acronym are there for the benefit of the company, not you
7. It's never too late to learn and move-on
8. FedEx is a dog and pony show. Smoke and mirrors, feel-good BBQ's and nothing more.
9. Accept the reality...FedEx sucks
10. You are a cost and a unit of production.

You are welcome.

 

[Goldilocks]

OK, I'm going to help you kick the habit.

1. Take-off the purple sunglasses
2. Remove every packet of Kool-Aid from the house. Throw it away. No pitchers in the fridge, no secret hiding places
3. Remove anything purple and/or orange from your home. You'll still have to wear the uniform....that cannot be helped
4. Think back to 1982 or so. Fred was a good guy then, This is 2012, He has changed, and not for the better.
5. Keep a big container of water, juice, (not grape or orange juice!!)or soda with you at all times. When you feel a need for the Aid, reach for something else
6. Learn that the GFT, SFA, and every other acronym are there for the benefit of the company, not you
7. It's never too late to learn and move-on
8. FedEx is a dog and pony show. Smoke and mirrors, feel-good BBQ's and nothing more.
9. Accept the reality...FedEx sucks
10. You are a cost and a unit of production.

You are welcome.

MrFedex, I have agreed with you on some things but about Fred I wont. I have met him, he came to our station many years ago and awarded us with the Golden Eagle Award, nice guy.

Now what you fail to mention is the corruption below him. Backstabbing people trying to make it to the top. Tell me, how would you get rid of this?

 

[vantexan]

MrFedex, I have agreed with you on some things but about Fred I wont. I have met him, he came to our station many years ago and awarded us with the Golden Eagle Award, nice guy.

Now what you fail to mention is the corruption below him. Backstabbing people trying to make it to the top. Tell me, how would you get rid of this?

Backstabbing corporate climbers are everywhere. Why would you think FedEx is different? Do you believe the rhetoric? I believe that falls under "drinking the Kool-ade".

 

[Goldilocks]

Backstabbing corporate climbers are everywhere. Why would you think FedEx is different? Do you believe the rhetoric? I believe that falls under "drinking the Kool-ade".

No Van, not a Kool Ade drinker, just a woman who has worked hard all her life in a mans world and has learned how to adjust and manipulate and Cover my Ass....

 

[MrFedEx]

MrFedex, I have agreed with you on some things but about Fred I wont. I have met him, he came to our station many years ago and awarded us with the Golden Eagle Award, nice guy.

Now what you fail to mention is the corruption below him. Backstabbing people trying to make it to the top. Tell me, how would you get rid of this?

Sorry, but Fred is Montgomery Burns, Satan, and Bernie Madoff all rolled into one.

 

[DontThrowPackages]

Please dont take me wrong but, I understand your frustration along with many others, including me, but one thing I dont get, why do you continuously blame FS for Everything? Why not blame MT3? I personally have been told of many occasions when people in Mem talking about layoffs for the hourlies and FS got very upset and walked out. He wont stand for it. I stand by that man and that man only. He created this company that gave all of us jobs. Thats one thing we should be thankful for. Its so far out of his hands now.... Now others, Hmmm, no comment

A few of us where told by a manager,no longer with the company, if you think things are bad, you wouldnt want to be here if FS left. I have know way of knowing one way or the other if thats a true statement but you're the second person to basically say the same thing.

 

[LTFedExer]

building up Ground with poor pay and no benefits

Did the workers at Ground have better pay and benefits under RPS?

I'd have been topped out several years ago, at least, and wouldn't be here upsetting LTFedExer...

While I'd like to believe you....I don't. If you were topped out, you'd be wanting UPS pay. And you don't make upset....we disagree on the subject, which is allowed

And man, there will come a day when you wish you had the extra income just to get by.

While I won't be rich, I surely won't be counting on ANY pension. If I get one...fine. If I don't get one...I'll survive just fine. Save for yourself and stop putting the burden on someone else.

A few of us where told by a manager,no longer with the company, if you think things are bad, you wouldnt want to be here if FS left. I have no way of knowing one way or the other if thats a true statement but you're the second person to basically say the same thing.

I corrected that for you And yes, things would/will be MUCH MUCH worse without Fred S on top.

 

[vantexan]

Did the workers at Ground have better pay and benefits under RPS?

While I'd like to believe you....I don't. If you were topped out, you'd be wanting UPS pay. And you don't make upset....we disagree on the subject, which is allowed

While I won't be rich, I surely won't be counting on ANY pension. If I get one...fine. If I don't get one...I'll survive just fine. Save for yourself and stop putting the burden on someone else.

Right, the company offers a pension, tells me over and over this is what I'll get, and then takes it away. Somehow I'm putting the burden on them. And you don't believe me, yet you flat out lied about saying that 35 hrs is plenty, which as I just demonstrated you said in this very thread. And many times elsewhere. You can shill all you want, but your precious company has ripped us off to increase profits.

 

[Ricochet1a]

...but your precious company has ripped us off to increase profits.

Be careful now... accusing your employer of felonious activity (ripped us off), subjects you to potential disciplinary measures....

 

[LTFedExer]

yet you flat out lied about saying that 35 hrs is plenty, which as I just demonstrated you said in this very thread. And many times elsewhere. You can shill all you want, but your precious company has ripped us off to increase profits.

I'm sorry. I have searched and can't find where I said '35 is plenty'. Can you point me there? I KNOW I said I budget myself on 35 hours though. Big difference.

 

[55+]

I wonder what fedex would do if someone came to work and attempted to use a cain or walker ?...just curious ..would they tell someone to bring in a doctors note..might just happen eventually..I really think they shot themselves in the foot by forcing us oldies into the cash pension plan..I would,ve been gone last year if they wouldve just left it alone for another 3 years
Now they will have to carry me for another year or year and a half ..too bad ..

 

[vantexan]

If you can't live on 35 hours/week, its your own fault and you should take a better look at your finances.

This is where you said 35 is plenty. Do you need it word for word?

 

[LTFedExer]

This is where you said 35 is plenty. Do you need it word for word?

I read that as you should be able to live on 35 hours/week, not that 35 hours is plenty of hours. But, its cool, I see how you read it. Judging by the things some are saying will happen, be prepared to live on 'only' 35 hours.

 

[Goldilocks]

I read that as you should be able to live on 35 hours/week, not that 35 hours is plenty of hours. But, its cool, I see how you read it. Judging by the things some are saying will happen, be prepared to live on 'only' 35 hours.

Just like we have all been told, FT 35 hours and PT 17.5.... Budget yourselves and stash the extra in savings. Most people have chosen to live on 55 plus. Not Fedex's problem. JMO

 

[vantexan]

Just like we have all been told, FT 35 hours and PT 17.5.... Budget yourselves and stash the extra in savings. Most people have chosen to live on 55 plus. Not Fedex's problem. JMO

The employee handbook used to say that FedEx strives to provide 40 hrs a week but sometimes that's not possible but they do guarantee 35 hrs. Nowhere on anything official is it written that you should only expect 35 hrs and live your life accordingly. Most people I know don't live on 55 plus because they never get that much. And it is Fedex'es problem when they hold our pay progression down to a trickle while raising insurance costs every year and now taking away the chance to get OT. A topped out courier makes more on 35hrs than I do on 40 so of course you can blithely say it's no big deal. Stop and think for a moment what they've put many of us through for many years now and maybe you'll get the proper perspective instead of talking as if we are all irresponsible with our money.

 

[MrFedEx]

Just like we have all been told, FT 35 hours and PT 17.5.... Budget yourselves and stash the extra in savings. Most people have chosen to live on 55 plus. Not Fedex's problem. JMO

Here's some math for you. Let's say you have 2 employees in a major metropolitan market area. Employee A is topped-out at $27 per hr, so his 35 hrs will be substantially more profitable than Employee B, who started 5 years ago and is still making $17 per hour or so. How is anyone at low to mid-range going to have any "extra" for savings?

The hardest-working courier I have ever seen is a mid-range guy who would dry up and blow away with 35 hrs because his pay is so low. He also has a wife and kid with significant medical issues. Between the insurance costs and just living, he goes backwards every week and just a little bit further into the hole (per actual conversation). He drives a 20 year-old car, and lives a very spartan life. Such is life with the "never top-out" plan.

 

[55+]

Apparently it is not Fedex' s intention to provide a living wage ..the sooner people realize that the better off they will be. If you must work at Fedex ,get in,get what you need, and get out..You must have an exit strategy otherwise you could go bankrupt.Especially if you come in parttime.Sorry I know that sounds cynical but it is todays reality.