MR. FED EX

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Gets my vote. Thanks for all your efforts. It is healing to the hurt.

It has done what exactly, but add "healing to the hurt"? I have been here to see you and Ricochet, Broke and others advocating for this and imploring for that and in the end what truly has been accomplished? Hope? Really? What ailments have been addressed at the core? Don't get me wrong. I like to "blow off steam" as much as the next, but you need to realize the limits to that therapy. How many time has the FAA thing been just a matter of time? How many times has the "Ground scam" been going down? When was Sir Oberstar the Galant supposed to ride forth to liberating conquest? When you add it up, the "wins" are phantoms of a hope that truly never was.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
It has done what exactly, but add "healing to the hurt"? I have been here to see you and Ricochet, Broke and others advocating for this and imploring for that and in the end what truly has been accomplished? Hope? Really? What ailments have been addressed at the core? Don't get me wrong. I like to "blow off steam" as much as the next, but you need to realize the limits to that therapy. How many time has the FAA thing been just a matter of time? How many times has the "Ground scam" been going down? When was Sir Oberstar the Galant supposed to ride forth to liberating conquest? When you add it up, the "wins" are phantoms of a hope that truly never was.
"
No false expectations here. I've always realized that fighting "King Frederick" would be an uphill battle. Perhaps "Sir Oberstar" was a knight that wasn't up to the task, and we all know that Obama has been a simpering weakling. I'm not even going to head down the Hoffa path. It's pretty difficult to fight Big Money and a political structure all too happy to wallow in it and screw the little guy over.

The bottom line is that we've lost the battle... not the war. Every day, an increasing number of FedEx employees are figuring it out, and that's a victory in and of itself. The more FedEx pushes, the more employees will push back. Far fewer are willing to give the extra effort that FedEx demands for so little in return. Crap service eventually pays a dividend of customers who will go elsewhere...probably to UPS.

And the Ground deal isn't over yet. I'll grant you that the ISP model seems to be passing the stink test for legality so far. Once the state AG's get their payoff the incentive to go after FedEx may be reduced..for now. I recently read an article on "independent contractors" in a Transportation Industry magazine that was very illluminating. You probably wouldn't enjoy it because it revealed the weakness of the ISP model and cited other companies which had lost huge lawsuits in spite of having more stringent safeguards than FedEx in terms of protecting their "contractors". What happens if the ISP model goes down in flames?

FedEx Express is investing more than ever in aircraft and is starting to restructure it's vehicle fleet. Perhaps it's because they plan on shifting larger packages to Ground, or maybe the market has evolved due to the slack economy....my crystal ball doesn't look that far into the future yet. But no matter what happens there's one thing you can count on, and that's the fact that Fred S and FedEx don't give a crap about you or your business beyond your ability to provide them a profit. If they could outsource your function and save a penny, they'd toss you like used toilet paper in a second. That's just "good business", and I know you're OK with that, good little capitalist tool that you are.

Don't forget that the RLA voting regs have been liberalized too. Maybe the Teamsters are waiting for the Hail Mary play that probably isn't coming and most likely wouldn't work anyway. Fine. Once they finally pull their collective heads out of you-know-where, maybe they'll get to work on organizing FedEx under the RLA. Maybe that's giving them far too much credit. Again, I don't know for certain.

At my station, we eff them at every opportunity, and others are doing the same thing when they can. More lawsuits, more accidents, indifferent employees, and lower productivity will all take their toll on efficiency and profit. WalMart employees are incapable of FedEx standards, but if Fred wants to keep trying, there will be plenty of us doing our best to stop him.

Let me know when Fred effs you over, because it will happen. It's how he does business.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
I'm guessing He'll "eff" you off the face of Brown Cafe long before I'll be the target. I'll let you be my canary in the coal mine.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
And really, who is more a capitalist tool than a wage-slave, servile enough to do an adequate job and to frightened to fly for freedom?
 

Lineandinitial

Legio patria nostra
As an outsider, I find the FDX "problem/no problem" fascinating.
I must say that the posters on this thread are very articulate and eloquent.
I think MFE is a FDX driver; bbsam is a Ground Owner/Driver; ex fed is a former employee; quadro is also a FDX driver; who are the other players? Please correct and get some management people in this to balance the discussion.
I am enjoying reading this thread. Not because of conflict, but because of the excellent perspectives typed out. As I said, I don't know the issues, just reading about them. I'm an older UPSer currently in the Air side.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
Welcome to the Party!:happy-very:
We do tend to have different POV and the debate can be spirited but it's usually civil and even sometimes enlightening. (When MFE agrees with me.:happy-very:)
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
And really, who is more a capitalist tool than a wage-slave, servile enough to do an adequate job and to frightened to fly for freedom?

Maybe. But you actually believe in the fairy tale...I don't. Capitalism is a pyramid scheme that requires an underclass (like you and your drivers). I make most of my money from investments and real estate, so I have more freedom than you think, and to some degree I'm also a capitalist tool as well. I'm only there for insurance benefits, so I don't qualify as a "wage slave".
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
I'm guessing He'll "eff" you off the face of Brown Cafe long before I'll be the target. I'll let you be my canary in the coal mine.

Who knows. Ground might be the canary in the coal mine if the ISP doesn't work-out. Then you'd be up a certain brown creek without a paddle. Oh yeah, and Fred wouldn't toss you a paddle, a life jacket, or even a rope. He'd just watch you sink or float away to the treatment plant.
 

Lineandinitial

Legio patria nostra
Thanks.

MFE.,.. I didn't intend to offend you. I am sure thst you are a great Husband/Dad/Provider (assuming again).
I'm sure that you have smart (or like me very stupid investments)......I'm just trying to understand who is who.,

Cheers to you Sir...You have always posted very well. Credible!

bbsam..thanks for the candor and sof
 
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