Yeah my Safari browser crashes alot on this site too.
The reason I asked about Ground is the rationale is Express won't need W700's with Ground delivering P2. But won't Express need 700's on many routes to pick up bulk P2? I believe this is going to happen no matter what, but I'm hoping to offset somewhat the loss of hours the new pay plan will top us out faster. If so, it'll be a wash for me but current topped out couriers are going to hurt if only getting 35 or so hours.
I'm doing this post using Safari instead of IE - didn't crash but it is darn slow pulling up the page - it has to be BC.
But won't Express need 700's on many routes to pick up bulk P2?
Absolutely - I stated the PROPORTION of vehicles would change - NOT the complete phase out of W700s... All Pups will be the exact same as they are now - NO CHANGE. If the label says "Express", only Express will PUP the piece.
The question you should be asking is: "Why has Express still not enabled Express Couriers that clear drop boxes to perform a PUP scan on Ground pieces they have? (Which all Couriers have found in their drop boxes).
Answer: If Express Couriers process Ground shipments, they aren't meeting the definition of an employee that is covered under RLA - handling exclusively "express" shipments (as defined by the RLA). Technically, Express Couriers shouldn't even be touching Ground pieces, even to bring them into Express stations. There should be separate Ground drop boxes set up right next to every Express drop box.
Why hasn't this been done? FedEx is getting away with Couriers bringing in volume un-scanned to be processed by CSAs (who are also under the RLA - they shouldn't be processing non-Express volume technically). FedEx is having their cake and eating it too with this little unofficial practice.
I believe this is going to happen no matter what, but I'm hoping to offset somewhat the loss of hours the new pay plan will top us out faster.
No info on how the pay raises in March will play out...
However... if there was going to be some spectacular pay increase in March, wouldn't logic dictate that Express would make an announcement NOW, to get the most milage out of it??? Wouldn't morale jump if everyone knew they were getting a certain minimum increase in March - and knew it NOW? Express HR aren't idiots - they know that if something spectacular was being planned, they'd have posters plastered all over the stations.
Haven't heard of any such thing...
An announcement could go as follows: "FedEx Express is pleased to announce that it is committing itself to a minimum 10% pay increase for all of our wage employee come the first week of March 2012. Should FedEx's financial position improve between now and March, Express will strive to increase the pay increase for our wage employees by an even greater amount. We are committing ourself to our primary asset, our people and want to demonstrate our commitment to you now, rather than wait to make an announcement after New Year's Day."
If Express was going to do something spectacular, they would've made a very public affair of it. I haven't heard of anyone hearing anything. To the contrary, there is no proposed pay increase amount being floated about - all indications are that Express is going to sit on their hands till after peak to make a decision as to how much to fork over.
If you get anything over 5% - I'd be absolutely shocked. You just had your health benefits reduced in value to you (as a non-wage benefit) - getting even a 5% pay increase will just mean that you are treading even with what you made in 2011 (after the effects of inflation are taken into consideration). My money is on an average (averaging crafts, by regions) of 3.5% pay increase. No info on this, just my gut instinct based on FedEx's financial performance to date and expected peak performance.
but current topped out couriers are going to hurt if only getting 35 or so hours.
And how many Couriers could stay in a situation where they are being paid minimums for full-time, instead of the equivalent of 50 to 55 hours of pay (post OT consideration)?
If a Courier is used to getting paid the equivalent of 50 hours and gets reduced to minimums after the conversion, their gross will only be 70% of what it was pre-conversion. Then consider the cost of benefits is a fixed amount each week, actual net pay for drawing minimums will probably drop to about 60% or so of pre-conversion take home.
Full-timers can tread water for a few months like this, but eventually they'll have to start looking for either supplemental work or another full-time job entirely. FedEx frowns on full-timers having supplemental work - screws up their scheduling (you can BET scheduling will get screwy post conversion). Run a P1 delivery route, take a mandatory 4 hour split shift, then do a PU route - or else forfeit your minimums.... How long could full-timers last under that regime??
FedEx KNOWS it won't have to worry about making any layoffs - they'll still pay minimums to the full-timers; they'll just make it so that full-timers will eventually quit on their own - no layoffs, no unemployment, no negative PR.
This is why I'm still amazed as to why the Couriers haven't started signing union cards en mass. I just know they are going to wait until the kettle is at a hard boil, before they start saying, "Hey, maybe we ought to think about unionization, since Fred isn't being so nice anymore." Too late... you're cooked.