Question for the more experienced couriers out there

[FedexCares]

Hello guys, I am fairly new to driving at Fedex, and I am wondering if I should be putting up with the situation I am currently in at my station.

Basically, I work at a fairly large station (I am guessing 150 total employees), and we currently have 50+ open positions, and I would estimate 40 of those are for couriers. Needless to say we are hurting when it comes to staffing and have been for awhile.

I am a full-time courier myself (non swing), and do have my own route, working tuesday-saturday. My route does get collapsed on mondays, so my route currently doesnt exist on mondays at all. The issue is since we are so understaffed I am having to come in three mondays a month (my day off) and being basically forced to run a completely different route from start to finish. Now, I am not a swing driver, so personally I don't think I should be required to be running other people's routes like this. I have expressed to management to possibly give me stops off people to help, or have me do FO or something, and that I don't feel I should be doing entire routes when I'm not getting paid as a swing driver. They basically said we need people badly and have open routes so suck it up.

My question is are other people in a situation similar to this? Is this just standard operating procedure and should I just deal with it? Should I go to HR with this, or do you feel that would even do anything? I guess I am just looking for clarification whether managers can actually force non swing drivers to do other people's routes. If they can, well I guess I will just have to suck it up. Need advice, thanks.

 

[dezguy]

Two words, operational needs. Basically, they can do whatever they want because we don't have any union protection. There have been times I have been forced to work in another station because they were short staffed. You can complain about it but nothing will be done.

Pull down your pants and hope they use some lube every now and then.

 

[MrFedEx]

Hello guys, I am fairly new to driving at Fedex, and I am wondering if I should be putting up with the situation I am currently in at my station.

Basically, I work at a fairly large station (I am guessing 150 total employees), and we currently have 50+ open positions, and I would estimate 40 of those are for couriers. Needless to say we are hurting when it comes to staffing and have been for awhile.

I am a full-time courier myself (non swing), and do have my own route, working tuesday-saturday. My route does get collapsed on mondays, so my route currently doesnt exist on mondays at all. The issue is since we are so understaffed I am having to come in three mondays a month (my day off) and being basically forced to run a completely different route from start to finish. Now, I am not a swing driver, so personally I don't think I should be required to be running other people's routes like this. I have expressed to management to possibly give me stops off people to help, or have me do FO or something, and that I don't feel I should be doing entire routes when I'm not getting paid as a swing driver. They basically said we need people badly and have open routes so suck it up.

My question is are other people in a situation similar to this? Is this just standard operating procedure and should I just deal with it? Should I go to HR with this, or do you feel that would even do anything? I guess I am just looking for clarification whether managers can actually force non swing drivers to do other people's routes. If they can, well I guess I will just have to suck it up. Need advice, thanks.

What you are describing is the "New Normal" at FedEx. Understaffed, highly dysfunctional, and very stressful. I don't see it getting better any time soon, and as dezguy said, under Operational Needs/Necessity, they own you if you are FT.

This is one very sick company, run by people that are only going to make it worse. They want everyone to run at 125% all the time, for less money, and to work for free through your lunch so you can make SPH. Sooner or later, it's going to blow-up. This level of stupidity and dysfunction cannot be maintained.

 

[cosmo1]

File a gre............

Oh yeah, nevermind.

 

[barnyard]

You should totally file a grievance.

 

[Cactus]

50+ open positions? Talk about going from bad to worse.

First of all, make sure your getting credit for forced O/T on the draft list.

Secondly, keep looking for another job. I'd put a bug in the ear of your customers.

 

[FedexCares]

Well, that is disappointing. I guess there is really nothing I can do and have to just keep putting up with the situation which I feel isn't going to get better anytime soon. The sad thing is I genuinely do enjoy the work when I'm not getting shafted, but all the extra crap you have to put up with makes you think twice about staying with the company long-term.

50+ open positions? Talk about going from bad to worse.

First of all, make sure your getting credit for forced O/T on the draft list.

Secondly, keep looking for another job. I'd put a bug in the ear of your customers.

Yeah, we really do have 50+ open positions. We were told by the senior manager recently in a "state of the station" speech that he is looking to fill 50+ positions in the station and most of those are going to be part-time couriers. We have monday-friday people that have been drafted 4 weeks in a row on saturdays, as we sometimes have 25 open routes on saturdays that arent even filled. We have quite a few couriers that work right up to 70 hour weeks every week, and if you want OT you can basically get as much as you want at this station. Every day we get messages to watch HOS violations as its that big of a problem for us even in the middle of summer when its supposed to be slower. I can't wait until peak.

 

[Route 66]

Should I go to HR with this, or do you feel that would even do anything?

They certainly would do something...
They'd laugh at you and then give you a wedgie

 

[STFXG]

You're an hourly. Show up and work as directed. I don't understand how that's such a complicated idea.

 

[dezguy]

You're an hourly. Show up and work as directed. I don't understand how that's such a complicated idea.

Being forced to work 3 of your days off a month is ridiculous. I don't know about you but I work to live not live to work. Most of us have families we'd rather spend time with. Remember, people are being forced to work. If he were deciding himself to show up on his day off, 3 times a month that would be a different story.

 

[hypo hanna]

You're an hourly. Show up and work as directed. I don't understand how that's such a complicated idea.

He' an employee, not a slave.

So the SM wants to fill these 50 positions with high turnover PT drivers who can't be forced to work OT... Brilliant! That should solve the problem.

The irony in this is the TU-SA routes were designed to eliminate OT on Saturdays. Typical FedEx mgmt. one step forward, two steps back.

 

[Cactus]

You're an hourly. Show up and work as directed. I don't understand how that's such a complicated idea.

I'm sure you make a wonderful boss.

Such a "people" person.

 

[Cactus]

The irony in this is the TU-SA routes were designed to eliminate OT on Saturdays. Typical FedEx mgmt. one step forward, two steps back.

And the fact that they've had 40 years to 'fix' problems like these only magnifies their incompetence.

Well, that is disappointing. I guess there is really nothing I can do and have to just keep putting up with the situation which I feel isn't going to get better anytime soon. The sad thing is I genuinely do enjoy the work when I'm not getting shafted, but all the extra crap you have to put up with makes you think twice about staying with the company long-term.

You're learning.

 

[STFXG]

You guys are right. I was in a pissy mood last night. My apologies to the OP. I'll just chalk this one up as me being a dick.

BTW from the advice on the board I did add an "operational needs" section to my company handbook. Thanks!

 

[SmithBarney]

Work as many hours on Mondays as you can, it's all OT, and then work as many hours as you can the rest of the week so all you are left with on Saturday is a couple of hours(if any at all) Saturday will also be all OT as it is 6th day worked..
Enjoy your short Saturday, rinse and repeat each week.

 

[FedexCares]

Work as many hours on Mondays as you can, it's all OT, and then work as many hours as you can the rest of the week so all you are left with on Saturday is a couple of hours(if any at all) Saturday will also be all OT as it is 6th day worked..
Enjoy your short Saturday, rinse and repeat each week.

I don't think that's how the OT works. I'm a tues-sat employee, so if I come in on a Monday that is considered the 6th day worked and is all OT. The only way I would get OT on a saturday is if im already over 40 hours worked for the week (which I am a lot of the time anyways).

 

[thedownhillEXPRESS]

FedEx is a chaotic operation anymore.
No brains left in the middle or senior management.it's only those that would kill their own child to advance making the decisions.
Look for another job.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I don't think that's how the OT works. I'm a tues-sat employee, so if I come in on a Monday that is considered the 6th day worked and is all OT. The only way I would get OT on a saturday is if im already over 40 hours worked for the week (which I am a lot of the time anyways).

This would depend upon when your pay period starts and ends. Ours runs Sunday through Saturday, which means that if you are asked to work Monday OT would not kick in until you have worked 40 hours, which means the hours worked on Saturday would be OT.

 

[Nolimitz]

This would depend upon when your pay period starts and ends. Ours runs Sunday through Saturday, which means that if you are asked to work Monday OT would not kick in until you have worked 40 hours, which means the hours worked on Saturday would be OT.

Wrong! again. At FedEx if you work on a scheduled day off you are paid time and half regardless of hours worked for the week. If you are 4/10 and work your day off and Sat it is 2x time

 

[Operational needs]

I don't think that's how the OT works. I'm a tues-sat employee, so if I come in on a Monday that is considered the 6th day worked and is all OT. The only way I would get OT on a saturday is if im already over 40 hours worked for the week (which I am a lot of the time anyways).

If you work your day off its OT, period, no matter what day of the week it is. On your regularly scheduled day, anything over 8 is OT regardless of how many hours you work that week. For example, you work T-friend 7 hrs each day, and 10 on Saturday, you get 2 hrs OT for the week.

In other words, FedEx pays OT over 8 not 40, which is actually a better deal for us.