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R1a Was Right!!
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<blockquote data-quote="Ricochet1a" data-source="post: 1106255" data-attributes="member: 22880"><p>You're right, Fred has things just where he wants them and the Express Couriers are not motivated enough to change their plight in any meaningful way.</p><p></p><p>So the question becomes: Who is to blame for the Couriers' current 'plight'?</p><p></p><p>Those who want, can blame everyone/thing around them: Congress, Fred S, IBT, American people, Republicans, you name it - there is blame to go around. </p><p></p><p>But the one group the Couriers DON'T want to pin any blame on.... is themselves. </p><p></p><p>The drivers in Ground have no options should they choose that job. The misuse of the intent of the independent contractor statutes has them stuck. They only have two options - leave or accept what they are given.</p><p></p><p>The Express Couriers (compared to the Ground drivers), do have a third option - to take it upon themselves to organize. </p><p></p><p>But that takes some work, self motivation, discipline, willingness to commit to time outside of work, a bit of guts and above all a recognition that only as a collective can they achieve anything. From what has been seen around here in the past couple of weeks, practically none of the Couriers are willing to do that - thus all the endless circles of talk and no commitment to action. Most take that gawkers approach, and are going to sit on the fence waiting for someone else to do the work and THEN, after the potential battle is nearing its completion, they'll join in and get what they are so richly deserving of. </p><p></p><p>Just doesn't work that way given the current lay of the land. </p><p></p><p>With the way things 'currently are', I just don't see any chance of change. But who's to blame? Is it the Couriers who choose inaction rather than taking up the cause to better their compensation, or is it one of the above listed entities, conspiring to keep rep cards out of the hands of Couriers? </p><p></p><p>I'd imagine if the Ground drivers were somehow immediately classified as employees of Ground, that EVEN IF the IBT <u>didn't do a damn thing</u>, the newly classified employees of Ground would take it upon themselves to get rep cards in. Many like to 'kick' the Ground drivers (they're not the 'angels' of Express...), but if the Ground drivers were to find themselves one day as actual employees of Ground, they'd find a way real quick to organize and put a stop to 50 hour weeks for $600 an no benefits.</p><p></p><p>And I think this explains the fence sitting of Express Couriers. Most know they are worth more to Express than they are being compensated for, but most are also fearful of losing what they have, in order to TRY to get something more. </p><p></p><p>If the Ground drivers were in the situation of being paid their current compensation, BUT being classified as employees of Ground (and let's say they were somehow under RLA), I'd bet they'd go all out to organize even with the obstacle of the RLA - they don't have much to lose.</p><p></p><p>And that is the game that Fred plays. Give the Express Couriers less than they are worth (to improve his profit margins), but JUST ENOUGH to make a majority fearful of losing what they have. Combine that with the implied (and sometimes open) intimidation that is presented by management with regards to organizing - and the status quo is supported.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ricochet1a, post: 1106255, member: 22880"] You're right, Fred has things just where he wants them and the Express Couriers are not motivated enough to change their plight in any meaningful way. So the question becomes: Who is to blame for the Couriers' current 'plight'? Those who want, can blame everyone/thing around them: Congress, Fred S, IBT, American people, Republicans, you name it - there is blame to go around. But the one group the Couriers DON'T want to pin any blame on.... is themselves. The drivers in Ground have no options should they choose that job. The misuse of the intent of the independent contractor statutes has them stuck. They only have two options - leave or accept what they are given. The Express Couriers (compared to the Ground drivers), do have a third option - to take it upon themselves to organize. But that takes some work, self motivation, discipline, willingness to commit to time outside of work, a bit of guts and above all a recognition that only as a collective can they achieve anything. From what has been seen around here in the past couple of weeks, practically none of the Couriers are willing to do that - thus all the endless circles of talk and no commitment to action. Most take that gawkers approach, and are going to sit on the fence waiting for someone else to do the work and THEN, after the potential battle is nearing its completion, they'll join in and get what they are so richly deserving of. Just doesn't work that way given the current lay of the land. With the way things 'currently are', I just don't see any chance of change. But who's to blame? Is it the Couriers who choose inaction rather than taking up the cause to better their compensation, or is it one of the above listed entities, conspiring to keep rep cards out of the hands of Couriers? I'd imagine if the Ground drivers were somehow immediately classified as employees of Ground, that EVEN IF the IBT [U]didn't do a damn thing[/U], the newly classified employees of Ground would take it upon themselves to get rep cards in. Many like to 'kick' the Ground drivers (they're not the 'angels' of Express...), but if the Ground drivers were to find themselves one day as actual employees of Ground, they'd find a way real quick to organize and put a stop to 50 hour weeks for $600 an no benefits. And I think this explains the fence sitting of Express Couriers. Most know they are worth more to Express than they are being compensated for, but most are also fearful of losing what they have, in order to TRY to get something more. If the Ground drivers were in the situation of being paid their current compensation, BUT being classified as employees of Ground (and let's say they were somehow under RLA), I'd bet they'd go all out to organize even with the obstacle of the RLA - they don't have much to lose. And that is the game that Fred plays. Give the Express Couriers less than they are worth (to improve his profit margins), but JUST ENOUGH to make a majority fearful of losing what they have. Combine that with the implied (and sometimes open) intimidation that is presented by management with regards to organizing - and the status quo is supported. [/QUOTE]
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