Retire from FedEx?

[MrFedEx]

Here's a reality check for any FedEx Express employee who is thinkng about making it a career. Think again, because you'll never be able to retire from Fedex and survive on your puny PPP "payout". Yes, you'll receive a modest lump sum, but look at the miniscule monthly payout. You might be able to support a pet on that amount, not a person.

I'm in my middle 40's, and barely got 25 years in under the old plan, which was hardly generous, but much better than the PPP. I worked lots of OT, always maxed-out my 401k, and will actually be able to stay in my home.

But what if you are 25 years old right now, and have nothing but the PPP? Nobody really thinks about retirement when they're young, but it comes-up fast, and Uncle Fred is giving you a heaping helping of nothing for your future.

It will take you 10-15 years to even make a decent hourly wage at FedEx, and 20 years to reach top scale. Think about it. What are you going to do to make up the difference? How does one invest on $15 per hour? If you've got a wife and kids, you'll be lucky to make ends meet.

Here's the bottom line. Fred doesn't care. You can do 20 stops per hour, live the Purple Promise every day, and work every Saturday for the next 10 years, and you still won't get ahead. Fred is counting on you burning-out after about 5 years, and pissing you off to the point that you'll quit. That way he can replace you with another 20-something, and run them ragged for 5 years or so...until they wreck their knees, or back, or become otherwise disposable....or pissed-off like you were.

You mean nothing to FedEx. Consider the overwhelming evidence that you are completely disposable at any time. We can do much better.

 

[vantexan]

I would investigate every alternative out there. There are alot of people boondocking in RV's on federal land out west. Many things you can do. My grandparents were married 65 years and lived in the same house for over 50. Just as soon as they passed the house was sold, kind of shocking to me as their home was like a member of the family. But economic reality is there aren't too many sacred things left. People do what they have to. But I agree 100% that a young person looking for a future should look elsewhere. A job with a future at FedEx=management or another professional job within the company. The rest of us are here to sacrifice for their benefit. They could do better but heaven forbid that stockholders don't get their dividends or high stock price.

 

[bbsam]

A job with a future? Not without a very, very expensive education.

 

[Cactus]

Here's the bottom line. Fred doesn't care. You can do 20 stops per hour, live the Purple Promise every day, and work every Saturday for the next 10 years, and you still won't get ahead. Fred is counting on you burning-out after about 5 years, and pissing you off to the point that you'll quit. That way he can replace you with another 20-something, and run them ragged for 5 years or so...until they wreck their knees, or back, or become otherwise disposable....or pissed-off like you were.

You mean nothing to FedEx. Consider the overwhelming evidence that you are completely disposable at any time. We can do much better.

Very true.

And a very interesting "people" strategy from a supposed "people company."

 

[Cactus]

A job with a future? Not without a very, very expensive education.

Or if you're in cahoots with the right person.

 

[snackdad]

I was once told by my senior manager that the courier position was always meant to be a 3 to 5 year position. Makes you feel safe and supported right? Later when I asked about about what was meant by that statement, it was denied that it was ever said and I was shown 3 examples of people who had many years with the company ( that is 3 people out of 60). Our turnover is so high that I never even bothered to learn the names of all the newcomers because they probably would not be there in a year. Out of about 60 couriers only 10 have been there more than 5 years.
Another thing, the portable pension pays about 4% interest yearly, not very competitive with a lot of funds out there. You are only as good as your last delivery stop with this company. There is NO support of employees and no loyalty. Unfortunately management has created an US versus THEM environment.

 

[bbsam]

Or if you're in cahoots with the right person.

Any idea who the "right person" would be?

 

[MrFedEx]

I was once told by my senior manager that the courier position was always meant to be a 3 to 5 year position. Makes you feel safe and supported right? Later when I asked about about what was meant by that statement, it was denied that it was ever said and I was shown 3 examples of people who had many years with the company ( that is 3 people out of 60). Our turnover is so high that I never even bothered to learn the names of all the newcomers because they probably would not be there in a year. Out of about 60 couriers only 10 have been there more than 5 years.
Another thing, the portable pension pays about 4% interest yearly, not very competitive with a lot of funds out there. You are only as good as your last delivery stop with this company. There is NO support of employees and no loyalty. Unfortunately management has created an US versus THEM environment.

Yes, another person that "gets it".

 

[Cactus]

Any idea who the "right person" would be?

Ask anyone with a cushy job.

Plenty to pick from at the Memphis "Ivory Tower."

 

[MrFedEx]

Ask anyone with a cushy job.

Plenty to pick from at the Memphis "Ivory Tower."

"
Exactly. Sit on your ass in a cubicle and attempt to make employees in the field more "efficient" and "productive". Trouble is, they don't have a clue what we do, which is appalingly evident in the moronic decisions that regularly eminate from Memphis.

 

[LTFedExer]

"
Exactly. Sit on your ass in a cubicle and attempt to make employees in the field more "efficient" and "productive". Trouble is, they don't have a clue what we do, which is appalingly evident in the moronic decisions that regularly eminate from Memphis.

See? We don't disagree on everything. The fact that people who have never been on the road make decisions based on some sheets of paper a computer spits out alone is moronic.

 

[MrFedEx]

See? We don't disagree on everything. The fact that people who have never been on the road make decisions based on some sheets of paper a computer spits out alone is moronic.

I agree wholeheartedly. I'd like to see every Cubicle King or Queen in MEM spend a week on the road as a courier. I'm pretty sure their perspective would change drastically.

 

[DOWNTRODDEN IN TEXAS]

We should submit Fred or one of his cronies/henchmen/goons to "Undercover Boss" just so America at large can see what a great "employee centric" company we really are. With all the divisions we have now, they could do an entire series just on us.

Be interesting to see how many booty-smooching yes men they actually let on TV.

Maury would probably go on record as saying "we already gave these losers CastAway...WTH else do they want??"

 

[Cactus]

We should submit Fred or one of his cronies/henchmen/goons to "Undercover Boss" just so America at large can see what a great "employee centric" company we really are. With all the divisions we have now, they could do an entire series just on us.

Be interesting to see how many booty-smooching yes men they actually let on TV.

Maury would probably go on record as saying "we already gave these losers CastAway...WTH else do they want??"

Fred would lie to america then saying how he didn't have any idea things were this bad but in reality he wouldn't do a damn thing about it after the cameras stop rolling.

 

[MrFedEx]

Fred would lie to america then saying how he didn't have any idea things were this bad but in reality he wouldn't do a damn thing about it after the cameras stop rolling.

Fred's afraid to even be anywhere near employees these days, as are most of the other honchos. There's a reason Fred has such a large security budget, and it's the fact that many of us would like to punch the little bastard's lights out.

 

[vantexan]

Or if you're in cahoots with the right person.

Wouldn't Ground contractors be in cahoots with the right people?

 

[bbsam]

Wouldn't Ground contractors be in cahoots with the right people?

No. It's only a matter of time before we're "thrown under the bus", remember?

 

[vantexan]

Nah, there's no room left under the bus. The only way you guys will be screwed over is if FedEx can figure out how to make money by legally cutting you out of the loop. Until then you're vital to the scheme working. When you first bought a rt from Ground did you envision it turning you into a businessman with employees?

 

[bbsam]

Nah, there's no room left under the bus. The only way you guys will be screwed over is if FedEx can figure out how to make money by legally cutting you out of the loop. Until then you're vital to the scheme working. When you first bought a rt from Ground did you envision it turning you into a businessman with employees?

I never bought a route. Pretty much was in the right place at the right time and as opportunities arose, I took them. While I didn't envision it on day one, the possibilities seemed obvious fairly quickly.

 

[MrFedEx]

Nah, there's no room left under the bus. The only way you guys will be screwed over is if FedEx can figure out how to make money by legally cutting you out of the loop. Until then you're vital to the scheme working. When you first bought a rt from Ground did you envision it turning you into a businessman with employees?

The only way contractors will be cut out of the loop is if the ISP model is successfully challenged in the courts. Fred needs them to make it appear as though they are independent businessmen. In a sense, they are, but only to the extent they serve as a cloak over what is really happening. FedEx runs Ground just like they do Express, except that in the case of Ground they have the window dressing of contractors that prevent the necessity and expense of actual "employees".

It's very evident that Ground drivers are being held to employee standards, so how long will it be before that gets proven legally? The scam of having employees who aren't legally considered to be as such saves FedEx huge money, and is really nothing but an illegal government subsidy that exists solely for the benefit of FedEx. When you pay slave-labor wages to your employees via this scam they are eligible for government assistance, as Fedexer267 has pointed-out many times. That means that you,me, and everyone else who pays taxes, helps subsidize Fred's labor pool of non-employees. Pretty smart, but unethical, and probably ultimately illegal.