Hello all, I'm a 19 year FedEx emp. I'm a swing driver, due to me transferring. I have the most seniority in my loop of swing drivers, but keep getting a crap schedule, working two or three splits a weekand, which I usually get paid the min. 7 hrs, get minimum 35hr pay at least twice a month, while other swings are getting overtime every day and not working splits or pick ups. Isn't the senior emp supposed to get the most hours? I've addressed this to my manager, but favoritism is still a problem. Any insights? Thank.
Seniority for Swing Drivers- Hours and Shifts
- Thread starter FedEx1997
- Start date
Operational needs
Virescit Vulnere Virtus
Talk to your SM. If he/she does nothing, tell him you will be calling HR. The hours should be spread out. If you don't press the issue, nothing will change. You have to be willing to fight though. If they come back with the BS response about area knowledge, let them know that that is only PART of what the policy says. It also says that management must train you.
Preventable
Well-Known Member
I have the opposite problem! I am also swing driver, and I think I am like #3-4 out of like 15 swing drivers and they always give me the fat routes, and a lot of the other swings usually get the scraps/sort of stuff you are describing. The thing is I don't mind a 30 or 35 hour check, whenever they want to give me split shift nonsense, I just tell them to let some one else do the pups and I'll go home at noon (doesn't happen that often). I guess maybe they have to make it look like they are being fair to everybody, but I wish they would just load me up light, yet every week it feels like I am assigned 10 hours days m-friend and the swings who got kids to feed who will work 60 every week have p1 routes. My advice is just talk to your manager and ask if could spread the love. That being said, I don't think swing driver assignments can (or at least should be) assigned based on seniority. Coming from a higher up swing, I know no one would want to be a swing (and they are critical) if you were being bent over every single day in addition to the disadvantages of being a swing until you got decent seniority.
Ya, I was hoping to avoid that. I went on FX intranet and tried to find what the Policy and Procrdure was, but couldn't find anything specific. I just hate souring the ops manager/courier relationship. As far as area knowledge, everyone has their first day on a route and the same swing does the same 3 routes all the time...of course they'll do well, but I'm consistent and make 100% + most every month. Yep. It's time to go to the next layer of beaurocracy.
whenIgetthere
Well-Known Member
When I was a swing, I seen to recall you weren't supposed to be scheduled for more than three splits a week. I usually got them five days a week, I didn't mind then, because I was the low person in swing seniority for years. We also had a few who always did 5x8's, and never were scheduled for PUP routes. The station I am at now, the top swing picks the cherry routes, and the rest get the scraps. Of course, he turns my 5x8 route into a 5x12 whenever he covers it. But come to think of it, he doesn't get my route too much anymore. I would speak to your SM before going to HR, though.
!Retired!
Well-Known Member
Seniority doesn't mean anything when assigning work. It should be split up more evenly. How you approach the manager or senior manger will depend on how you are getting along with them. If I'm not mistaken, you can only be scheduled for 2 splits each week, unless they ask you.
It's not easy being the new guy.....I did it twice. Good Luck.
It's not easy being the new guy.....I did it twice. Good Luck.
Operational needs
Virescit Vulnere Virtus
When I was last a cover, the number of splits was in my offer letter....three.
BootsOnTarmac
Well-Known Member
Seniority will count towards vacation bidding and JCATS jobs (non-interview), but not much else due to "Company Needs" and "At Will Employee". Don't hesitate to bring your issues up to HR (local or Memphis) if you feel your are being slighted or discriminated against. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Yomama11
Well-Known Member
It's frustrating being the most senior swing doing every route getting very little Ot while the newbies get to come in help with p1s, do a pup route then help with the reload and end up with 10-11 hours each day..we had two newbies this past peak getting 60 hours each week doing 25 deliveries and then doing bulk pickups along with reload..
Operational needs
Virescit Vulnere Virtus
If you don't fight for yourself it will continue to happen. Grow some testicles and fight.
59 Dano
I just want to make friends!
There is no set policy when scheduling swings. Some stations always let the swings pick from available routes based on their seniority. Others do that on a rotational basis (1234 one week, 2341 the next, 3412 the next, and so on). Others just assign work based on who is the best fit for what's available.
FWIW, I think merit should play a bigger role than seniority in this, but that will never happen.
FWIW, I think merit should play a bigger role than seniority in this, but that will never happen.
Purplepackage
Well-Known Member
It was never based on seniority for us, myself and another swing new almost every route just from being in the building over 25 years. But we had another swing who literally new 5 routes, so in the slow time during febuary and march he would always be on overflow while the newest swing (who actually new a 
ton of routes from volunteering when he was part time) was getting 50 hours a week.
And as for working reload, swings were always asked first but you could always say no if you didn't want too. Apparently swing overtime means nothing
ton of routes from volunteering when he was part time) was getting 50 hours a week.And as for working reload, swings were always asked first but you could always say no if you didn't want too. Apparently swing overtime means nothing
DeliveryException
Well-Known Member
Here there are 2 belts and a manager for each side of each belt. Each manager has around 4 or 5 swings that primarily run only that managers routes. It helps to only have to learn 20 routes or so rather than 90+. That's the plan anyway, swings still have do the other routes sometimes. There are also a few part-time "pm" swings that mostly do pickup routes.
I only do my managers routes,delivery wise. I do end up doing pickup routes in areas I don't deliver, but it's not often. For a while I was getting splits every Thursday and Friday, among other days, but I needed to have some of those nights off to get my kids. I talked to my manager who then talked to the scheduling manager, who tries to work with me as much as possible. Most of our newer swings get most of the pickup routes, as our AM managers like the experienced swings to run their routes because they get better results.
Star B
White Lightening
Our swing scheduling seems to go like this:
Not Busy:
* New Swings - totally new loops
* Mid-Swings - Fill in for New Swing DRA loop/areas, New loops/areas for them if bodies permit
* Forever Swings - rotated thru all the SRA loops to refresh area knowledge
Normal:
New: Known Loops, maybe a different area...
Mid: Could be thrown into a new loop, but just fill-in again for DRA then SRA
Forever: Filling in as needed SRA then DRA
Peak:
New: Find their strongest area and stick them in there.
Mid: Either strongest DRA/SRA area or cleaning up a DRA loop
Forever: Strongest SRA or cleaning up a SRA/DRA loop.
Not Busy:
* New Swings - totally new loops
* Mid-Swings - Fill in for New Swing DRA loop/areas, New loops/areas for them if bodies permit
* Forever Swings - rotated thru all the SRA loops to refresh area knowledge
Normal:
New: Known Loops, maybe a different area...
Mid: Could be thrown into a new loop, but just fill-in again for DRA then SRA
Forever: Filling in as needed SRA then DRA
Peak:
New: Find their strongest area and stick them in there.
Mid: Either strongest DRA/SRA area or cleaning up a DRA loop
Forever: Strongest SRA or cleaning up a SRA/DRA loop.
McFeely
Huge Member
Add this to the list of reasons why I won't become a swing at my station and also why swings (new hires and long term swings) are leaving the company as quickly as they can.
Every year around Sep/Oct we hire a few people to replace all the drivers who leave the station during the summer. And every Nov/Dec we only seem to retain maybe 30% of them. We've lost 3 of the new hire swings in December alone and another one is getting fed up with the bull they feed him and is ready to leave ASAP.
Swings have one of the toughest jobs in my station. It's a shame they don't take better care of them.
Every year around Sep/Oct we hire a few people to replace all the drivers who leave the station during the summer. And every Nov/Dec we only seem to retain maybe 30% of them. We've lost 3 of the new hire swings in December alone and another one is getting fed up with the bull
they feed him and is ready to leave ASAP.Swings have one of the toughest jobs in my station. It's a shame they don't take better care of them.
Oldfart
Well-Known Member
They take care of the swings at our station. They pay them over $3 more per hour. Is that not company wide?Add this to the list of reasons why I won't become a swing at my station and also why swings (new hires and long term swings) are leaving the company as quickly as they can.
Every year around Sep/Oct we hire a few people to replace all the drivers who leave the station during the summer. And every Nov/Dec we only seem to retain maybe 30% of them. We've lost 3 of the new hire swings in December alone and another one is getting fed up with the bull
Swings have one of the toughest jobs in my station. It's a shame they don't take better care of them.
