Station Market Rate

[Maui]

They really need to stop using these blanket comebacks from corporate. It makes them look totally foolish when we here the exact same lines across all the stations. I've heard the EXACT same line during a workgroup meeting and everyone started laughing. Then anger, because it's something we would tell very small children. Pathetic that some actually believe this nonsense from management.

When I was a manger, I never used this line. I also thought it was terrible that FedEx told everyone they were working on midrange pay and then gave 6% to only those in the top half of the payscale. I had employees with 8-11 years that were closer to 0% than 50% of range. I could not look them in the face and tell them something so outrageous.

I was appalled that one of, if not the best courier, in my location worked more hours than a topped-out employee and made almost 17k less in 2011. And this was with over 10 years seniority.

 

[StuffItFred]

I was appalled that one of, if not the best courier, in my location worked more hours than a topped-out employee and made almost 17k less in 2011. And this was with over 10 years seniority.

Yeah, and on top of that compare their portable pension plans and really get a shocker!

 

[Cactus]

Our SM and MD use the same tired old line. "If you topped-out in a couple of years, you'd have nothing to look forward to". That's a steaming pile of .

Told my manager, "well I'm comfortable at doing only 91% otherwise I'd have nothing to shoot for."

 

[NonyaBiznes]

What first came to my mind ... you do know that Alaska is in the DARK most of the time? I'm presuming you've driven in the snow and ice, down here in the lower 48, right? I'd check out the cost of living, fuel, where the station is located, etc. Maybe you could reach out to a courier at that location.

 

[vantexan]

What first came to my mind ... you do know that Alaska is in the DARK most of the time? I'm presuming you've driven in the snow and ice, down here in the lower 48, right? I'd check out the cost of living, fuel, where the station is located, etc. Maybe you could reach out to a courier at that location.

Juneau is in the Panhandle, which is influenced by the Japan Current. Not as cold as mainland Alaska. Tons of rain though and plenty of snow in the winter. Was told in the mid-90's by a minister in Juneau that if FedEx wasn't offering at least $20hr he wouldn't recommend I move there. That's the thing about the highest payscale locations. Cost of living is so high you are often better off in a low payscale area. If FedEx still had the traditional pension I'd recommend putting in 5 years in a busy place with a high payscale. Would pay off with a better pension. With the portable pension it doesn't make enough difference to go through that crap.

 

[SmithBarney]

FedEx market rates are a mystery really,
how can a place where the median home price of 350k be the same level as a place with a median price of 110k?
smoke and mirrors folks.
take a look at north dakota(where the oil fields are booming) FEDEX can't keep crr's(FT listings every week) because crrs are leaving
and going to work at the oil companies, not cause the job is better, but because the oil companies pay 5x or more what FDX will pay...

 

[El Morado Diablo]

FedEx market rates are a mystery really,
how can a place where the median home price of 350k be the same level as a place with a median price of 110k?
smoke and mirrors folks.
take a look at north dakota(where the oil fields are booming) FEDEX can't keep crr's(FT listings every week) because crrs are leaving
and going to work at the oil companies, not cause the job is better, but because the oil companies pay 5x or more what FDX will pay...

FedEx is too stubborn to fix those problems. The now defunct Great Basin district had Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Aspen, Rock Springs, etc.. They had a lot of turnover because they are bottom level markets in FedEx's mind. I asked the District Mgr why they just didn't start out new hires at something closer to $20 an hour. It would make sense that it would stop the turnover, provide better service, they wouldn't have to pay cartage agents, people might actually be able to live in the communities they were working in, etc.. The so-called, "Price of doing business" in certain locations. He kind of smiled and said that they we're looking at doing things like providing employees gas cards so they could afford to drive to work (many lived as far as an hour away). If most jobs make less than our starting wage in a community you can bet FedEx isn't going to throw a dime more than they think they need to in order to attract new hires. Seems short sided and dumb, especially in small locations that aren't going to break the bank if they make as much per hour as the higher markets.

 

[Maui]

FedEx is too stubborn to fix those problems. The now defunct Great Basin district had Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Aspen, Rock Springs, etc.. They had a lot of turnover because they are bottom level markets in FedEx's mind. I asked the District Mgr why they just didn't start out new hires at something closer to $20 an hour. It would make sense that it would stop the turnover, provide better service, they wouldn't have to pay cartage agents, people might actually be able to live in the communities they were working in, etc.. The so-called, "Price of doing business" in certain locations. He kind of smiled and said that they we're looking at doing things like providing employees gas cards so they could afford to drive to work (many lived as far as an hour away). If most jobs make less than our starting wage in a community you can bet FedEx isn't going to throw a dime more than they think they need to in order to attract new hires. Seems short sided and dumb, especially in small locations that aren't going to break the bank if they make as much per hour as the higher markets.

The market level is not set on COL. It is set to keep employees with minimal turnover. This was grossly underestimated in oil and mining towns. It isn't just a higher hourly rate. Sometimes the hourly rate is lower. It is the massive amount of overtime that people can work. There is as much work as you want and there are no DOT laws for hours. Many work 80+ hour weeks.
I though Great Basin had a premium that raised wages over the base market level. I know that premium existed. Did it go away?

 

[El Morado Diablo]

The market level is not set on COL. It is set to keep employees with minimal turnover. This was grossly underestimated in oil and mining towns. It isn't just a higher hourly rate. Sometimes the hourly rate is lower. It is the massive amount of overtime that people can work. There is as much work as you want and there are no DOT laws for hours. Many work 80+ hour weeks.
I though Great Basin had a premium that raised wages over the base market level. I know that premium existed. Did it go away?

They never mentioned any kind of premium to us. They were so desperate at times that they asked for volunteers to go work in those locations for a week or two at a time. No one in our station took them up on it because we aren't in the same state.

We did have an employee transfer in from one of those locations. The courier confirmed that they had a very difficult time retaining people due to the low wages. It's silly to pay higher wages in NY and SF because the COL is so high while paying lower wages in these locations with similar problems.

Our station is in an area in which home prices and the COL have shot up due to people leaving the metropolitan areas. The median home price is $245,000 or so and we are considered the lowest market level. We've had plenty of turnover and the stations nearest to us are a market level higher -- with a lower COL (including home prices). I once asked our HR rep why FedEx didn't just bump all the lower markets up to the mid-market level. He looked at me like I had a third eye in my head.

 

[FedexCares]

Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it. I decided not to take the job, as after doing some research it was just going to be way too expensive to move/live up there making 17.80 an hour. Juneau is a really neat city and I think I would have enjoyed it up there, but it just didn't make sense financially. I'm back to looking for something a bit closer to me once again.