Ricochet1a
Well-Known Member
What many of those still in Express are starting to find out, is that the concept of a large non-union corporate employer granting lifetime, well-compensated employment, has come to an end. It isn't just Express, but virtually EVERY large corporation out there, that is changing the way it views its wage employees - primarily as a liability.
The last half of the 20th century was what I'd refer to as "the Golden Age of American Labor". It was a time where there was a "scarcity" of labor (jobs were there to be had at most times), corporations viewed their wage labor as assets rather than liabilities and wages were high and growing for most of this time period.
There are volumes that have been written as to why this era ended - but ended it did.
No longer can someone look towards a large corporation and believe that they have lifetime, financially competitive employment for as long as they want it. Those days are gone.
Just look at Ground, and you see how the "step-children" of FedEx are compensated. Fred just loves how those "un-employees" are under-compensated yet still get his volume delivered.
Why in the world would anyone that works for the "Express division" of FedEx think they are viewed any differently from the corporate CEO as far as "consideration" for compenation?
No longer are employees seen as indispensible by their employers - now they are viewed as merely a drain on corporate profitability, which are seen as sources as potential increases in profit - if their compensation can be reduced by any method imaginable
Like it or not, you are competiting with every unemployed person out there - and indirectly, with every individual that is here in the US illegally. The labor market is "flooded" with more individuals willing to sell their labor in exchange for a wage; than there are jobs to be filled - and that doesn't bode well for those trying to make a middle class living in a wage occupation.
The wage employees of Express trusted Fred and company to "take care of them" - and that trust was misplaced a long time ago. Most aren't willing to recognize that the promise was broken - since they would be placed into a position of either needing to take action to correct it, or realizing that they were "suckered" and having to deal with that fact each and every day they stay with Express. So most bury their head in the sand, thinking that all is really well and everything will turn out in the end.
Leave, organize or bendover....
Things aren't going to get better, they're only going to continue to get worse and worse. A majority of your fellow Couriers aren't willing to take the risk on organizing and trying to preserve something of what was, so there is nothing you can do as an individual should you choose to stay with Express. Some may choose to hang-on till they retire. But for the vast majority that do see what is going on - the only logical choice is to make an exit plan, work on realizing that plan - then get out when the time is right.
From the viewpoint of FedEx, they owe you NOTHING for what you did years ago. From their viewpoint, you were paid, given a benefit package and that was it - no obligation for future career growth existed. The "agreement" could (and did) change at any time - you were free to accept the "new agreement" or leave. Most still don't "get this" when it comes to Express - there are no guarantees whatsoever. The "agreement" is going to continue to change in the coming months and change for the worse. You will work less and less (as volume is shifted over to opcos whose labor cost is lower than Express'), your wage rate will remain stagnant and your benefit package will erode in value as the health insurance becomes less and less inclusive of all providers you may want to utilize.
You've all read how the shills get on here and ridicule you for thinking that you're getting a "raw deal". They got theirs, too damn bad you didn't get yours... Now don't start rocking the boat and putting at risk what they have.... (from their standpoint).
It is obvious why Fred has kept these people around (he could've dumped them if he really wanted) - they serve to destroy solidarity among the wage employees and ensure that they won't organize and bargain for something better. It is better (from the viewpoint of Express), to pay a few a slight premium, than potentially allow the majority to organize and get something better for themselves.
No one out there is going to come to your rescue and fix everything and make it right for you concerning your relationship with your employer; won't happen, stop thinking it will.YOU have to get motivated to either start trying like hell to get your co-workers to see what is happening and do something about it - or make a plan to get out and make a better career for yourself. The sooner you start making plans to get out, the better off you will be.
You need to start "rocking the boat" - either with your employer, or with yourself to get out of Express and into something better. Each day you put off doing one or the other, the closer you get to that day were you'll end up as a part-time employee, trying to figure out how you will provide for your familiy with a significant portion of your planned income gone.
The last half of the 20th century was what I'd refer to as "the Golden Age of American Labor". It was a time where there was a "scarcity" of labor (jobs were there to be had at most times), corporations viewed their wage labor as assets rather than liabilities and wages were high and growing for most of this time period.
There are volumes that have been written as to why this era ended - but ended it did.
No longer can someone look towards a large corporation and believe that they have lifetime, financially competitive employment for as long as they want it. Those days are gone.
Just look at Ground, and you see how the "step-children" of FedEx are compensated. Fred just loves how those "un-employees" are under-compensated yet still get his volume delivered.
Why in the world would anyone that works for the "Express division" of FedEx think they are viewed any differently from the corporate CEO as far as "consideration" for compenation?
No longer are employees seen as indispensible by their employers - now they are viewed as merely a drain on corporate profitability, which are seen as sources as potential increases in profit - if their compensation can be reduced by any method imaginable
Like it or not, you are competiting with every unemployed person out there - and indirectly, with every individual that is here in the US illegally. The labor market is "flooded" with more individuals willing to sell their labor in exchange for a wage; than there are jobs to be filled - and that doesn't bode well for those trying to make a middle class living in a wage occupation.
The wage employees of Express trusted Fred and company to "take care of them" - and that trust was misplaced a long time ago. Most aren't willing to recognize that the promise was broken - since they would be placed into a position of either needing to take action to correct it, or realizing that they were "suckered" and having to deal with that fact each and every day they stay with Express. So most bury their head in the sand, thinking that all is really well and everything will turn out in the end.
Leave, organize or bendover....
Things aren't going to get better, they're only going to continue to get worse and worse. A majority of your fellow Couriers aren't willing to take the risk on organizing and trying to preserve something of what was, so there is nothing you can do as an individual should you choose to stay with Express. Some may choose to hang-on till they retire. But for the vast majority that do see what is going on - the only logical choice is to make an exit plan, work on realizing that plan - then get out when the time is right.
From the viewpoint of FedEx, they owe you NOTHING for what you did years ago. From their viewpoint, you were paid, given a benefit package and that was it - no obligation for future career growth existed. The "agreement" could (and did) change at any time - you were free to accept the "new agreement" or leave. Most still don't "get this" when it comes to Express - there are no guarantees whatsoever. The "agreement" is going to continue to change in the coming months and change for the worse. You will work less and less (as volume is shifted over to opcos whose labor cost is lower than Express'), your wage rate will remain stagnant and your benefit package will erode in value as the health insurance becomes less and less inclusive of all providers you may want to utilize.
You've all read how the shills get on here and ridicule you for thinking that you're getting a "raw deal". They got theirs, too damn bad you didn't get yours... Now don't start rocking the boat and putting at risk what they have.... (from their standpoint).
It is obvious why Fred has kept these people around (he could've dumped them if he really wanted) - they serve to destroy solidarity among the wage employees and ensure that they won't organize and bargain for something better. It is better (from the viewpoint of Express), to pay a few a slight premium, than potentially allow the majority to organize and get something better for themselves.
No one out there is going to come to your rescue and fix everything and make it right for you concerning your relationship with your employer; won't happen, stop thinking it will.YOU have to get motivated to either start trying like hell to get your co-workers to see what is happening and do something about it - or make a plan to get out and make a better career for yourself. The sooner you start making plans to get out, the better off you will be.
You need to start "rocking the boat" - either with your employer, or with yourself to get out of Express and into something better. Each day you put off doing one or the other, the closer you get to that day were you'll end up as a part-time employee, trying to figure out how you will provide for your familiy with a significant portion of your planned income gone.