The FedEx Ground Threat

[bbsam]

The owner would have no interest and the driver would be given his walking papers if the owner found out he was talking to the union.

I don't think it would be for that specific reason. I sometimes wonder how it would be. I would probably lay off a couple drivers, spread put the work load and get those time studies going.

 

[barnyard]

I don't think it would be for that specific reason. I sometimes wonder how it would be. I would probably lay off a couple drivers, spread put the work load and get those time studies going.

So, you think that working them harder would make it easier for them to reject the union?????

During the last union drive at the regional that I have discussed earlier, all the drivers got a small wage increase and lighter days for the 3 months that we worked to organize. A couple of drivers that I talked to said that the raise did not cover the decrease in hours, so his pay still went down a little.

 

[bbsam]

What I see is most of the Ground guys are running routes owned by someone else. So how exactly does that work when it comes to organizing for the Teamsters? Who do you go to the driver or the owner?

to the drivers. But how inconvenient is that? We have 7 ISP's in our building. And about 70 drivers. They could potentially have 6drivers of one of the ISP's unionized in one building and none of the others. Of course, should the owner decide it isn't worth it, he could always sell the pieces of his area off to other owners who would then. Determine whether or not the union voting drivers still had a job or not.

 

[bbsam]

So, you think that working them harder would make it easier for them to reject the union?????

During the last union drive at the regional that I have discussed earlier, all the drivers got a small wage increase and lighter days for the 3 months that we worked to organize. A couple of drivers that I talked to said that the raise did not cover the decrease in hours, so his pay still went down a little.

no. I think in order to get to $20/hr, there would have to be serious changes made. I know all my routes inside out and backward. Things could be tightened up.

 

[Johney]

That would make for a very interesting union/mgt meeting, wouldn't it?

I believe it would.

 

[barnyard]

no. I think in order to get to $20/hr, there would have to be serious changes made. I know all my routes inside out and backward. Things could be tightened up.

When I was working on the regional, the 1st question a driver would ask, "How much will we get paid??" There was no way to say. The BA said that pay rates would be subject to negotiations. We were instructed specifically not to talk about UPS pay rates as that would be an unrealistic discussion. We actually spent more time talking about enforcing work rules like not working on the clock. That was actually our biggest talking point and most drivers agreed that they worked at least an hour unpaid every day.

 

[bbsam]

That's actually something contractors would like to talk about. Our drivers constantly have to do the preloader's work because they suck so bad.

 

[barnyard]

That's actually something contractors would like to talk about. Our drivers constantly have to do the preloader's work because they suck so bad.

At the regional, they did not really have a preload. They had 'pullers' that would stack packages behind the trucks and drivers would load their own trucks. Most drivers said that they came in 45ish minutes early and loaded off the clock. Driver's that came in and loaded on the clock were typically fired. Every driver I spoke to knew someone that had been fired for not coming in early enough to load their trucks, but most did not consider it that big a deal. Even if you did the math to show how much more they would make if they were paid for unpaid hours, they would shrug their shoulders.

It was frustrating beyond belief.

The most frustrating thing was going over things with someone, having a manager stop and have everyone skitter away.

It is easier to go to work than it is to help in an organizing drive.

 

[bbsam]

AKA it's easier to go to work than look for work?

 

[barnyard]

AKA it's easier to go to work than look for work?

No.

It is easier to go to work than to herd cats.

 

[overallowed]

I

If I walk-in tomorrow and start distributing cards in the breakroom (legal), FedEx will assign a manager to monitor my every action (illegal). If I stand outside the parking lot after work passing out info and cards, management will target me for immediate elimination by going back through my employee file to see if there is anything I have done that is a violation of policy that might allow me to be disciplined or fired. I will be watched, and given extra work if possible, or maybe have my route "realigned" by OSS, and generally harassed.

At the next weekly conference call, my name will be mentioned, and the MD alerted. If he thinks there is an overall movement towards a union, he'll fly out himself, and if it's dire, he'll call out the anti-union team in Memphis to come to the station.

UPSers simply do not understand the FedEx culture, which is that anything "union" is bad, and that to even talk about it is dangerous. No, they can't fire everybody, but they can intimidate most people, which has worked very well for them. Having the Railway Labor Act is the biggest problem, because there can be no such thing as local organization...it's all or nothing.

Like I said, unless you work here, you don't understand how difficult it is to organize from within at FedEx. That's precisely why there needs to be an external effort made, and that's where the Teamsters come-in. From their actions, or lack thereof, it's obvious the IBT doesn't have a clue how to organize FedEx.

It is the same problem. If the Teamsters show up to get sig cards, and the FedEx drivers wilt, what has been accomplished? Nothing is going to happen until u all get on the same page and are ready to stand up to Fred.

 

['Lord Brown's bidding']

Mr FedEx, how many people at your station would be willing to sign a union card? Is it possible for you guys to arrange to "hang out" after work, where you could talk more openly, maybe get an idea of whom you could approach on a one-by-one basis to see how much support there is at your station? I realize you'd have to be careful whom you invite to "hang out", because once they come over, if they think you are trying to get a union in, maybe they go talk to management...but then again maybe not. Nonetheless, you'd probably have to approach each driver individually, invite them to "hang out", get support, set up protocols so no one is exposed to what you are doing except by being invited to "hang out", and probably a number of other steps. The Teamsters do not have that type of access to your workers like that. It would be tedious, hard, frustrating, and perhaps a couple of you may lose your jobs behind it. Just how much do YOU want to see FedEx unionized?

 

['Lord Brown's bidding']

Another question FedExers: how many stations are represented on Brown Cafe? How well can invitations be extended to other FedExers at other stations to check out BC, just to talk to other drivers? Ya'll got to get organized here before you can organize the company! Of course, you still must be careful even here on BC, as FedEx could have a plant in here to find out who you are and get to you. Perhaps you need to set up "screens", maybe using UPS BCers in your area to act as buffers of some sort. I am just spouting ideas right now, but you guys have to have a plan. Both UPS and the Teamsters have made and attempted to execute plans; they just fell through, but you best believe they are still scheming. What is the couriers' plan to meet them in the middle?

 

[bbsam]

There is no plan, no organization. Just alot of blah, blah with an occasional, "I have sources that tell me bla,blah,blah.". The closest we had to a "planner" was R1a. He's been curiously gone for quite some time now.

 

[MrFedEx]

There is no plan, no organization. Just alot of blah, blah with an occasional, "I have sources that tell me bla,blah,blah.". The closest we had to a "planner" was R1a. He's been curiously gone for quite some time now.

There is no plan because there is zero Teamster support. We could easily hit 70% right now in a card-signing drive, except there's nobody there interested enough to collect them and start organizing. You see, someone from the IBT has to show just a wee bit of interest and be willing to coordinate the deal. If you come forward and start talking pro-union, some suck-ass will rat you out to management, another reason we need access to IBT lawyers.

Actually, the IBT is more interested in Ground anyway because they don't have Fred's Magic RLA Protection Plan. This makes sense, because Ground is a threat to their UPS bread and butter. But the IBT can only go after the sort workers because everyone else isn't an "employee", which is probably a lost cause.

 

[bbsam]

MFE, have you heard from T1a?

 

[MrFedEx]

MFE, have you heard from T1a?

Nothing, and he has my email address. MIA.

 

[bbsam]

Very odd.

 

[Coldworld]

I don't think FedEx ground or fedex express has as many managers and supervisors as UPS has...nor are they paid as much as UPS managers with their pension,mip,healthcare for life,401k match and higher pay.....there probably are a few more perks that we don't know about you guys can fill us in on...

 

[overflowed]

Another question FedExers: how many stations are represented on Brown Cafe? How well can invitations be extended to other FedExers at other stations to check out BC, just to talk to other drivers? Ya'll got to get organized here before you can organize the company! Of course, you still must be careful even here on BC, as FedEx could have a plant in here to find out who you are and get to you. Perhaps you need to set up "screens", maybe using UPS BCers in your area to act as buffers of some sort. I am just spouting ideas right now, but you guys have to have a plan. Both UPS and the Teamsters have made and attempted to execute plans; they just fell through, but you best believe they are still scheming. What is the couriers' plan to meet them in the middle?

I believe there are many Express stations represented on this site. Just from the the times that people are posting. Kinda all over the day ApettyJ. I get a sense what time zones, at least they're posting from. If the other people posting on BC are anything like me. I talk to whomever will listen about these topics. At least those who aren't brown-nosers. The way things are going at Express they're all receptive these days. Also, your concerns about plants? They've been on BC forever. If one teamster sat on BC for a month, read the Fedex posts they'd have a good idea of how to get things rolling. Many people from my station regularly troll this site but are too afraid to even register. Why? No clue. Fedex is not the NSA not even close.