Unionization from the inside out

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Underground efforts? You helping wage slaves escape? Seriously, any talk of sabotage doesn't help matters and could land someone in jail. No one likes to be lied to or exploited. But for crying out loud we still have it better than many and the new rules of the RLA allow a union vote. FexEx is what it is, take your anger out on those who deserted us: the Democratic Congress and the Teamsters. And wake up to the new economic reality of the world, we aren't what we once were, and the powers that be are making sure they get their cut first.

You're sounding like an apologist. While you're correct about the impotent Democratic Congress and the equally flaccid Teamsters, exactly what are we supposed to do? Should we just sit here and take the abuse, or actually do something to indicate to upper management that we've "had enough"? Rationalizing that "we have it better than many" isn't going to accomplish anything.

I've suggested this before, and I really think it would work. Start talking to the folks who control the movement of freight in and out of your stations...the RTDs'. All it would take is a couple of CTV drivers to "slow down" or "forget" the way to the station before management would get a hint. This is not a happy workgroup, from what I've been able to discern. Another method is for couriers to simply do everything "by the book". Full breaks, safe driving, no falsification, and no mixing SOS with the PO. All MEM cares about these days is productivity, and if stop counts start falling-off because employees are playing by the P&P Rules, what can they do about it? NOTHING. But as long as we get buffaloed into staying productive, the caning to work harder and faster will never stop.

I really don't know what the Teamsters are waiting for. They know that the bulk of Express employees are pissed-off, yet there seems to be zero movement on their part. Who knows, perhaps Fred has cut a deal with the IBT in return for them not trying to organize Express.
 

Falcon

New Member
Well put Mr. FDX. You clearly understood my earlier post. Several lawful lines of organizing activity are emerging in several districts. Don't count the IBT out, or other third parties for that matter. Post "Fed Ex Provision" planning and adjustments are occuring at the local and national levels.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Well put Mr. FDX. You clearly understood my earlier post. Several lawful lines of organizing activity are emerging in several districts. Don't count the IBT out, or other third parties for that matter. Post "Fed Ex Provision" planning and adjustments are occuring at the local and national levels.

Keep me posted. I see nothing going on with the IBT in my area, which I'd prefer not to reveal. I certainly hope they have not given up.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
Keep me posted. I see nothing going on with the IBT in my
area, which I'd prefer not to reveal. I certainly hope they have not given up.

Yes, we can can suddenly be less productive and FedEx can suddenly take away raises, 401k matches, etc again. They might even terminate the portable pension plan too. If we want a national vote and deal with them as an organized entity then let's go. We have no real power right now.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Yes, we can can suddenly be less productive and FedEx can suddenly take away raises, 401k matches, etc again. They might even terminate the portable pension plan too. If we want a national vote and deal with them as an organized entity then let's go. We have no real power right now.

Nah, they actually need people to deliver their packages. That's where our real power lies. They can't just take anyone off the street, hand them a PowerPad, and let them loose. That level of inefficiency would cost them huge money. They depend on us being willing to be extremely efficient and productive at a less than marketplace wage. That's why Express is still the most profitable division, in spite of what bbsam might think.

It's well-known, and easily observable, that our CTV fleet is rolling crap, and very prone to "breakdowns". If we are smart, we will try and get the RTD folks to slow it down and occasionally get "lost" or have a mechanical issue. "Traffic" can also be really bad some days. It would be very easy to delay inbound freight by 30 mins or more every day without management even asking why. All the RTD has to say is "traffic" or an accident delayed them. You can forget about our pilots cooperating, because they're in Fat City with their top of the industry UNION pay scale. It won't be a problem finding pissed-off RTDs who will gum-up the works if we get the union movement in motion.

As long as we believe that FedEx has penultimate power over us, Fred will continue to bend us over at every opportunity. We need to eff him back for a change.

Losing the PPP wouldn't be much of a loss. The first item in any future negotiatons should be the immediate return of the old retirement plan. It sucked too, but at least it would be an improvement over the PPP and a starting point for something a hell of a lot better in the future. FedEx makes huge money off us because we're too scared to stand-up against their intimidation tactics, which have worked well for them over the last 30 years.

I hear the term "smoke and mirrors" every day now at the station. Employees have had just about enough.
 
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LTFedExer

Well-Known Member
It's well-known, and easily observable, that our CTV fleet is rolling crap, and very prone to "breakdowns". If we are smart, we will try and get the RTD folks to slow it down and occasionally get "lost" or have a mechanical issue. You can forget about our pilots cooperating, because they're in Fat City with their top of the industry UNION pay scale. It won't be a problem finding pissed-off RTDs who will gum-up the works if we get the union movement in motion.
So now you're advocating putting the CTV drivers jobs at risk. Good job.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
So now you're advocating putting the CTV drivers jobs at risk. Good job.

I'm advocating for them to slow down and do things that won't risk their jobs, which is the non-sheep thing to do. I'm glad you are so freaking happy with the way things are at FedEx... GOOD FOR YOU. Fred loves people who are content with mediocrity in terms of wages and benefits, but will work their butts off for him. I'm glad that you're so easily satisfied. Go ahead, be a sucker.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Yeah, there's alot of out of work truck drivers out there who'd gladly take a CTV job.


Actually, there is a rather large projected shortage of Class A drivers as the economy picks-up and CSA 2010 safety regulations take effect. There might be a lot of better-paying gigs out there where it doesn't take 20 years to topout or remain PT forever. I was an RTD for 10 years. It isn't for everybody, and it actually takes some skill to do the job without killing yourself or someone else. I'm advocating for them to do slowdowns that won't get them in trouble. It's very easy to create a breakdown, get stuck in "traffic" or route yourself on a freeway where the accident is as opposed to isn't. It's all about how you play the game.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Yes, we can can suddenly be less productive and FedEx can suddenly take away raises, 401k matches, etc again. They might even terminate the portable pension plan too. If we want a national vote and deal with them as an organized entity then let's go. We have no real power right now.

Van, you've said several times that you will have to retire in some Third World country because your FedEx retirement is so meager. Are FedEx pilots or execs faced with the same issue? No. Do UPS drivers have to go to the Phillipines or South America, because they cannot afford to retire in the US? No. Your crap retirement plan subsidizes the generous and luxurious plans that the previously mentioned FedEx employees will enjoy, not to mention the lavish salaries and perks for the top dogs, who can afford to retire to Aspen, Jackson Hole, The Hamptons, or wherever else they choose.

You still have a choice. Take the dog dish of ALPO that they're offering, or take a chance on something better. Frankly, we don't have much to lose by fighting them. Make them share in the profits instead of reserving them for the elite. You've worked hard and deserve better.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
Van, you've said several times that you will have to retire in some Third World country because your FedEx retirement is so meager.

You still have a choice. Take the dog dish of ALPO that they're offering, or take a chance on something better. Frankly, we don't have much to lose by fighting them. Make them share in the profits instead of reserving them for the elite. You've worked hard and deserve better.


We'll never make enough to have a decent retirement in this very expensive country unless we do work that is highly valued. Courier work isn't. Even the UPS drivers will struggle unless they sacrifice and save. Most are busy living their lives, worrying about the here and now. But I digress. Here's the crux of the matter: topped out employees make just under $170 a week more than me. The suits don't believe such a "small" amount really matters to us, won't make much difference in our lives. But times that amount by all couriers and you have something. So why give such a small amount to us when it won't make much difference anyways, just keep it for a relative few where it could provide a terrific time. But wait you say, we want much more than that extra $167 a week, we're looking for an extra $300 a week plus great benefits. That's great if it's there, but times that much money by the number of couriers and CSA's. Do they have that much money? I've heard you say that all they have to do is trim the fat and shift some priorities. Considering how FedEx tries so hard to control costs and maximize profit I don't believe they can do that much more for us. Can they top us out faster? Yes, that's almost a zero sum game since as people top out you have senior couriers retiring. Can they pay better to current topped out couriers? Most likely. Just remember that they do need profits for reinvestment, for dividends. They aren't in business to give us everything extra, and if they start paying us more than they're taking in they'll be out of business. I'm not apologizing for them, they've lied to and cheated me personally many times. But I'm willing to recognize the reality of the situation. Sometimes I think some here are so resentful of what has been done to us that they'd like to see FedEx bankrupted to get even. Doesn't put any beans on my plate doing that.
 

vantexan

Well-Known Member
And I'll add one more thing. Before Express employees get one more penny FedEx should do something seriously better for Ground drivers and make sure contractors are giving that extra to them. If Express has seven payscales then Ground should too and be making at least as much as their Express counterparts. And if they did that how much would be leftover for couriers? Paid vacations and healthcare too. And a pension. Ground drivers total compensation compared with Express couriers is even worse than Express compared with UPS.
 

LTFedExer

Well-Known Member
Yeah, there's alot of out of work truck drivers out there who'd gladly take a CTV job.
The jobs would be filled internally first.
I'm advocating for them to slow down and do things that won't risk their jobs, which is the non-sheep thing to do. I'm glad you are so freaking happy with the way things are at FedEx... GOOD FOR YOU. Fred loves people who are content with mediocrity in terms of wages and benefits, but will work their butts off for him. I'm glad that you're so easily satisfied. Go ahead, be a sucker.
Do things that won't risk their jobs by 'getting lost' and having 'breakdowns'? Have you ever driven a little slower not to make service because you were told to go out 'over' or 'broken down' on your route to prove a point? Doubtful.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
The jobs would be filled internally first./QUOTE]

Absolutely. But MFE was saying that couriers can't be easily replaced with someone off the street. CTV drivers can be if needed to be.

Maybe, but someone off the street isn't going to have an FAA Airport ID that allows them onto the airport. My point was for them to "rebel" intelligently, as in not doing something obvious that might get you fired. Also, a UPS pension is just about twice the monthly amount of a FedEx pension (under the old plan), and far more than under the PPP joke plan. How can you max your 401k or make other retirement investments if you're living check to check with no extra money to invest? A UPS driver has much more disposable income with which to plan a reasonable retirement. Fred doesn't allow us that same opportunity, so we're doubly screwed.
 

FedExer267

Well-Known Member
Maybe, but someone off the street isn't going to have an FAA Airport ID that allows them onto the airport. My point was for them to "rebel" intelligently, as in not doing something obvious that might get you fired. Also, a UPS pension is just about twice the monthly amount of a FedEx pension (under the old plan), and far more than under the PPP joke plan. How can you max your 401k or make other retirement investments if you're living check to check with no extra money to invest? A UPS driver has much more disposable income with which to plan a reasonable retirement. Fred doesn't allow us that same opportunity, so we're doubly screwed.
Double screwed is right thats why you give them what they pay for. Kinda like we do at Ground.
 
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