We have to change the way they think of the hourly employee.

[MAKAVELI]

Why would they bother giving ground raises? The whole ideal of ground is a employee willing to work for little play, long hours, no health insurance etc... Compensating Ground for the hard work they do is counter intuitive.

Because even FedEx is subject to inflation pressures. If prices continue to go up, and other companies are raising pay to keep workers, FedEx will have to follow suit. Sure they try to hold pay down, but even they have to face certain realities.

FedEx already has shown it could care less what other companies are paying. They raise there rates to keep up with inflation every year and have decided they can at will take from its workers to improve their margins. There is nothing to suggest this way of doing business is going to change. The only reality they will face is if we are able to organize.

 

[vantexan]

FedEx already has shown it could care less what other companies are paying. They raise there rates to keep up with inflation every year and have decided they can at will take from its workers to improve their margins. There is nothing to suggest this way of doing business is going to change. The only reality they will face is if we are able to organize.

So when we at Express 10 years from now are averaging $22hr you expect Ground drivers to still be making $13-$15hr? Since being rehired 14 years ago my pay has gone from $10.85 to $18.17hr. But only increased $1.42hr in the last 5 years. Thus my theory that pay for Express will be held down while Ground will eventually increase until it's at or near par with Express. But both will see increases because they will lose too many people otherwise. Inflation has greatly increased costs since I was rehired. I'd have to look at the inflation calculator put out by the government but my $18.17hr would be the equivalent of $12something in 1998 when I was rehired. They can't hold down pay if drivers can get easier jobs that pay as much and may offer benefits of some sort. Doesn't mean they'll pay them big money, but as Ground greatly increases profits look for them to kick some of it back to keep drivers happy, or at least if not happy they'll stay. I'm not happy with $18.17 but it's enough for me to stick around and get by. At least I get to drive in mountain scenery all day instead of working in an office.

 

[bbsam]

We are a tiny fraction of the workforce. Why are you attacking people who are actually interested in enacting change, rather than criticizing those who act like anything the company does is fine by them? Under the RLA we are stymied in our options, depending on others with real power to come through for us. And when they didn't you've defended them. You aren't for labor unless it's represented by your party of choice, and cover for their failings. So you aren't as high minded as you portray yourself, just another partisan. I see MFE admitting they let us down, you never do.

Defended? Oberstar and his ilk? No. They failed you. So you stand where you always have. Disgruntled and angry. Understandably so. But the same question still remains. What the hell are you going to do about it? That's not attacking. That's laying out the facts plain and simple.

 

[vantexan]

Defended? Oberstar and his ilk? No. They failed you. So you stand where you always have. Disgruntled and angry. Understandably so. But the same question still remains. What the hell are you going to do about it? That's not attacking. That's laying out the facts plain and simple.

Oberstar didn't fail us, the leadership did. And any ideas presented here get shot down unless approved by the messiah. It's every man for himself, Fred's in the catbird seat, and we're screwed.

 

[bbsam]

Have it your way. Obama sold out organized labor and Fedex couriers. And here we all stand at decision time. Is it enough.to just come here and bitch about it?

 

[MAKAVELI]

FedEx already has shown it could care less what other companies are paying. They raise there rates to keep up with inflation every year and have decided they can at will take from its workers to improve their margins. There is nothing to suggest this way of doing business is going to change. The only reality they will face is if we are able to organize.

So when we at Express 10 years from now are averaging $22hr you expect Ground drivers to still be making $13-$15hr? Since being rehired 14 years ago my pay has gone from $10.85 to $18.17hr. But only increased $1.42hr in the last 5 years. Thus my theory that pay for Express will be held down while Ground will eventually increase until it's at or near par with Express. But both will see increases because they will lose too many people otherwise. Inflation has greatly increased costs since I was rehired. I'd have to look at the inflation calculator put out by the government but my $18.17hr would be the equivalent of $12something in 1998 when I was rehired. They can't hold down pay if drivers can get easier jobs that pay as much and may offer benefits of some sort. Doesn't mean they'll pay them big money, but as Ground greatly increases profits look for them to kick some of it back to keep drivers happy, or at least if not happy they'll stay. I'm not happy with $18.17 but it's enough for me to stick around and get by. At least I get to drive in mountain scenery all day instead of working in an office.

You are forgetting FedEx does not set ground wages, the contractors do. So any increases would be solely up to the contractor. Any change in their contract to that effect would be giving control to FedEx. I personally don't believe that most of these contractors would give more to their drivers unless forced to. Another thing is FedEx has been holding down our wages for years and all the while grounds have been stagnant at the peanut level. All that money they have been saving has been going straight into their coffers. So I don't buy that theory one bit.

 

[MrFedEx]

FedEx already has shown it could care less what other companies are paying. They raise there rates to keep up with inflation every year and have decided they can at will take from its workers to improve their margins. There is nothing to suggest this way of doing business is going to change. The only reality they will face is if we are able to organize.

Exactly. Until we have an ability to negotiate with them, they do exactly as they please.

 

[vantexan]

You are forgetting FedEx does not set ground wages, the contractors do. So any increases would be solely up to the contractor. Any change in their contract to that effect would be giving control to FedEx. I personally don't believe that most of these contractors would give more to their drivers unless forced to. Another thing is FedEx has been holding down our wages for years and all the while grounds have been stagnant at the peanut level. All that money they have been saving has been going straight into their coffers. So I don't buy that theory one bit.

The contractors are responsible for hiring and RETAINING drivers. Failure to do so would probably result in the loss of their contract. I'm not saying Ground drivers will be paid well, but inflation pressures over time will cause them to be paid more.

 

[MAKAVELI]

You are forgetting FedEx does not set ground wages, the contractors do. So any increases would be solely up to the contractor. Any change in their contract to that effect would be giving control to FedEx. I personally don't believe that most of these contractors would give more to their drivers unless forced to. Another thing is FedEx has been holding down our wages for years and all the while grounds have been stagnant at the peanut level. All that money they have been saving has been going straight into their coffers. So I don't buy that theory one bit.

The contractors are responsible for hiring and RETAINING drivers. Failure to do so would probably result in the loss of their contract. I'm not saying Ground drivers will be paid well, but inflation pressures over time will cause them to be paid more.

It's been working for years. Any increases will not amount to much just like here at express. The idea for both opco is to hold down wages as much they can. The argument that FedEx has to hold down express wages to increase ground wages just doesn't make any sense in my opinion.

 

[vantexan]

It's been working for years. Any increases will not amount to much just like here at express. The idea for both opco is to hold down wages as much they can. The argument that FedEx has to hold down express wages to increase ground wages just doesn't make any sense in my opinion.

What I'm saying is FedEx wants to hold down pay as much as possible, but if easier jobs at other companies eventually pay as much as a Ground driver they'll lose too many to those easier jobs. As prices go up across the board companies have to eventually pay more or no one could afford to live. It's why FedEx has multiple payscales. They pay less where they can, but in some markets things cost more and are competitive for workers. So FedEx pays more. I'm not saying FedEx HAS to hold down Express wages to give Ground more, I'm saying FedEx will hold down wages as much as possible, but if Ground in the future produces the majority of profits then they will be the favored child who gets most of the pay raises. We'll be the red headed stepchild.

 

[bbsam]

As it should be if Ground is producing the profits.

 

[vantexan]

Have it your way. Obama sold out organized labor and Fedex couriers. And here we all stand at decision time. Is it enough.to just come here and bitch about it?

Really sensitive about that guy, huh? I was talking about the Congressmen and Senators that kept tabling the vote after receiving generous campaign contributions. And as I pointed out, suggest something here and it gets shot down. I can sign a card if I knew where to get one. I can stand outside in a thunderstorm and spit into the wind too. We are a fraction of the workforce with very little hope to affect change without great risk to ourselves. So bitch, bitch, bitch.

 

[MAKAVELI]

It's been working for years. Any increases will not amount to much just like here at express. The idea for both opco is to hold down wages as much they can. The argument that FedEx has to hold down express wages to increase ground wages just doesn't make any sense in my opinion.

What I'm saying is FedEx wants to hold down pay as much as possible, but if easier jobs at other companies eventually pay as much as a Ground driver they'll lose too many to those easier jobs. As prices go up across the board companies have to eventually pay more or no one could afford to live. It's why FedEx has multiple payscales. They pay less where they can, but in some markets things cost more and are competitive for workers. So FedEx pays more. I'm not saying FedEx HAS to hold down Express wages to give Ground more, I'm saying FedEx will hold down wages as much as possible, but if Ground in the future produces the majority of profits then they will be the favored child who gets most of the pay raises. We'll be the red headed stepchild.

And what I am saying is that FedEx is holding down our wages to increase profit and that is it.

 

[Operational needs]

From what I am seeing, we have already become the red-headed stepchildren. We are no longer the favored ones.

 

[vantexan]

And what I am saying is that FedEx is holding down our wages to increase profit and that is it.

Well, yeah, they're doing alot of things to increase profit. But you make it sound as if Ground drivers will be making the same pay 10, 20, 30 years from now and that people at Ground will accept that.

 

[vantexan]

From what I am seeing, we have already become the red-headed stepchildren. We are no longer the favored ones.

Sure looks that way. Looks like eventually Ground will be the biggest opco and overnight delivery will just be a service we offer rather than our main service.

 

[bbsam]

Really sensitive about that guy, huh? I was talking about the Congressmen and Senators that kept tabling the vote after receiving generous campaign contributions. And as I pointed out, suggest something here and it gets shot down. I can sign a card if I knew where to get one. I can stand outside in a thunderstorm and spit into the wind too. We are a fraction of the workforce with very little hope to affect change without great risk to ourselves. So bitch, bitch, bitch.

Actually you mentioned the leadership, so yeah, if Obama had made it a priority...

 

[Operational needs]

Sure looks that way. Looks like eventually Ground will be the biggest opco and overnight delivery will just be a service we offer rather than our main service.

I was talking to a long-time manager for sales and she was telling me how the atmosphere at the Ground warehouse was very upbeat and positive, like it used to be at Express.

 

[overflowed]

As it should be if Ground is producing the profits.

On the backs of your employees.

 

[bbsam]

On the backs of your employees.

Name a company where that is not the fact.