We..the UPS Teamsters Need to Organize FedEx ......

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
I agree wholeheartedly. If the couriers can at least gain traction and show some solid measure of support - especially in the face of FedEx continuing their onslaught against the FedEx courier - then we should be supporting them. Organizing under the RLA will be immensely difficult, but if the couriers can begin grassroots level organizing and gain some momentum while using social media and/or a central and independent website (as R1a has suggested in other posts) then maybe they can get something going.

It would be a privilege to lend them a hand if they can take that first step.

During the last UPS strike, I parked my CTV (feeder), went on lunch, grabbed a sign, and walked the picket line with my UPS brothers and sisters. Was FedEx pissed? You bet they were. We have a lot in common, and I felt the need to show my support.

Here's the deal. UPS would be much stronger with a unionized FedEx. Fred S is stealing major market share away from UPS with his FedEx Ground scam and has enjoyed a big advantage in the NDA market with the RLA at Express. In short, he is able to both undercut UPS and pay FedEx employees a pittance in comparison to UPS.

Together, UPS and FedEx employees would be a formidable force. We either take a stand now against the Fred S's of the world, or stand idly by while Ground undercuts the strength of the Teamsters and weakens your negotiating position. A unionized FedEx Express would help thwart Smith's future expansion and start costing him some serious cash, money he is using to try and capture UPS business.

It is in your best interest to organize as many of the FedEx opcos as possible. FedEx Freight is a real possibility, as they also realize how they've been getting hosed by Smith. In an era where union membership has fallen to the lowest levels since 1932 and unions are being attacked constantly by the Right Wing, it's high time that the trend be reversed.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
I talk to the Express guy all the time, he tells me to "friend" off he's doing just fine without the union headache. Any suggestions?
 

upsyo

Well-Known Member
As a UPS driver I would on my own time stand outside of Fedex and pass out union cards. Now only if the teamsters would ask all UPS drivers to do so...
 

thedownhillEXPRESS

Well-Known Member
ask him how his last raise went

And how he likes paying 400 dollars a month for crappy benefits with high deductibles and very high maximum out of pockets.

How about the pension that's gone.

Or the dental plan that basically pays for you to get wooden teeth.

If an Express driver really said that, well believe me it is not the consensus.
 

thedownhillEXPRESS

Well-Known Member
And how he likes paying 400 dollars a month for crappy benefits with high deductibles and very high maximum out of pockets.

How about the pension that's gone.

Or the dental plan that basically pays for you to get wooden teeth.

If an Express driver really said that, well believe me it is not the consensus.

And FedEx is making billions in profit too just like UPS.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
Oh and don't even get me started with the Ground guy. I'm lucky to even get a "Hi how ya doing" outta that :censored2:. Truck running, door open, parked on the wrong side of the street. Forget it, let em fight their own battles as far as where I'm at. Christ the Home Delivery guy is worse. I can't count how many times I've had to move their crap outta site so I can DR my stuff. If they do get organized by the Teamsters God help the Union in my area they are going to be real busy.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
I talk to the Express guy all the time, he tells me to "friend" off he's doing just fine without the union headache. Any suggestions?


Going to go out on a limb and going to assume he is at top pay. That is one of the biggest obstacles to unionizing FedEx. Here is the top pay employees take on things. Depending on market level (A manager left an up to date market level pay grade sheet laying around on a table a few months ago in the break room after a frontline meeting by accident. So I grabbed it) The first hourly rate is for a courier topped out. The second hourly rate is a topped out swing.

Market level L- (Courier/Non Swing) $27.91hr (Swing) $30.43hr San Francisco,Hawaii

Market level J- (Courier/Non Swing) $26.69hr (Swing) $29.25hr NYC,Areas of California

Market level H-(Courier/Non Swing) $25.80hr (Swing) $28.29hr

Market level friend-(Courier/Non Swing) $24.94hr (Swing) $27.34hr

Market level E-(Courier/Non Swing) $23.30hr (Swing) $25.54hr

Market level B (Courier/Non Swing) $22.18hr (Swing) $24.44hr

Market level A (Courier/Non Swing) $22.18hr (Swing) $24.44hr

I do not have market location examples so I filled in an example of L and J because I know those locations I put in are in those market levels

You are not going to be able to convince the average employee topped out in the high market levels that a union would be a good thing. They are doing fine and are happy with what they are making. They see a union coming in and making the job 10x harder then it is now. Staying out all day being forced to get pickups. Some of them also think if we unionize it means now we are delivering air and ground again under the express umbrella.

Its just not worth it to them. Majority of these topped out employees are fine making what they are making. It's an easy job for 27-30 and hour. They have no interest in unionizing. But the sad reality is. With 2 raises in the last 5 years. A large segment of the workforce at Express will never get to the 27-30 an hour level. Unfortunately its going to be near next to impossible to convince the majority of the 20-25 year topped out employees that a union is a good thing.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Going to go out on a limb and going to assume he is at top pay. That is one of the biggest obstacles to unionizing FedEx. Here is the top pay employees take on things. Depending on market level (A manager left an up to date market level pay grade sheet laying around on a table a few months ago in the break room after a frontline meeting by accident. So I grabbed it) The first hourly rate is for a courier topped out. The second hourly rate is a topped out swing.

Market level L- (Courier/Non Swing) $27.91hr (Swing) $30.43hr San Francisco,Hawaii

Market level J- (Courier/Non Swing) $26.69hr (Swing) $29.25hr NYC,Areas of California

Market level H-(Courier/Non Swing) $25.80hr (Swing) $28.29hr

Market level friend-(Courier/Non Swing) $24.94hr (Swing) $27.34hr

Market level E-(Courier/Non Swing) $23.30hr (Swing) $25.54hr

Market level B (Courier/Non Swing) $22.18hr (Swing) $24.44hr

Market level A (Courier/Non Swing) $22.18hr (Swing) $24.44hr

I do not have market location examples so I filled in an example of L and J because I know those locations I put in are in those market levels

You are not going to be able to convince the average employee topped out in the high market levels that a union would be a good thing. They are doing fine and are happy with what they are making. They see a union coming in and making the job 10x harder then it is now. Staying out all day being forced to get pickups. Some of them also think if we unionize it means now we are delivering air and ground again under the express umbrella.

Its just not worth it to them. Majority of these topped out employees are fine making what they are making. It's an easy job for 27-30 and hour. They have no interest in unionizing. But the sad reality is. With 2 raises in the last 5 years. A large segment of the workforce at Express will never get to the 27-30 an hour level. Unfortunately its going to be near next to impossible to convince the majority of the 20-25 year topped out employees that a union is a good thing.

Here's the one missing piece of key information. How long does it take to get to top rate? Try at least 22 years. Most Express couriers are making nowhere near these hourly wages. A mid-range employee is far below these figures, but FedEx will show the top ones only in their PR campaign against a union.

There also is no longer a retirement plan at FedEx. If you hired-in after 2004, there is only the PPA annuity, which means a paltry lump-sum check and a puny (less than $100 per month) monthly payout. What a joke.

Ooops. Almost forgot the high medical premiums and high deductibles for insurance which cuts your real wage even further.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Just to add on to my previous post. The reasons to unionize aren't all about the money. It is the threat of the express job disappearing with DRA. 2day and XS going to ground. But the majority of top pay employees don't believe there is any problem right now. They don't believe any of that. They are for the most part in purple kool aid land. They believe what mgmt feeds them. They have no reason not to. They are the employees that have always been taken care of.
 

ManInBrown

Well-Known Member
Here's the one missing piece of key information. How long does it take to get to top rate? Try at least 22 years. Most Express couriers are making nowhere near these hourly wages. A mid-range employee is far below these figures, but FedEx will show the top ones only in their PR campaign against a union.

There also is no longer a retirement plan at FedEx. If you hired-in after 2004, there is only the PPA annuity, which means a paltry lump-sum check and a puny (less than $100 per month) monthly payout. What a joke.

Ooops. Almost forgot the high medical premiums and high deductibles for insurance which cuts your real wage even further.

22 years. LOL. I work with a courier. Non Swing driver. 19 years with the company. Got a couple bad review scores along the way. Back in the days of when we still got raises. This courier is more then 2 bucks an hr from top pay. LOL

Im not going to post all the starting pay market level rates because I am not 100% sure how to read (decipher) that end of the sheet. The sheet is a little wacky to read. The top pay rates I posted are 100% accurate. That part I was able to decipher. But I will say the starting rates are the bigger slap in the face to the Express employee. New hires walking in off the street making pennies less then 8-10 year employees
 

3 done 3 to go

In control of own destiny
Nothing will ever be done in Washington. The union had control for 2 yrs. They missed their opportunity. They are just taking the unions money. Saying we will work hard for the working man. Do nothing democrats. Blame game republicans.
 

barnyard

KTM rider
Aren't FedEx pilots unionized????

If so, why doesn't the pilot's union help them out. Seems that would work better than having employees from a whole nother company pushing it.
 

MAKAVELI

Well-Known Member
Aren't FedEx pilots unionized????

If so, why doesn't the pilot's union help them out. Seems that would work better than having employees from a whole nother company pushing it.
They belong to a different union for one. UPS drivers and the Teamsters would be in the best position to help us organize. Secondly the pilots and couriers might as well be working for different companies as we have no contact with each other. And I'm pretty sure the pilots could care less about us drivers and our concerns. And it has been said here before that UPS drivers and the Teamsters would benefit from a unionized FedEx Express.
 

QKRSTKR

Well-Known Member
FedEx needs to be reclassified. Under the railway act, they can unionize, but everybody who doesn't show up to vote automatically count as a no vote.
 
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