MrFedEx
Engorged Member
A union drive cannot be led by one person - you know that. This is another thing that has gone on here for as long as I've posted and followed this forum, an absolute unwillingness among the readership to recognize what is needed when confronted with some basic facts. Then an attempt at deflection is made to divert any responsibility from themselves to do anything as a collective whole to change the situation.
Locations aren't successfully organized with one hand billing and one meeting. It takes multiple hand billings, multiple meetings. All of that costs MONEY to be done on a professional basis. Again, an attempt at deflection when confronted with the reality of the situation.
If a union is to commit to one hand billing and one meeting at/for each location (and that is IT), then they are flushing their money down the toilet - might as well not do it at all. They know that successful organizing takes months if not years in some industries - and that takes either professional organizers getting paid for putting in long hours in attempting to meet people in informal settings and dispelling the myths and fear about unions, or a number of amateur organizers who are willing to put in that time and get organization built.
The IBT isn't going to pay for organizers, and the Couriers of Express aren't willing to do the work themselves - so what is this persistent talk about, "We need a union"? Yes, you need a union, but given the REALITY as it exists, what the Couriers REALLY NEED is some commitment to do something to change the situation for themselves and not expect others to do the hard work for them. The best way to change the situation (given the reality), is to get the hell out of Express (what I did and many others are doing). For those who don't want to leave but want a union, what are they waiting for.....
It is well known that the IBT at this stage isn't going to spend much of anything on Express at this point (no point from past history and what is common knowledge out there). The Couriers (from what I've seen both when I was a Courier and here), are all talk and absolute no action. Why should any organization (union) commit itself to a long and expensive proposition (organizing drive), when all indicators (this place is a PRIMARY indicator whether you want to believe it or not), point to its failing no matter how much is committed to the effort?
What happened to all that talk about getting another union? I put up the list of the other unions for all to read and source for getting an alternative - only one poster came back with the IAM - that was a bust.
And if you really believe that the IBT is taking some sort of payoff from FedEx as a form of quid pro quo for not 'agitating' the Couriers of Express, then I don't know what to say. If you really believe that level of 'conspiracy' is going on, you'd best bail from Express PDQ - since the powers to be are REALLY playing you if that is the case.
I'm still seeing a lot of people "waiting for things to improve", which simply isn't going to happen. On one level, there are still the believers who think that all of the chaos is temporary and that the company is somehow going to "make it up" to them in the future. This is delusional, and frankly, pretty stupid.
Then there are the sheep, who are so timid and scared that they won't do anything. They just sit there and take it, apparently pacified by the fact that they just have a job. This is really sad, and it's very difficult to reach these people.
There are also what I call the "tough talkers". They talk a good game when management isn't around, but when it comes right down to it, they are inaction in action...they do nothing but talk. When management has a meeting and you can nail them to the wall, you could hear a pin drop.
Finally, there are the people who will actually sign a card and DO something. These are the employees who call BS on their games and WAD. They actively speak about unionizing and fighting for something better. This group is growing rapidly, but not quickly enough to get something going that has substance.
I totally agree with R1a that the Ops Managers know something is up, and a lot of them are jumping ship or downgrading back to courier. I personally know 3, one who has already stepped-down, and 2 that are going to. My guess is that they foresee an end of the policy that allows a manager to downgrade and get top rate. They also are seeing that managers who've already left are not being replaced, leading to very large work groups and a ridiculous span of control. All 3 of these people told me that the management job was "ruining their lives" and that they had to get out. I also know 2 SMs who want out entirely and are actively interviewing for other positions. They also know what's headed down the tracks, and they're smart enough to make a move.
When the last proposed revision to the RLA was successfully shot down, Fred knew there wasn't much holding him back. I think we've all seen the results of that freedom, and there is more in-store. Count on it.
When are all of you fence-sitters going to realize that you actually need to DO something other than wait around for me, R1a,or someone in your station to start taking action? I agree that the IBT is our only viable option, and until they see us fighting back, they're unlikely to enter the fray because they don't see any benefit to them. No, I don't like Hoffa, and yes, I have issues with the IBT, but they are the only game in town. They are actively organizing FedEx Freight, but they won't touch us until they think there is a reasonable chance of success.