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FedEx Freight | UNION: Organize, or not?

When I started here a little over 3 years ago I would have branded anyone here who wanted to unionize as an agitator. How times have changed. I must admit our redshirts and managers are actually decent and will work with you. If you need a few more hours they will bring you in early to work the dock. The problem is most things are out of their control anymore with everything being snapshot nowadays. You can tell by the expression on their faces as they unroll the King's decree in am meetings how much they even think something is complete bs or unreasonable. We are rapidly approaching the point to where we have to do something... anything before its too late. One of my favorite movie lines is " Power perceived is power achieved " as the school principal broke a rather thick piece of wood with his bare hands in front of a room full of young punks. They fell into line rather quickly.
 
FedAx said:
I hope to see FXF employees on this thread, but would hesitate to exclude input from somebody that can answer basic union questions that will surely surface. I have never been a union member and cannot speak intelligently to support or refute many facts or myths. I hope we can get participation here so people can have a chance at making an informed decision without feeling strong armed either way.
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Good point...there is no shortage of former FXF employees lingering around the boards, a few of which, are now Union members at other companies (myself included)
 
Is ups Freight turning a profit? Have they ever?
suzy1052 said:
Other than job security needed over trivial matters RC and I as well as many others would like drivers who are neutral to think about how come UPS can turn a profit and pay a decent wage ? I think we can all agree that wages would be our main goal in signing a card. I'm no translog major by any stretch but everybody buys the same diesel , equipment etc. so basically the overhead is the same for everybody. If we are the #1 ltl carrier at least pay us like we're # 3 or 4.
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I think a lot of people would be more scared of the teamster leadership(bend over and grab your ankles and take it attitude) then FedEx!! Maybe different representation, who knows!
 
The teamsters union seems to be for the truckers;Yet if you look closer it seems to be another big corporation just like the one we work for,upper mgmt trying to keep things going so that they can collect a huge salary.I for one do not need someone else feeding me B.S. and putting their hands in my pocket. I've been with AF for 20 + yrs, I came to work here to get away from a company going through organizing drivers. those people got less than what they had before the teamsters were voted in and now that company is gone. Could that happen at FEDEX ? maybe/maybe not ; I for one am not wanting to take that chance.
 
J RAY said:
The teamsters union seems to be for the truckers;Yet if you look closer it seems to be another big corporation just like the one we work for,upper mgmt trying to keep things going so that they can collect a huge salary.I for one do not need someone else feeding me B.S. and putting their hands in my pocket. I've been with AF for 20 + yrs, I came to work here to get away from a company going through organizing drivers. those people got less than what they had before the teamsters were voted in and now that company is gone. Could that happen at FEDEX ? maybe/maybe not ; I for one am not wanting to take that chance.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Let me clarify that like all those I know working towards this thing, I have never been interested in the Union. Like another has already stated, 5 years ago I would've walked away from you if you tried to talk to me about the Union. 3 years ago I would've probably given you one ear while you talked, but let most of it go immediately out the other. With all the anti-union propaganda the Company has shoved onto us over the years, one main thing was lost...you only have to pound the propaganda if you're no longer committed to keeping your people from feeling like they need a Union. Which IMHO, is exactly why they were running the campaigns? They had a goal from jump street to make big changes with the "nudge" method and knew eventually it could come to this. Some of the propaganda had some valid arguments, but most of it was a downright insult to one’s intelligence. Bottom line, it didn't really matter because I was happy anyway.

All of us are going to be labeled as whining, crying, complainers that can never be made happy. Although ALL workplaces have these types of people in their workforce, that isn't what this is about. I would NOT be on board. The people I see are folks that were once happy. Even with the sacrifices we've all made at varying degrees depending on where you're at on the board, we're not complaining about what we've given up to get through tough economic times. We just now see that we're the expendable widget. Our shared sacrifice in building a recognizable, respected, and profitable company really doesn't matter. They have made it clear that we're the place holder until we're no longer needed.

At 20+ years of service, I understand that you're somewhat insulated from much of the stuff going on, or are you? We're all only a step away from the 1 honest mistake that might get you walked to the parking lot. You've seen it happen, right? Many people with a lot of seniority are looking at less desirable runs and/or shifts with every person lost below you. If things look to continue on the current path, who will be left to stand with us when our time comes?

Do you feel like being specific on the things you foresee as potential problems? Maybe there's some merit to it, maybe some of it can be debunked? I'm going to try and put together some type of FAQ of sorts, or Q&A sheet to try and resolve some of these issues as we work through this. Everybody's opinion is valuable here, I just think it’s important that we deal in facts and not emotion. (I'm not implying that your thoughts are based on emotion.)
 
I worked for the Teamsters back in its hay day 60's/70's. At that time there were more union freight haulers than none union. When I went to work for Viking in 77 we had one terminal in LA with 17 doors. One by one with deregulation and poor management the union companies went out of business. The Teamsters answer to the problem was strike the company in financial trouble. They finally got down to just two major union freight haulers when they decided to get off their over stuffed chairs and do something to help the companies. Just my opinion. TP
 
J RAY said:
The teamsters union seems to be for the truckers;Yet if you look closer it seems to be another big corporation just like the one we work for,upper mgmt trying to keep things going so that they can collect a huge salary.I for one do not need someone else feeding me B.S. and putting their hands in my pocket. I've been with AF for 20 + yrs, I came to work here to get away from a company going through organizing drivers. those people got less than what they had before the teamsters were voted in and now that company is gone. Could that happen at FEDEX ? maybe/maybe not ; I for one am not wanting to take that chance.
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I agree with what you say, and will add that I would never associate with an organization that has a history of using various forms of violence, intimidation, coercion, threats, and the most important: mob thug mentality when the going gets tough and/or has history of taking companies down the dumper. I have no use for people that on the surface are nice normal people but the minute the heat gets turned up they turn to the above, and then we all have to exist in a "loaded" or "on edge" crap environment. Sorry, this is just a job, we all go to work to earn money to live. I prefer a happy mindset at work. This isn't life on the mean streets therefor necessitating tough guy mob mentality at the drop of a hat. No thanks. Of course this does not apply to all union members, many are along for the ride and not really involved other than paying dues and collecting a check. The union is not the answer, IMO.
Self critique and reality check is. Someone who is not open to criticism is suspect, always complaining about one thing or another, seems to have constant issues, is written up often, thinks there is favoritism, wonders why they get crap runs, or that the supervisors have it in for them, on and on......that is the problem typically. Just resorting to organizing doesn't address the "individual"l concern. Attitude is the biggest problem (but you can't tell them that....they aren't the problem at all in their mind) So you get a group of individuals with severe personal issues that haven't sorted themselves out and they get into a group and think "unionize.....yeah, that'll fix it" Have fun.
 
Windsurfer said:
I agree with what you say, and will add that I would never associate with an organization that has a history of using various forms of violence, intimidation, coercion, threats, and the most important: mob thug mentality when the going gets tough and/or has history of taking companies down the dumper. I have no use for people that on the surface are nice normal people but the minute the heat gets turned up they turn to the above, and then we all have to exist in a "loaded" or "on edge" crap environment. Sorry, this is just a job, we all go to work to earn money to live. I prefer a happy mindset at work. This isn't life on the mean streets therefor necessitating tough guy mob mentality at the drop of a hat. No thanks. Of course this does not apply to all union members, many are along for the ride and not really involved other than paying dues and collecting a check. The union is not the answer, IMO.
Self critique and reality check is. Someone who is not open to criticism is suspect, always complaining about one thing or another, seems to have constant issues, is written up often, thinks there is favoritism, wonders why they get crap runs, or that the supervisors have it in for them, on and on......that is the problem typically. Just resorting to organizing doesn't address the "individual"l concern. Attitude is the biggest problem (but you can't tell them that....they aren't the problem at all in their mind) So you get a group of individuals with severe personal issues that haven't sorted themselves out and they get into a group and think "unionize.....yeah, that'll fix it" Have fun.
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Your sense of reality is clouded by what you see in the movies.
 
yrc-atm said:
Your sense of reality is clouded by what you see in the movies.
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Nope, your wrong. Rubbed elbows with that type. Saw/dealt with it first hand up here in the northeast. I wouldn't waste my time making a post here otherwise. :17113:
 
Windsurfer said:
Nope, your wrong. Rubbed elbows with that type. Saw/dealt with it first hand up here in the northeast. I wouldn't waste my time making a post here otherwise. :17113:
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Those tactics you spoke of are the very same that companies use against their employees. Just as you said in your first post, stereotypical tactics. People who use stereotypes as facts prove their ignorance.
 
One would hope that Windsurfer has had a comprehensive education in labor. Maybe he should broaden his horizons and do a little research. A decade before the formation of the first Teamster unions uniting to form the Teamsters as we know them, the Pinkerton detective agency was hired by big business to deal with malcontents in labor. It would appear that the Teamsters did not invent violence and thuggery to deal with labor issues. Do yourselves a favor and study some labor history, things like Andrew Carnegie and the Pinkertons, the Homestead strike of 1892.
Yes, the Teamsters copied up to the Mafia, yes there were pension irregularities and it is old history, this is now people and there are still irregularities but unless you live in a different world, you should know that big business are the ones on the fringe of legality.
When was the last time the Teamsters were called out for accounting irregularities as opposed to big business? Enron, JP Morgan, Wall Street, I could probably find one hundred examples but it would probably be a waste of time.
 
Is there another way to"make things better"? Before we make a decision to go with the teamsters we should be exploring any other options, if there are any.I am at a small center and I am not seeing a lot of the problems I'm reading about.I know problems exist, but is the only solution organization through the teamsters?
 
Break one nine,
Can we all push our coworkers to checkin or visit this thread, the more people that know the better 1700 views already. We need our employees informed about the subject so they can educate one another about our situation.
 
The company has begun a serious spiral downward. I've seen this happen before and a mass exodus of workers with experience left. It was only a matter of time. Once it gets to this point there is no saving it.
 
yrc-atm said:
Those tactics you spoke of are the very same that companies use against their employees. Just as you said in your first post, stereotypical tactics. People who use stereotypes as facts prove their ignorance.
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I'm sure you are a great mind, an excellent debater, and can sway many to your way of thinking. I have no idea. You don't like my opinions that I've posted. Not a problem. You perhaps support the union concept. Fine. I don't. The various reasons I don't care for the union concept are referenced previously. You stated that I came to these conclusions because of "movies".. That is a typical response from an opposing side. This isn't the first time that has been thrown out there: "you've been watching to much tv" I don't care for the union because of what I have seen in person, some of the people (the die hards for sure) , the actions and plague they spew only to muddy the waters, how the environment in the work place becomes "heavy", "loaded" ""cynical" I said I respect those that may want a union. I don't agree again for the reasons I've referenced. There is a difference from a "life timer" and someone "green". If the union of the 21st century is a beautiful thing, one of friendliness, love, empathy, grand get-togethers and family picnics, hey great Good for you all. That's what the union puppet masters want the rest of the non believers to think. The union will solve all problems, they are the great savior. Again I can respect ones desire to want to follow. Not me. So we are wasting each others time here any further
 
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