FedEx Freight | Dropping the bomb 2018

[citydog]

We used to have a disability benefit at our Local but its gone since 2010.
I don't know if it was just a union benny or employer/ Local benny.
We can legally collect unemployment if we are eligible to work in some way but not able to fully perform our contractual job obligations or something like that if we didnt hurt self on job.
If Dr. releases us to lift no more than 10lbs or something, we're eligible for unemplyment. I think the contract makes that possible..

So you don't have disability if you get hurt off the job wow I thought the union would have negotiated that for you.

 

[Guardrail]

FedExFreight is no where near that... You are thinking UPSFreight, as of Jan 1st. Geographic inconsistencies at FedEx are extreme. In my area it goes like this, as of 1-5-215: UPSF $27.10, Conway $25.41, Old Dominion $24.95, FedEx Freight $23.68.

And the insurance is very poor, no retiree healthcare at all, minimal pension. Other than that, things are AWESOME, except for some major inconsistencies in the rules dept.

I never said FedEx Freight was near that. That is what YRC would have to be making in order for them to be making more than FedEx Freight after the 15 percent give back.

Guardrail

 

[droppingaduece]

What you fail to understand is that every large company in this country with have to comply with Obama care. The mandates this puts on companies that are self insured or not it's a great expense to comply and administer.

That is so but it doesn't excuse the fact that our insurance is going down the toilet. Does this mean in 2018 we will be using ACA as our primary insurance. Maybe you're single, with no children, and your young enough the issuance doesn't matter to you. I don't know and I'm not asking for your particulars, but to those of us that have family's or are forced to by family plans and given no options it is a big deal.

 

[slavenomore]

So you don't have disability if you get hurt off the job wow I thought the union would have negotiated that for you.

It was $500/ wk in 2010. It may have just been a benefit by our Local, maybe not the employer.
OUR contract doesn't have it, but if its important for YOU, maybe you'd negotiate it.

Once again, if our numbers increase, alot of other good things increase, not just for our leaders, as you may think. As mmemberships in Locals and the IBT, as a whole increases, so to do some pretty cool perks. We can get special discounts on personal lawyers, credit stuff, mortgages, car insurance...all kinds of deals for members.
The benefits of combined numbers.

 

[slavenomore]

What you fail to understand is that every large company in this country with have to comply with Obama care. The mandates this puts on companies that are self insured or not it's a great expense to comply and administer.

Please don't digress to the " Fedex, the victim" liberal mentality.
Everybody's got expenses.
So do these guys.

 

[BusterNite]

When I say "huge unknown" I mean insurance in general union or non.

One thing we do know, health Insurance is going to get more expensive each year that passes and the employee at any company with out a contract will be expected to absorb those rising costs. Its just the way it is.

 

[nasvegas]

We need to find out what amount FedEx pays for each employee & family plan from any of these guys holding the meetings. I am trying to dig up info and will post what I have found below. Admittedly this stuff is quite complicated to digest/understand and making this a group effort could help straighten out all the facts. It looks like the "penalty" they talk about is an excise tax. So if I read it right FedEx will have to pay a tax if their part of our premiums exceed $10,200 & $27,500.

I found this from here.
Excise tax
Beginning in 2018, employer plans will pay a 40 percent tax on the amount by which the cost of the plan per enrollee exceeds a cap, initially set at $10,200 for single workers and $27,500 for families. (In theory, insurers or plan administrators pay the tax, which will presumably be passed through to the employer.) The initial cap may be higher if health costs rise faster than currently projected and the cap will be higher for plans covering retirees or workers in high risk occupations as well as for plans with a higher-than-average risk level (based on age and sex alone). The caps will increase annually,but only by the CPI-U plus 1 percentage point. Calculations of spending per enrollee will consider both employer and employee contributions to the plan, including employee contributions to flexible spending or health savings accounts.

Another company put together this FAQ for it's employees and it seems to explain it clearer. It provides some example but looks like it may be based on their company. I will quote this below as I can't seem to find this form and maybe others have one handy to help fill in the blanks for the premium paid by FedEx.


Forbes states this:
Based on the plan size defined by the tax, in 2018, about 16% of employer-sponsored plans will be affected. However, if healthcare spending continues to exceed inflation, a greater percentage of plans will qualify as “Cadillac plans”—spending more than $10,200 per employee or $27,500 per family— each year. The tax is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) +1% for the first 2 years of implementation but then just the CPI.

My question is how is it legal to tax employers for providing insurance? This administration is full of P.O.S.

 

[Redracer3136]

This might be long. I just cant get it out of my head what the CFO said on Thursday in Charlotte. He stated that 1% of our work force ever reaches out of pocket deductibles or maximum out of pocket deductibles and only catastrofphic events would make this occur. We have a driver who then spoke out and said he was the 1%. He said he has over $6200 worth of medical bills and it wasnt a catastrophic event. But our CFO stated we have good insurance.He then said fedx had to do it or they would be fined by the goverment due to ACA. Another driver then asked what year fedx would be fined. CFO then said 2018. Our driver then said then why is our insurance so weak now if fedx wont be fined until 2018. He then angerly says " what were we suposed to do drop the bomb on you in 2018 we have a step plan" . Driver response is what does that mean. Whats gonna happen to our insurance in 2018. Our driver asked him to clarify what he means. CFO anwser was you can go vote on nov 19th. We'll it sounds like our insurance will decline evey year. What are we in store for??? 15k,20k out of pockets??? Being put on ACA??? I can not get this meeting out of my head.

I agree with CityDog, what you fail to understand is that EVERY large company, public or private, will have to comply with Obamacare. The evolving effects of Obamacare has made it harder for companies to predict the effect on their bottom lines. Not only are medical cost rising but so are the added cost of the ACA. FedEx is self insured but they also pay other companies to administer the coverage, in my case it's Blue Cross Blue Shield. FedEx pays BCBS an administration fee plus each employees claims as they come in. In order to combat the rising cost of healthcare, FedEx, just as most other companies, have done away with the traditional PPO's and they now offer more consumer driven HSA plans which require employees to think more about how to cover their medical needs using their coverage. And let's not forget all of the fees that come along with Obamacare that employers such as FedEx must pay. A couple of examples are the "patient-centered outcomes research institue fee" which pays for research into the effectiveness of medical treatments and the "transitional reinsurance fee" which goes to insurers that cover high cost patients. These fees must be paid by FedEx which means these cost are passed on to their employees....just as with all companies.
On the other side of your post, we also have an employee in Clt that just had quintuple bypass surgery. The total cost of his surgery was in excess of $185K but thanks to our so called crappy insurance, his total out of pocket cost was $4,900!!!!!
You, as well as others, may THINK our insurance is crappy but I suggest you go look on the open market and see what you can get for the measly $200 or so a month that we pay. I think you'll find that although our insurance isn't the best by any means, it's far from being the worst.....which is what some are making it out to be.
Also, my wife works for a union company and we continue to go with my insurance every year.....except for vision, Davis vision SUCKS!!!!! Our insurance is slightly better and when you add the spousal fee that they added this year, ours is definitley cheaper! (The spousal fee is when your spouse is offered insurance through their employer but they decline in order to join the union employer's insurance, they've added a $1000 a month penalty fee) I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but didnt UPS apply this same fee to their insurance or do they now just deny coverage to those spouses that have insurance available through their own employer?

 

[mlang216]

My question is how is it legal to tax employers for providing insurance? This administration is full of P.O.S.

It's a deterrent. They don't want people taking expensive coverages and plans they don't need (in their opinion).

Not their decision to make.

I read an interesting article citing that this would also reduce plans down to cheap, bare bones plans that would reduce the untaxable health premiums and in turn leave more taxable income.

Who knows, but I don't like the government deterring me from anything. Especially which health benefits I choose.

 

[BusterNite]

I agree with CityDog, what you fail to understand is that EVERY large company, public or private, will have to comply with Obamacare. The evolving effects of Obamacare has made it harder for companies to predict the effect on their bottom lines. Not only are medical cost rising but so are the added cost of the ACA. FedEx is self insured but they also pay other companies to administer the coverage, in my case it's Blue Cross Blue Shield. FedEx pays BCBS an administration fee plus each employees claims as they come in. In order to combat the rising cost of healthcare, FedEx, just as most other companies, have done away with the traditional PPO's and they now offer more consumer driven HSA plans which require employees to think more about how to cover their medical needs using their coverage. And let's not forget all of the fees that come along with Obamacare that employers such as FedEx must pay. A couple of examples are the "patient-centered outcomes research institue fee" which pays for research into the effectiveness of medical treatments and the "transitional reinsurance fee" which goes to insurers that cover high cost patients. These fees must be paid by FedEx which means these cost are passed on to their employees....just as with all companies.
On the other side of your post, we also have an employee in Clt that just had quintuple bypass surgery. The total cost of his surgery was in excess of $185K but thanks to our so called crappy insurance, his total out of pocket cost was $4,900!!!!!
You, as well as others, may THINK our insurance is crappy but I suggest you go look on the open market and see what you can get for the measly $200 or so a month that we pay. I think you'll find that although our insurance isn't the best by any means, it's far from being the worst.....which is what some are making it out to be.
Also, my wife works for a union company and we continue to go with my insurance every year.....except for vision, Davis vision SUCKS!!!!! Our insurance is slightly better and when you add the spousal fee that they added this year, ours is definitley cheaper! (The spousal fee is when your spouse is offered insurance through their employer but they decline in order to join the union employer's insurance, they've added a $1000 a month penalty fee) I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but didnt UPS apply this same fee to their insurance or do they now just deny coverage to those spouses that have insurance available through their own employer?

UPS NON UNION employees are refused health Insurance for their spouses if they have health Insurance available to them through there employer. This does NOT have anything to do with Union employees.

 

[Redracer3136]

UPS NON UNION employees are refused health Insurance for their spouses if they have health Insurance available to them through there employer. This does NOT have anything to do with Union employees.

Not disagreeing with you b/c 1) I don't know you and 2) I'm not a UPS employee, but my neighbor is a UPS employee, I'll ask him tomorrow.
As far as my wife, she is a non union employee at a union company (right to work state) and she has the same benefits as the union employees.

 

[BusterNite]

Not disagreeing with you b/c 1) I don't know you and 2) I'm not a UPS employee, but my neighbor is a UPS employee, I'll ask him tomorrow.
As far as my wife, she is a non union employee at a union company (right to work state) and she has the same benefits as the union employees.

I work for Overnite/ UPSF for over 30 years. My statement is true and fact.

 

[Redracer3136]

I work for Overnite/ UPSF for over 30 years. My statement is true and fact.

So does Overnite/UPSF have the same bennies as UPS?

 

[makinit]

Could anyone involved in organizing please forward any info about this Charlotte meeting to the proper people in the Newark terminal, who will be also voting this week? ASAP. Every minute counts. Its Sunday and quite possibly they could reach people today. Thanx.
Is it just Charlotte and Newark voting this week?

no its charlotte and Richmond this week

 

[BusterNite]

So does Overnite/UPSF have the same bennies as UPS?

No, although I believe most of us at UPS & UPSF are under the same national TeamCare provider, UPS has a better plan than UPSF, as they should since they have negotiated contracts for over 100 years.

 

[Canadian Flyer]

The ACA is the single biggest thing putting the screws to absolutely everyone right now. Everywhere I'm hearing that all its done is increase the cost of health care. And if you think the unions will be exempt forever, you're mistaken folks. The ACA is the first misguided step towards socialist health care. And everyone will feel the pain soon enough.

Take it from a Canadian. We HAVE socialist health care here. Which means that I can go have a doctor tell me what's wrong with me for free because it comes out of my tax dollars. If I actually want to do something about it, it costs me money left and right.

The unions and employers today offer insurance coverage for the increasing number of things the health care system will not cover, but you still have to pay the ever increasing health care tax. You guys talk about paying more for less? It's been the reality north of the border for years. Nobody in Canada has free health care unless you're on welfare.

 

[renegadebaileys]

The ACA was never suppose to make healthcare affordable it was meant to make it so unbelievably expensive that people would beg the government to move into the full single payer system also allowing the government by necessity to tax around 75% of all income. That is what has happen in Canada only difference is there military is a small fraction of what ours is. We would be looking at taxes between 95% and 99%

 

[Starkravinloon]

renegadebaileys;1459218]The ACA was never suppose to make healthcare affordable it was meant to make it so unbelievably expensive that people would beg the government to move into the full single payer system also allowing the government by necessity to tax around 75% of all income. That is what has happen in Canada only difference is there military is a small fraction of what ours is. We would be looking at taxes between 95% and 99%[/B]

Thank you sir....

 

[mlang216]

The ACA was never suppose to make healthcare affordable it was meant to make it so unbelievably expensive that people would beg the government to move into the full single payer system also allowing the government by necessity to tax around 75% of all income. That is what has happen in Canada only difference is there military is a small fraction of what ours is. We would be looking at taxes between 95% and 99%

I agree. The goal was to get the bill passed in the first place. A first step toward his dream of universal healthcare.

Now, we can only hope for modification.

 

[trucking62]

This might be long. I just cant get it out of my head what the CFO said on Thursday in Charlotte. He stated that 1% of our work force ever reaches out of pocket deductibles or maximum out of pocket deductibles and only catastrofphic events would make this occur. We have a driver who then spoke out and said he was the 1%. He said he has over $6200 worth of medical bills and it wasnt a catastrophic event. But our CFO stated we have good insurance.He then said fedx had to do it or they would be fined by the goverment due to ACA. Another driver then asked what year fedx would be fined. CFO then said 2018. Our driver then said then why is our insurance so weak now if fedx wont be fined until 2018. He then angerly says " what were we suposed to do drop the bomb on you in 2018 we have a step plan" . Driver response is what does that mean. Whats gonna happen to our insurance in 2018. Our driver asked him to clarify what he means. CFO anwser was you can go vote on nov 19th. We'll it sounds like our insurance will decline evey year. What are we in store for??? 15k,20k out of pockets??? Being put on ACA??? I can not get this meeting out of my head.

You guys nailed it way to go.we at sbr have been saying the same thing. Why did they roll it out 2 years early.they think we are all stupid and don't do our homework.