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FedEx Freight | The Union Debate Thread

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joes bar and grill said:
Like I said RAT just take what they give you, don't ever ask for more.
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runawaytrain said:
See Joe that's the thing ... Saia gives me what the market bears ... They also give me something money can't buy .. A pleasant work environment. I learned long ago Joe ... About happiness ... It's an inside job.
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If I'm happy Joe ... Shouldn't that be all that matters. I don't need more. I feel like I'm getting a fair shake.
 
runawaytrain said:
I won't go there ... All I can do is wish you the best. I'm not being sarcastic. We just differ in our opinions. The union has opened Fedex's eyes and they are making changes. The same at Conway. I just can't see you getting more with the Teamsters. Only less.This is just my opinion and I've been wrong before. I just don't think so this time.
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Thank you for not being sarcastic and offering your honest opinion.
Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion.
 
I told you guys that there are other unions out there.Geez why invite the Teamsters?? Yes we were invited.Since some of you have distaste for just the Teamsters.Heck you all couldve invited the UAW or a Machinist union or a food worker union.Just a few examples of what all is out there for representation.Dont invite us over to HELP you.Just to get a nose beating.No class whatsoever
 
SwampRatt said:
Fair points, all. Especially the quarterly bonus impact on our (drivers') bottom line, back in the day...
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Yessir......while I would certainly want the highest base pay possible, I believe the AIC plan is a pretty good way of sharing the profits when they are there, while not locking into a high fixed cost that will limit company flexibility when times are thinner.

SwampRatt said:
I seem to recall that is was only available to "new" customers. It was an effort to bring in business from customers who historically used "another" carrier (or carriers).
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Again.....yessir............I believe that is exactly how it was intended..............there wasnt a particular blanket standard discount or timeframe, but the intent was to open up market share options that were generally closed to us because of price. My opinion is that it might have been pretty successful had it been more tightly controlled.

However, it was allowed to bleed over into existing business, essentially killing the margins on a much higher % of our business than orginally intended or anticipated.......example would be customer where we are hauling 50% of their OB; taking advantage of the market and telling us that for "X" discount we could have the rest of the business. When we agree to that, we not only take on freight with a crappy margin, but we wreck the margins on the existing business we are hauling as well...........
 
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joes bar and grill said:
Like I said RAT just take what they give you, don't ever ask for more.
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If you came from a bottom feeder ltl like some of these guy's, arguing against the union they are just happy to have a decent job. Some people just don't have enough ambition to stand up and fight for better benefits for themselves. They are content on sliding by.
 
Crazy Trucker said:
If you came from a bottom feeder ltl like some of these guy's, arguing against the union they are just happy to have a decent job. Some people just don't have enough ambition to stand up and fight for better benefits for themselves. They are content on sliding by.
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Some people put a higher price on their happiness. They've worked in a hostile, caustic, Teamster environment before and wouldn't go back there again for all the tea in China. Much less for a couple bucks an hour. They have experienced both sides and know that they are being fairly compensated and treated now. It's not about lacking ambition.
 
runawaytrain said:
I won't go there ... All I can do is wish you the best. I'm not being sarcastic. We just differ in our opinions. The union has opened Fedex's eyes and they are making changes. The same at Conway. I just can't see you getting more with the Teamsters. Only less.This is just my opinion and I've been wrong before. I just don't think so this time.
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Brother Train, I believe you are correct that the union has opened the eyes of FedEx management. The problem is if the threat is not followed through, it becomes less of a threat. Consider how management will react the next time FedEx employees become discontented and consider joining the union (if they don't join the union at this time)? And what happens if the Teamsters/Union no longer exist or are so small the next time FedEx employees become discontented? Of course there is the posibility that FedEx employees will never again become discontented; what you think that posibility is?
 
Homesick said:
Brother Train, I believe you are correct that the union has opened the eyes of FedEx management. The problem is if the threat is not followed through, it becomes less of a threat. Consider how management will react the next time FedEx employees become discontented and consider joining the union (if they don't join the union at this time)? And what happens if the Teamsters/Union no longer exist or are so small the next time FedEx employees become discontented? Of course there is the posibility that FedEx employees will never again become discontented; what you think that posibility is?
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Have you ever considered that many blue collar workers are chronically unhappy because of emotional, psychological and substance abuse issues, as opposed to actual working condition problems?
 
silent trucker said:
Have you ever considered that many blue collar workers are chronically unhappy because of emotional, psychological and substance abuse issues, as opposed to actual working condition problems?
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Brother Trucker, your implications are absolutely correct. For middle management the pressure comes from both above and below. Upper management puts pressure on middle and lower management for greater productivity. Workers/employees put pressure to flight back and try and maintain some level of comfort. That is also a reason for a union. It puts pressure on upper management to deal with outside management for more realist productivity and efficiency levels (someone else to blame) and gives employees/workers someplace to turn when they are feeling unreasonable (for them) pressure.
 
EX396 said:
Some people put a higher price on their happiness. They've worked in a hostile, caustic, Teamster environment before and wouldn't go back there again for all the tea in China. Much less for a couple bucks an hour. They have experienced both sides and know that they are being fairly compensated and treated now. It's not about lacking ambition.
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Brother EX396, it has been my experience that the employees that feel hostile and angry in a Teamster environment are the employees who insert themselves into the politics of the union/company or the local/international dynamics.
My experience, and I can only speak from that point, is that I was much happier at ABF before I was elected as union steward.
 
]oes bar and grill, you wouldn't be confusing being "better" with having a higher compensation package would you?
 
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