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FedEx Freight | Who's Buying Watkins this week????

CEO4MOM... why can the watkins boys not respond??... makes them look bad?? from what I hear they responded when the UPS talks happened a few years ago.. legally the only way they can not respond is that if there are merits to the rumors, that falls under insider info/ SEC. If they are baseless the company is free to state that is the case. Yes customers and employees are worried (myself included)...... why let that happen?
 
ceo4mom said:
The Watkins family has too much CLASS to respond to this kind of assault because it only makes them look bad in the process but I really wish they could.
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The Watkins family may very well have alot of class......however, that isn't the reason for their silence and it's just spin to suggest that. They can't respond if it's true that the deal is being discussed. That's the only reason for their silence.
 
trust me when i say this watkins will not be sold on 6-1 and then maybe we can work rumor free trust me when i say this
rumors sux
 
ceo4mom said:
** I have also started a thread on the Ledger Forum that includes portions of this post for anyone who is interested ***

Of all the articles I have read in the Ledger over the years, the one written by Jane Roberts for the Sunday, May 21st edition is by far the worst.

Couple that with the fact that the Ledger Editor's selected an unconfirmed RUMOR to be on the front page and be represented as a fact "FedEx Corp. is buying Lakeland-based Watkins Motor Lines " is particularly disturbing.

There are many people in Lakeland that depend on Watkins as a source of income and will be greatly unnerved over this potentially libelous article.

The LTL Trucking Business is a very competitive one and for for an article like this to be published and ditributed NATIONWIDE WILL cause some people to leave their jobs or at the very least be concerned for their future.

Customers will be lost in some cases due to an action like this one.

This means LOST REVENUE that cannot be recovered.

The Watkins family has too much CLASS to respond to this kind of assault because it only makes them look bad in the process but I really wish they could.

Watkins is a great Company and has served the Community well over the years.

Even if the Rumor eventually shows some basis in fact, there is still no reason to stir things up before something happens.

No need to sensationalize a RUMOR just to try and sell papers.

Come on Ledger Editors... As the article said, they received NO CONFIRMATION of this RUMOR so how do you then publish this as a fact??

PS : My money is on NO FEDEX Buyout!!
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When FedEx announces the merger with Watkins, just don't go off the deep end. It will not be a bad thing. Your opinion of the news people is over-reaction. The only people who seem to still think it is only a rumor are few. Don't quit your job. It will probably get better in the long run. Most people, including myself, are somewhat afraid of change. When FedEx bought AF, we did not have the benefit of a year long rumor to prepare us for the news. Consider yourselves lucky that you have had this much preperation for the merger. They will call it a merger, it sounds kinder than " buyout". Watkins will explain to you how the current industry trends are so fiercly competitive and the merger with FedEx is in the best interest of all Watkins associates. They will make you understand how FedEx can provide you and your family a more stable and secure future. They will explain how we, as Purple Team members can create an atmosphere of success where we all compete colectively while operating independantly and in the future, we will prevail as the top transportation company in the world. Watkins will make you understand that if they did not merge with FedEx, they would have been short-changing you and your family.
 
Too bad this isn`t a gambling site I would have to take you up on that bet bignrich.

:deal:
But what do I know your located in the Heart of the Company and I am far away.:drama:
 
bignrich said:
:chairshot: fed ex is never going to own watkins well never say never but not in this decade 10-4
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Man this guy is a genius,reckon he knows Ms.cleo.He sounds bitter about something.bignrich,lets just say this deal goes through,Will you come back and give up your membership card to"Nostradomas fan club".:duh: I know people that said the same thing about American Freightway and look what happen.We will all know on june 1.
 
Right Turn Clyde said:
Too bad this isn`t a gambling site I would have to take you up on that bet bignrich.

:deal:
But what do I know your located in the Heart of the Company and I am far away.:drama:
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Funny man you are!!
PHYSIC!!!!!!!!!!
 
This is for RATTLESNAKE..

Nice way to start your conversation.. "don't go off the deep end".

I didn't deserve that!

I am simply pointing out facts! Not Rumors!

If I decide to go off the deep-end as you say, it will be my choice and not yours.

Do I sound negative??

If so then I obviously reached my goal.

I am over the edge with the moronic media and you sisified defenders of their right to lie or conjecture in order to provoke someone into saying or doing something.

Grab some wood bub and watch the real world go by.

If they took 1 Billion for Watkins right now, they would be short changing themselves.

They could get more by IPOing and allowing the Employee's to participate.

That would be in our best interest.

Maybe that is what all the hush hush is about.
 
If nothing is happening and all this rumoring and mud slinging is all just that, why hasn't either company dispelled these rumors. The moral high ground, of being to good to dispell this, is harmful to the people that may or may not be involved. The Watkins family have built a solid company with many long time employees that have stood by them and through other rumors and slow times. If they are not selling Put it on the front page. Get this over with and move on like before. Waiting to the first of June tells me there a big move about to happen. I will assume that WML and the rest of WAI will be effected.
 
Ceo4mom, think about the investment that Fedex is getting for Watkins. First the only way you can get into Canada is to buy the rights that someone already owns you move into Mexico virtually the same way. Fedex does not have a truck load division or teams of their own.

Guess what Watkins has all of this, the money is worth it. Finally the company is very similar to Viking and American Freightways a great fit with the existing philosophy of both of those companies that brought to Fedex.

It is a win win for both companies
 
ceo4mom said:
This is for RATTLESNAKE..

Nice way to start your conversation.. "don't go off the deep end".

I didn't deserve that!

I am simply pointing out facts! Not Rumors!

If I decide to go off the deep-end as you say, it will be my choice and not yours.

Do I sound negative??

If so then I obviously reached my goal.

I am over the edge with the moronic media and you sisified defenders of their right to lie or conjecture in order to provoke someone into saying or doing something.

Grab some wood bub and watch the real world go by.

If they took 1 Billion for Watkins right now, they would be short changing themselves.

They could get more by IPOing and allowing the Employee's to participate.

That would be in our best interest.

Maybe that is what all the hush hush is about.
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I have no desire to offend you. If I did with the "deep end" comment, I apoligize... I simply am trying to say do not be upset. IF this rumor is true, all you can do is make the best of it. I have been in same position as you when AF was bought by FedEx... Many people at FedEx is talking about the similarities. AF swore to us that we would NEVER be sold, right up to the last minute when Paul Harvey told us that we had been sold. In the long run, we are much better off as a company now.There has been many speculations about this merger. I feel it will be very positive for all involved if it happens.
 
Damn near 300 post and viewed pretty near 15,000 times:hypnotized: .Kind of quiet,ya know what I mean.:Poke: I wanna wake up latter and see some good scoop!:stretch:
 
Hopefully its a win/win situation, but

We shall wait and see. I come from this at a slightly different perspective, being that im in operations management. I hope that people we all have a choice and that in the purchase/selling, people are somewhat protected. From what I gather and from what i heave heard, The Watkins family cares about its name and its people. I have only been with Watkins for a few months and i do believe the enviornment is good, very good and that is has been formed from the top down. I couldnt speak of that while working for CCX or USF HOLLAND.
When FEDEX officially does buy Watkins, one thing is going to be left in my mind .....what is DHL or more importantly, UPS going to do next? Overnite isnt proving to be such a great purchase for the mighty arrogant giant (UPS), so are they going to make another move? Secondly, is DHL going to get its feet wet in the freight business?



Those are the questions I am left with.
 
bigwavemilw said:
We shall wait and see. I come from this at a slightly different perspective, being that im in operations management. I hope that people we all have a choice and that in the purchase/selling, people are somewhat protected. From what I gather and from what i heave heard, The Watkins family cares about its name and its people. I have only been with Watkins for a few months and i do believe the enviornment is good, very good and that is has been formed from the top down. I couldnt speak of that while working for CCX or USF HOLLAND.
When FEDEX officially does buy Watkins, one thing is going to be left in my mind .....what is DHL or more importantly, UPS going to do next? Overnite isnt proving to be such a great purchase for the mighty arrogant giant (UPS), so are they going to make another move? Secondly, is DHL going to get its feet wet in the freight business?



Those are the questions I am left with.
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I believe that you are right; DHL will be the next to get their feet wet into the freight market.

I see UPS doing something to improve overnight, whether it is purchasing another freight company to enhance UPS freight or to make some drastic changes in management and operations of the company either way they have to do something to improve UPS freight.

DHL I am sure is in the market but with only a couple of major nationwide carriers the options are limited , but in the end my predictions are that it will get down to three major companies hauling all of the freight . UPS FEDEX and lastly DHL there will be smaller niche market carriers but the bulk will be handled by these three.
 
We hope we will all be protected. But you have to understand this is the 21st century.
And company's don't care about there people anymore all we are is a number. Enough said!!!
 
Gator said:
We hope we will all be protected. But you have to understand this is the 21st century.
And company's don't care about there people anymore all we are is a number. Enough said!!!
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You may be right gator but think about this. If you keep at least the majority of your employees happy with safe and good equipment, competitive wages and benefits you retain and receive some loyalty from your employees.

We see the loyalty of the Watkins employees now and this was the mentality of the Viking and American Freightways employees. When you treat the employees well the return is a better product and loyalty to the company. I am sure in the end we are all numbers, that is the way businesses are run large and small but just maybe some of the small business mentality is left in some large companies.
 
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