XPO | Using Subcontractors While Employees Are Being Laid Off

[Hollywoodz]

Funny about trying to make people go faster 3 weeks ago I was hit by a forklift on our dock as was looking for a piece of of freight to load in a trailer. On lite duty now while they do all their tests. Knee injury hip injury head trauma. My back still aches everyday headaches I will find out this week what is wrong

Ouch! Hope you're OK. Fell better soon.

 

[GO40]

Funny about trying to make people go faster 3 weeks ago I was hit by a forklift on our dock as was looking for a piece of of freight to load in a trailer. On lite duty now while they do all their tests. Knee injury hip injury head trauma. My back still aches everyday headaches I will find out this week what is wrong

That sucks I hope you feel better, my Tm is more concerned about people going to there vehicles to get their stuff out to put in the tractor & making sure you change your job description on the swipe card then actually going out & making sales calls. We are slow like everyone else & the only time he leaves is to eat....sad

 

[Fly-by-night]

Contributions are made by the company on your behalf that will result in a defined benefit to you and your family when you retire.

You hope the company stays in business, or they don't cut what they are paying in.

The ups and downs of the stock market and recessions have no effect on the benefit you receive

Really please tell the guy that are getting their reduction in there benefit. Like this former UPS driver: https://money.cnn.com/2018/05/07/retirement/pension-fund-cuts-teamsters/index.html

A 401K is a defined contribution plan. You make contributions every week and the company will match a portion of your contribution. I think XPO is at a 3% match right now. However, your benefit is not defined and is tied to stock market performance.

Yes that is true, but were do you think the mangers of these pension fund put your money. Do you think they just put it in a shoe box waiting for you to retire?
Most pension that have applied for or have given cuts to pay all blame it on the recession and less being paid into them. Here's a report that was done back in 2017 that list some of the underfunded plans: https://cheiron.us/cheironHome/criticalPlans.do

 

[Fly-by-night]

What pension fund are you referring to?

You do know there’s a bunch of risk with 401k’s also

Besides nobody is going into a troubled multi employer plan at Xpo so thats not a worry

Are you saying that there is no risk with a pension????

 

[XCCX]

Are you saying that there is no risk with a pension????

Nope, didn’t say that. Pensions are managed by fund managers and have some guarantees through PBGC.
401k’s have mangers for funds also but no guaranties on your poor selection and timing of the market. Most people know nothing about choosing the right investments

 

[Fly-by-night]

LOL. I faced them 8 years ago on a dropped trailer. I didn't know it at the time, but the driver who used the tractor every day had issues hooking up. He had to hit it 3 or 4 times before the jaws closed around the pin. He was off that day and I got the tractor. I had the same experience as he did, but when it finally caught, I tugged and it seemed fine. I went under to look again and the jaws were closed. As I left the gate, the trailer came loose and hit the ground. I cranked it back up and got underneath it and turned back into the yard. My supervisor told me to go ahead with my route as I finally got it hooked correctly. I refused and put the tractor out of service. Later that week, a vendor came and replaced the spring kit. I appealed and before I had my SRB, I sent ahead several items I found on line that showed a defective 5th wheel could separate even miles down the road. I included the receipt from the vendor who replaced the spring kit. After several ridiculous questions from the 3 "drivers", I closed by saying that I could not have known the spring mechanism was defective but since they found it defective and replaced it, it should be clear that this was NOT preventable. The safety manager said that they knew about the spring kit replacement AND...it doesn't matter. 3 days later, preventable. Thank you! Woof.

Well it sounds like you had a Simplex fifthwheel. Simplex uses a spring to help hold it locked and is hidden under a cover plate under the the fifthwheel while other fifthwheel just use the springs to close them. I don't think they make that design any more. It just to bad they are still around in this company though they are slowly replacing them with Hollands.
Here what I see.
1. You co-worker F##ked you. It should have been put O/S and looked at. I see this alot, they don't know any better or they just don't want their assigned truck O/S and have to drive something else
2. No one should have to hit the pin 3 or 4 times to get it to lock. Never!!!! and if you do there is a problem like adj. to tight, a part broken, or it frozen but you should have that problem in Florida.
3. The 3 driver that asked you stupid question are just as stupider as the question they asked.
The only reason they gave you a preventable was because you told them it took you 3 or 4 times for it to lock.

 

[Fly-by-night]

Pensions are managed by fund managers and have some guarantees through PBGC.

True. In a pension plan an employee has no say in were the money is invested. Remember a few years ago the Teacher union found out that they had alot of money invested into the gun manufacturers. So do these employees know were their money is invested?

401k’s have mangers for funds also but no guaranties on your poor selection and timing of the market. Most people know nothing about choosing the right investments

401K's don't have mangers. Each Mutual fund has it own manger. T. Rowe Price just manages the account for the company and it's employees. Retirement saving is long term investing that's why even those with pensions need to hire a financial advisor that is a fiduciary and a teacher. Never just relay on what a pension is promising to pay you for you retirement if you plan on it not being there life in retirement will be alot easier if it's still there.

 

[highspeeds]

We all see it. The garbage we are hiring shouldn't even be behind the wheel. Of course they are looking to replace us. Eliminate us. Duh.

 

[Serene Gene]

Of course they are looking to replace us. Eliminate us. Duh.

If that were true, wouldn't it be happening everywhere? Because it isn't. Don't forget how small of a slice of XPO is represented here and on the internet in general.

 

[highspeeds]

If that were true, wouldn't it be happening everywhere? Because it isn't. Don't forget how small of a slice of XPO is represented here and on the internet in general.

It's happening more and more from what we hear. And that trend is something many fear. Not that it matters. The future is only tomorrow away. We will see it when it gets here.

 

[icuicp]

If that were true, wouldn't it be happening everywhere? Because it isn't. Don't forget how small of a slice of XPO is represented here and on the internet in general.

You may be right. But the average employee ( drivers , dockworkers , FOS's , etc..) have very little communication as to what the state of the company is.

Either everyone is not as resourceful as you or they simply don't have access to the same information and people you have available to you.

The eyeball test has shown that drivers are not being replaced by drivers but by dockworkers. And when a dockworker is hired they tend to be part time. XPO really wants to get drivers off of the dock but they put little to no effort into figuring out the best way to do this.

 

[dalesr]

You may be right. But the average employee ( drivers , dockworkers , FOS's , etc..) have very little communication as to what the state of the company is.

Either everyone is not as resourceful as you or they simply don't have access to the same information and people you have available to you.

The eyeball test has shown that drivers are not being replaced by drivers but by dockworkers. And when a dockworker is hired they tend to be part time. XPO really wants to get drivers off of the dock but they put little to no effort into figuring out the best way to do this.

With a few exceptions, we have no drivers on the dock for inbound or outbound anymore. FAC only. Even when they are slammed, dockworkers only. I text my FOS to find out what time he wants me to come in for my pm linehaul run. It’s a fine line of get here to dispatch on time, but not before your loads are ready. I won’t sit in the break room for free though and he knows it. I will punch outbound dock or have a long hook if I have to.

 

[Fly-by-night]

The eyeball test has shown that drivers are not being replaced by drivers but by dockworkers. And when a dockworker is hired they tend to be part time. XPO really wants to get drivers off of the dock but they put little to no effort into figuring out the best way to do this.

So why should the company pay a driver at drivers rate to work the dock for 8hrs. As to whats been going on for years at my barn. I work at a non FAC barn and to my knowledge were have a total of 3 full time am and 4 full time pm dock guys. PM has a few part time guys too. The 3 inbound guy are running circle around the drivers in the morning. So yes it is a cost saving thing but it is also, at my place, lazy drivers that help bring this on. Start time getting push back next year and the mop is out full time wiping up the tears. Also hearing the "if I don't get a early time I'm not staying". Well if they need help finding the door I sure someone will show them. Action speaks louder then words

 

[BabyJ5525]

With a few exceptions, we have no drivers on the dock for inbound or outbound anymore. FAC only. Even when they are slammed, dockworkers only. I text my FOS to find out what time he wants me to come in for my pm linehaul run. It’s a fine line of get here to dispatch on time, but not before your loads are ready. I won’t sit in the break room for free though and he knows it. I will punch outbound dock or have a long hook if I have to.

No one should have to come in for a bid linehaul start time and not get paid because the load isn’t ready . I would punch and work outbound til load is ready or sit in break room would be even better on the clock . This company needs to catch up with the other carriers and not have linehaul guys working the dock at breakbulk terminals . Anything over 500 miles linehaul shouldn’t be forced to work the dock . I believe we are the only large LTL carrier still doing it

 

[Hollywoodz]

If that were true, wouldn't it be happening everywhere? Because it isn't. Don't forget how small of a slice of XPO is represented here and on the internet in general.

This is death by a thousand cuts. You don't even notice the first hundred. Then, someone says, they aren't doing it to every one. Or, they'll stop soon enough. The next two hundred begin to cause pain, but that same some one says, If you don't like it, go somewhere else. Or, it's only a little bit of pain, it's part of your job. By the time they hit 500 cuts, you are now too weak to respond and they'll continue with or without your approval. The final step is using IC's and leaving you home. Then, the layoffs begin and you are forced to leave because you need a paycheck. Finally, we have the Ceva model. It's what an asset light company like XPO intended all along. Independent owner operators running what used to be your freight and cashing what used to be your paycheck. The only thing that stops them in Europe is the union. That's the only thing that can stop them here. If it wasn't for the threat of unionization, they would have put this plan into motion years ago. Now that they have their decert in Laredo, I assure you that they are planning another, although I can't say where. Contract talks will grind to a snail's pace in anticipation of their next step.

If you let a company this massive implement this model, EVERY LTL company will have to follow suit or they will be unable to compete with XPO's rates. Drivers will still make money, but you can forget about health insurance, pensions, IRA contributions, vacations and so much more.

 

[dalesr]

No one should have to come in for a bid linehaul start time and not get paid because the load isn’t ready . I would punch and work outbound til load is ready or sit in break room would be even better on the clock . This company needs to catch up with the other carriers and not have linehaul guys working the dock at breakbulk terminals . Anything over 500 miles linehaul shouldn’t be forced to work the dock . I believe we are the only large LTL carrier still doing it

We don’t have any long runs so we count on 3-5 hours on the dock. If not, I’d be working 6 hours a night. I agree about the longer runs though.

 

[Fly-by-night]

We don’t have any long runs so we count on 3-5 hours on the dock. If not, I’d be working 6 hours a night. I agree about the longer runs though.

I have on slow nights went to the FAC and made it back before I had to take a 30min break. I in the same boat I don't mind 3-5hr dock time. I run a short run so if I don't get a via or dock time I'll work about 6-7hrs a night

 

[BabyJ5525]

I have on slow nights went to the FAC and made it back before I had to take a 30min break. I in the same boat I don't mind 3-5hr dock time. I run a short run so if I don't get a via or dock time I'll work about 6-7hrs a night

From what I am told FEDEX linehaul the drivers going more then 475-500 miles don’t work the dock but get paid hourly while waiting for the loads . I believe OD , Estes and Saia do this as well . Of course the union guys don’t work the dock regardless of miles ran . Just kick back and get hourly while waiting on loads .

 

[Crumudgeon]

From what I am told FEDEX linehaul the drivers going more then 475-500 miles don’t work the dock but get paid hourly while waiting for the loads . I believe OD , Estes and Saia do this as well . Of course the union guys don’t work the dock regardless of miles ran . Just kick back and get hourly while waiting on loads .

That is not true, we have hub runs that require dock work. Also if your trailers aren't ready you have the option to sit off the clock, do hook-ups, or help on the dock.

 

[Serene Gene]

The eyeball test has shown that drivers are not being replaced by drivers but by dockworkers. And when a dockworker is hired they tend to be part time. XPO really wants to get drivers off of the dock but they put little to no effort into figuring out the best way to do this.

So yes it is a cost saving thing but it is also, at my place, lazy drivers that help bring this on. Start time getting push back next year and the mop is out full time wiping up the tears.

At our barn many drivers despise working the dock, but still want all the hours. So they complain when they hire dock help, and complain when they have dock help. I don't know what people think the company is supposed to do.

I like the help, personally. I take the short days when I get them and tolerate the long days when I have to.