From The Chairman: Peak Strategy 2014

[Dex01]

Their "strategy" this Peak is to be reactive instead of proactive...just like always. It doesn't even cross their minds that paying temps more than regular employees would piss people off. It just isn't within their reality, which is a cubicle somewhere in Memphis totally devoid of contact with what's really happening in the field (utter chaos). A Boy Scout Troop provides more leadership than our entire organization.

This (Peak) is going to be even better than I thought.

Tis the season for loosing credibility Mrfdx, which is somewhat unfortunate considering that I am largely disgusted by the lot that opposes you (with the exception of myself of course). My sources inside the company report that this peak season is very much status quo. As you have undoubtedly observed yourself, the sky is not falling, and your prediction of peak 2014 being an "abortion" is falling woefully short. Oh well, I'm sure you have many other hobbies aside from posting on BC.

 

[MrFedEx]

Tis the season for loosing credibility Mrfdx, which is somewhat unfortunate considering that I am largely disgusted by the lot that opposes you (with the exception of myself of course). My sources inside the company report that this peak season is very much status quo. As you have undoubtedly observed yourself, the sky is not falling, and your prediction of peak 2014 being an "abortion" is falling woefully short. Oh well, I'm sure you have many other hobbies aside from posting on BC.

It's a cluster where I'm at. You know, this isn't a dictatorship or a theocracy, so you're free to disagree with me all you want. This is a very dysfunctional company, and it's on it's way down the toilet. We'll see who is right.

 

[Dex01]

It's a cluster where I'm at.

If it was that bad you would have been reporting specifics ad nauseam by now. Christmas is only two weeks away, it's ok to admit you were wrong. The only guy who will make you eat crow is the one pretending to be an ops manager.

 

[hypo hanna]

If it was that bad you would have been reporting specifics ad nauseam by now. Christmas is only two weeks away, it's ok to admit you were wrong. The only guy who will make you eat crow is the one pretending to be an ops manager.

Two weeks out is IMO too early to say whether he was right or wrong.
The plan to run the operation on the 21st suggest they think they are going to get slammed again by the big shippers. (In spite of promises made.) They want to clear out the system before Monday, thebiggist ship day for express.
I don't think the lack of service to the customers bothered executive management last year. It was the inability to fully profit from the surge in volume that had them crying in their champagne.

 

[Cactus]

Tis the season for loosing credibility Mrfdx, which is somewhat unfortunate considering that I am largely disgusted by the lot that opposes you (with the exception of myself of course). My sources inside the company report that this peak season is very much status quo. As you have undoubtedly observed yourself, the sky is not falling, and your prediction of peak 2014 being an "abortion" is falling woefully short. Oh well, I'm sure you have many other hobbies aside from posting on BC.

If it was that bad you would have been reporting specifics ad nauseam by now. Christmas is only two weeks away, it's ok to admit you were wrong. The only guy who will make you eat crow is the one pretending to be an ops manager.

Are you the new Dano?

 

[MrFedEx]

If it was that bad you would have been reporting ,specifics ad nauseam by now. Christmas is only two weeks away, it's ok to admit you were wrong. The only guy who will make you eat crow is the one pretending to be an ops manager.

I can report specifics for my district, where we aren't getting everything delivered (or even close), and utilizing many temps imported from a neighboring state. As someone else astutely pointed-out, if the temps are getting paid $20 per hour, what is the contractor being paid by FedEx? This is "winning" Charlie Sheen style, as in irrational, delusional, and not cost-effective. FedEx can't even attract marginal employees any more, so the " average" courier doesn't get much work accomplished in comparison to pre-DRA employees who were competent and efficient. The temps aren't very effective either, but it's all FedEx has...a sad sack bunch of losers.

Has it completely imploded? Not yet. but there's still plenty of time. And, it's "losing", not "loosing", as in you are losing your credibility by being a stooge for FedEx.

 

[Dex01]

Are you the new Dano?

I believe the devaluation of labor is one of the three biggest mistakes this country ever made. Personally, I think there should be a federal law that grants employee's annual raises in proportion to their employer's productivity gains. I also believe that a federal retirement board should be established. The idea would be that every employer would contribute at least 5 percent of each employee's gross earings into a trust that would fund retirement benefits. You tell me Cactus, am I the new Dano?

 

[Dex01]

as in you are losing your credibility by being a stooge for FedEx.

Don't get me wrong, Fedex was not a bad job for my home town, but I HATED every second of it.

 

[Reattempt tomorrow]

I believe the devaluation of labor is one of the three biggest mistakes this country ever made. Personally, I think there should be a federal law that grants employee's annual raises in proportion to their employer's productivity gains. I also believe that a federal retirement board should be established. The idea would be that every employer would contribute at least 5 percent of each employee's gross earings into a trust that would fund retirement benefits. You tell me Cactus, am I the new Dano?

Oh good golly I'm defending fedex. They do. That's exactly what the portable pension does. Unless I'm mistaken.

 

[Dex01]

Oh good golly I'm defending fedex. They do. That's exactly what the portable pension does. Unless I'm mistaken.

Let me expound further. The reason the 401(k) system has failed is that many employees are forced to dip into their contributions due to unforeseen circumstances, which renders the program useless for its intended purpose. The same goes for the PPP, as most people leaving the company are forced to take a lump sum when they leave Fedex. A national retirement board would force both employers and employees to contribute at least five percent of gross wages, and these funds would not be available to annuitants until full retirement age. I hope this delineates the differences between my idea, and the current "retirement" benefit provided by Fedex.

 

[STFXG]

I believe the devaluation of labor is one of the three biggest mistakes this country ever made. Personally, I think there should be a federal law that grants employee's annual raises in proportion to their employer's productivity gains. I also believe that a federal retirement board should be established. The idea would be that every employer would contribute at least 5 percent of each employee's gross earings into a trust that would fund retirement benefits. You tell me Cactus, am I the new Dano?

So when a company is losing money the employees should be forced to take pay cuts that are proportional to the employer's losses?

 

[Dex01]

So when a company is losing money the employees should be forced to take pay cuts that are proportional to the employer's losses?

Productivity and profitability are not the same thing--Think before you type. By the way, can you provide an example where a company was consistently unprofitable, and the employee's compensation was not reduced? Furthermore, If I'm not mistaken, Fedex took a temporary hit after the 08' crash, made permanent benefit cuts, and then returned to record profitability, leaving the frontline employees feeling lucky if they got an annual raise 1.5 percent below the inflation adjustment. Don't question the system, everything is fine. Even though our economy is based on consumer spending, why would we need a middle class with some purchasing power? I'm sure your net worth is amazing (eye roll), and your investments shelter you from these truths.

 

[Dex01]

And, it's "losing", not "loosing", as in you are losing your credibility by being a stooge for FedEx.

It has been a busy night, and quite frankly I never read the entirety of your post, but I sincerely hope there is more to your life than correcting typos.

 

[STFXG]

Productivity and profitability are not the same thing--Think before you type.

Are you really trying to say that productivity isn't directly related to profitability? Since that was too complex of an idea I will rephrase my question. When productivity decreases should employee pay decrease? This has nothing to do with takeaways or the current "attack" on the middle class. You stated that pay increases should relate to productivity increases. Should the opposite be true as well?

 

[Dex01]

Are you really trying to say that productivity isn't directly related to profitability?

Um, no, but there is a substantial difference between correlation and causation.

Since that was too complex of an idea...

For whom, exactly?

Should the opposite be true as well?

Short answer no, but it is somewhat of a moot point considering a company that is failing due to issues directly relating to worker productivity would not remain in existence for very long. There are several other reasons for this answer, but the weekend is fully upon us, and time really is the most precious commodity on the face of the earth. Before I go, here's a bit of historical background for you (figures and dates are approximate). Between 1973 - 2004 worker productivity went up by around 86 percent. If i'm not mistaken, and I rarely am, US workers participated in approximately 4 percent of those gains. Within that historical context, do you really think your question is relevant?

 

[MrFedEx]

Don't get me wrong, Fedex was not a bad job for my home town, but I HATED every second of it.

There you go...you no longer work here. I don't know when you left, but things have degraded substantially in the last year. In other words, you are like member TUT, an outsider looking-in, but one with the perspective of actually having been an Express employee.

Last year was abysmal, and in many ways, this year is just as bad. no, we have not seen the piles of rotting packages yet that are a week late, but that didn't happen until closer to Christmas last year either.

The level of dysfunction at Express is rather extreme, and I don't really see things going smoothly because it's already pretty effed-up.

 

[59 Dano]

Let me expound further. The reason the 401(k) system has failed is that many employees are forced to dip into their contributions due to unforeseen circumstances, which renders the program useless for its intended purpose. The same goes for the PPP, as most people leaving the company are forced to take a lump sum when they leave Fedex. A national retirement board would force both employers and employees to contribute at least five percent of gross wages, and these funds would not be available to annuitants until full retirement age.

I agree! How about we call it the Social Security Administration?

 

[Dex01]

I agree! How about we call it the Social Security Administration?

This board would supplant the failed 401(k) system.

 

[59 Dano]

Before I go, here's a bit of historical background for you (figures and dates are approximate). Between 1973 - 2004 worker productivity went up by around 86 percent. If i'm not mistaken, and I rarely am, US workers participated in approximately 4 percent of those gains.

Yet our standard of living increased exponentially in that same time span. For example, NASA's computers --combined-- cost millions upon millions of dollars and probably didn't have more than 3 MB of memory. An iPhone has a ridiculously higher level of computing power than NASA's computer array had back then, and it lists for six or seven hundred bucks retail. And it works as a phone, too.

A 1973 23" color console TV that got a half dozen channels? $350 and up. Adjusted for inflation, $1800+. Best Buy has a 48" HD LED set that has more features that I'll ever use for $350.

The increase in our purchasing power is not represented in the 4% figure. The 2 examples I gave are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[59 Dano]

This board would supplant the failed 401(k) system.

A government board to administer a duplicate retirement program to supplant a "failed" retirement system created by the government that supplements an existing duplicated failing government-administered retirement program.

Sounds like a winner.