Fergus Mahoney
Well-Known Member
My station had a hiring blitz yesterday. Nobody came. 
Labor shortage concern at Fedex
- Thread starter NC man
- Start date
robdabanks
Well-Known Member
Our Unload handlers are getting over 20 an hr, plus 2 hr for surge pay (whatever that is) and close to if not over 50 hrs a week. FedEx still can’t hire enough people for to fill the void.
Cactus
Just telling it like it is
Classify all you want Mr. Sewer.
In the meantime, I’ll just enjoy my monthly pension while you’re still working, the truth be told.
rod
Retired 23 years
I remember the days when we would have 500-600 people applying for one job at our 25 man center. People would take the day off their regular job to apply with us---and then run into their supervisor who was doing the same thing. UPS was probably the most desirable job in my little townMy station had a hiring blitz yesterday. Nobody came.
Our mgr had 4 interviews, two didn’t show up, one failed drug test. Right now if you show up You are hiredMy station had a hiring blitz yesterday. Nobody came.
59 Dano
I just want to make friends!
The hub has been paying $20 per hour (if not more), plus OT, and still couldn't get enough traction to make much of a difference.
falcon back
Well-Known Member
So you are having to survive on a pension? That can't be much. I retired a while back and am letting that pension grow by 10% a year before I touch it. Can't get that guaranteed return anywhere else..
Fred's Myth
Nonhyphenated American
or get off the pot.DeliveryException
Well-Known Member
So what's the uptake of that information? Are you saying they should pay more than $20+? Or are you saying pay them minimum wage again because we can't get people even at 20+ anyway so why offer? Or is it in the middle somewhere? I don't know personally but I am not sure new handlers should make more than I do at 14yrs as a courier but that probably says more about courier pay than handler pay.
Basement Dweller
Active Member
Indy HUB is paying $20 an hour. Just nights and sunrise. Day shift gets absolutely nothing. No one wants to come. The ones that do, only stay a week or less because of rigorous working conditions. It's not just about pay, you can make 1 dollar less an hour and work in a climate controlled building lifting things no more than 5 pounds. Here at Fedex expect roasting during the summer, freezing in the winter lifting 75+ pounds of freight for 10-12 hours straight. For a company whose primary work force is straight-out-of-high school college kids who want a little money while they go to school, it is not sustainable. They no longer want to cycle through a bunch of young people who work for a few months then move on, they want loyal worker bees that are willing to accept part time benefits while working 50+ hours a week.
The temp agency that brings in hundreds of workers pays them $25 an hour. Roughly 30-40% of all employees are temps now. It's ridiculous. Every day brings hundreds of boxes sitting on the floor from last shift because people just can't work 14 hours a day. It's a miracle that Fedex can make profit from thousands of packages 1-2 days late. Just today I'm handling freight that was suppose to be delivered on the 6th.
Cactus
Just telling it like it is
Never said that. Quit drawing conclusions because you’re not very good at it.
Serf
Well-Known Member
In addition to it being difficult to hire, it’s especially difficult to hire and retain folks who are actually good at the job. For people who make the choice to perform this kind of tough work, they need to be well compensated for it. (Think UPS) otherwise how could turnover and low quality employees not be the norm?
falcon back
Well-Known Member
I have 2 neighbors that work at UPS. They told me they are short preloaders and just about every other type handler workers. If making $20 to start won't hire decent workers, I believe it is more of a work ethic problem than a pay problem.
The company doesn’t think their pay is low. I’ve talked to compensation about it. They preceded to show me all my .35 cent raises, and how much I’ve gone up over the years like it was a lot lol. They told me I’m paid competively. A simple indeed search would show them I make starting pay for CDL drivers elsewhere. The problem will NEVER be solved because FedEx honestly doesn’t think they’re part of it. They have a hundred reasons for turnover and none of them involve Fedex. They don’t want to top out employees in under 20 years. Just the way it is. I do agree things will get worse. And I don’t think they’ll figure it out before it’s too late. Dano is right, the hubs are paying more now. But this isn’t a permanent change. That pay IS GOING TO GO BACK TO WHAT IT WAS once they’re decently staffed. So how attractive is $20/hr to do the work of 5 people, just to have your pay cut once they get those 5 people lol. The company thinks this is people sitting at home on unemployment. When in reality it’s just that no one wants to work here anymore.
falcon back
Well-Known Member
Quit being a pussie. Didn't they tell you the boxes were heavy when they hired you? Welcome to manual labor and working in the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter, Suck it up buttercup. Most of us did it and we survived,
Who says it guaranteed? What is the name of the party willing to accept the potential losses in play in order to guarantee those returns?
Basement Dweller
Active Member
10 years ago you were paid top dollar for a basic out of high school job ($13 an hour when most places were min wage). The work was absolutely worth it. Not so much anymore. For people who just care about wages, would you pick groceries in a controlled environment or sweat/freeze away while breaking your back for the same pay? Before Covid bailed Fedex, shift weren't longer than 4-6 hours unless you load planes, so part time gigs were comfortable to most people. Now it's 10-12 hours for everyone as several late flights land one hour late.
That is never going to happen, proper staffing that is. My Senior Manager said people are lining up to work because unemployment benefits ended for the state. Before that he said people are lining up to work because mask mandates ended. Instead the opposite is happening, as long time employees are dropping out and their positions are not getting filled by actual employees but temps some of which just have a work visa and just thankful to have any job. Turnover is never going to go down until freight goes down, but the push for more volume coensides with stock price, any time it drops below $300 results in a 30% volume increase for that day.
falcon back
Well-Known Member
PBGC
Taking this site seriously for once is appreciated. The PBGC on the other hand is a federally commissioned entity. The problem with it though is that when it has to step in and take over a defaulted and insolvent pension plan the monthly benefit is generally only about 60% of what the retiree was projected to receive. A lot of retired airline retirees discovered this bitter truth when the airlines filed for bankruptcy .
Be that as it may again taking this site seriously is appreciated and therefore the serious content you provide will be inclined to be taken more seriously.
Our MD when they were in made mention that FDX is going to find out here pretty quick whether the hiring issue is with people staying home and getting paid or if it is something bigger.
Lots of couriers complaining about pay in this area. Many drivers think that they company plan is becoming the ground model, where drivers stay a few years then leave when they figure out it is not a career. Courier training is what 2 days? One day on the computer and one day of defensive driving? Your little handheld device tells you exactly what to do and how to do it. They can hire about any fool off the street to follow the directions of a handheld device. Get hired on and work a few years until you figure out the pay progression is moving at a snails pace. Quit. Company hires another low pay worker for a few years until the light bulb in their head comes on and they leave. FDX continues with this rinse and repeat formula. Company owes the worker nothing when they leave. No more pension to pay out. Cheap crappy benefits when the employee is here which the company pays very little for.
Legacy employees are the dinosaurs. Cheap labor that sticks around for a few years and then leaves is what the company is after now. Job knowledge is a thing of the past. No reason to pay for that when a cheap handheld device will do all the thinking and routing for the driver.
Lots of couriers complaining about pay in this area. Many drivers think that they company plan is becoming the ground model, where drivers stay a few years then leave when they figure out it is not a career. Courier training is what 2 days? One day on the computer and one day of defensive driving? Your little handheld device tells you exactly what to do and how to do it. They can hire about any fool off the street to follow the directions of a handheld device. Get hired on and work a few years until you figure out the pay progression is moving at a snails pace. Quit. Company hires another low pay worker for a few years until the light bulb in their head comes on and they leave. FDX continues with this rinse and repeat formula. Company owes the worker nothing when they leave. No more pension to pay out. Cheap crappy benefits when the employee is here which the company pays very little for.
Legacy employees are the dinosaurs. Cheap labor that sticks around for a few years and then leaves is what the company is after now. Job knowledge is a thing of the past. No reason to pay for that when a cheap handheld device will do all the thinking and routing for the driver.
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