I've had the same MD for years (2 stints, in 2 different districts). When he visited us last summer he talked about the cuts the company was planning on this year. He gave a brief synopsis of every slowdown FedEx has gone through since he had been with the company and how it had been handled. He basically tried to tell everyone there would be a hiring freeze, no one would be let go, etc. I talked with him 1-on-1 afterwards and said I appreciated him being honest with everyone but pointed out that the unsaid part was that losing people due to lack of hours was part of the equation. He just nodded in agreement.
What's been noticeable since then is that our station hasn't filled a single opening with a permanent position. They've been hiring casuals even though we're understaffed. It's just part of the plan to right-size the operation in relation to volume. So now we see who is willing to stick around for minimum hours and who decides it's time to find another job.