" The Times They Are A Changing"

[bbsam]

Middle TN

I don’t know what to tell you. When 1400 contractors sign letters of concern, contractors can’t sell because their businesses have been devalued, and the company can’t give contracts away, you’d think the problem was obvious.

“Well, they’re getting packages picked up and delivered, aren’t they?” Yes. And paying other contractors extremely high rates to do it. That’s their solution rather than having decent contracts to begin with.

It’s not hard to check any of this. Routes are listed for sale all over the place. Ground failures in Madison and Milwaukee shouldn’t be hard for anyone in FedEx to confirm. Rockford Illinois as well. But it’s not only in the Midwest.

The company wants a different kind of contractor and it will be a mess as it transitions to that version of the model if it can. It’s disappointing. And I don’t think I’ve been anti-FedEx on this site in the slightest. Nor do I think they are evil because I’ll soon be separating from them. It’s a business decision. They are a bad investment in my opinion and I don’t have much faith in the new leadership or in the mystery vision for the company that they seem to be chasing.

 

[bacha29]

I don’t know what to tell you. When 1400 contractors sign letters of concern, contractors can’t sell because their businesses have been devalued, and the company can’t give contracts away, you’d think the problem was obvious.

“Well, they’re getting packages picked up and delivered, aren’t they?” Yes. And paying other contractors extremely high rates to do it. That’s their solution rather than having decent contracts to begin with.

It’s not hard to check any of this. Routes are listed for sale all over the place. Ground failures in Madison and Milwaukee shouldn’t be hard for anyone in FedEx to confirm. Rockford Illinois as well. But it’s not only in the Midwest.

The company wants a different kind of contractor and it will be a mess as it transitions to that version of the model if it can. It’s disappointing. And I don’t think I’ve been anti-FedEx on this site in the slightest. Nor do I think they are evil because I’ll soon be separating from them. It’s a business decision. They are a bad investment in my opinion and I don’t have much faith in the new leadership or in the mystery vision for the company that they seem to be chasing.

Again, they're trying to make Ground do tasks it was never designed for. And in their efforts to try to make it do all things for all people and all markets they're going to end up killing the damn thing.

 

[MAKAVELI]

Again, they're trying to make Ground do tasks it was never designed for. And in their efforts to try to make it do all things for all people and all markets they're going to end up killing the damn thing.

For all those who believe FedEx will simply make Express a contractor model, read this thread. It ain't happening..

 

[Mutineer]

The company wants a different kind of contractor

Management types (in any occupation) are the most petty, sadistic people I have ever known. FedEx Ground wants complacent, skittery, fearful, groveling weenies.

With sufficient beatings, it is possible to work a horse until it drops dead from exhaustion.

The same cannot be said of donkeys and mules. They will simply stop and not budge. They will sometimes fight back.

FedEx Ground wants horses.

 

[Questions Needed Answered]

Management types (in any occupation) are the most petty, sadistic people I have ever known. FedEx Ground wants complacent, skittery, fearful, groveling weenies.

With sufficient beatings, it is possible to work a horse until it drops dead from exhaustion.

The same cannot be said of donkeys and mules. They will simply stop and not budge. They will sometimes fight back.

FedEx Ground wants horses.

I was a horse for a couple of decades for a different delivery service. I look back at some of the things I did then and it's night and day difference; most of it would get someone fired now ... you know since "safety" is such an issue (yes, that was sarcasm). I then reread Animal Farm and remembered Boxer saying over and over again "I will work harder." Spoiler alert, in the end Boxer was sent to the glue factory while the pigs drank to his demise. I can't say that I'm a mule or a donkey, but I'm damned sure not a thoroughbred any longer.

 

[thedownhillEXPRESS]

Management types (in any occupation) are the most petty, sadistic people I have ever known. FedEx Ground wants complacent, skittery, fearful, groveling weenies.

With sufficient beatings, it is possible to work a horse until it drops dead from exhaustion.

The same cannot be said of donkeys and mules. They will simply stop and not budge. They will sometimes fight back.

FedEx Ground wants horses.

They may want horses, but FedEx Ground sure looks like a bunch of Jackasses to me

 

[10-27]

Why isn't the same bad stuff happening in this area?

Judging by your responses on most matters, it appears you're a little slow mentally speaking.

 

[Cactus]

Management types (in any occupation) are the most petty, sadistic people I have ever known. FedEx Ground wants horses.

They sure treat people like a team of race horses.

Ground and Express.

 

[vantexan]

FedEx went from a perennial top 5 on Forbes top 100 companies to work for list to 100th place on the latest one. Reading these threads makes me think the company is sinking. Couldn't happen to nicer people. Just wish the frontline employees didn't have to suffer with them.

 

[floridays]

Not for long. Out by July 1.

You're still there, right?

Not for long. Out by July 1.

Did the guy (@59 Dano) ever respond after your answer, to maybe ask why?

I'm just curious.

 

[floridays]

I think I'll wear my cycling clothes one day and see how it goes.

But seriously, no one should be surprised by this. Turnover is so high, what is the point of providing employees with full uniforms only to have them quit in a month.

Free advertisement when they give the uniforms to the panhandlers on the corner?

 

[floridays]

Officially yes. But everything coming down for the last six months has been completely different. The new regime is hitting the ground running.

No pun intended?

 

[floridays]

a group of “yes men” executives are convinced that they’re the smartest jags in the room and all their underlings start spouting their gaslighting talking points.

Not that he is an executive, don't get me wrong.
We can coin "yes men" as a @59 Dano, henceforth?

 

[bbsam]

Did the guy (@59 Dano) ever respond after your answer, to maybe ask why?

I'm just curious.

He didn’t and I found that odd as well.

 

[bbsam]

No pun intended?

 

[floridays]

He didn’t and I found that odd as well.

I'm glad I wasn't the only person that noted that.

 

[59 Dano]

I don’t know what to tell you. When 1400 contractors sign letters of concern, contractors can’t sell because their businesses have been devalued, and the company can’t give contracts away, you’d think the problem was obvious.

My information is from and about this general area, but what I've heard is that this area isn't having that kind of problem. At least not on any significant scale. It's a bigger issue among some of the smaller contractors. Some say it's an issue with FedEx, some say it's a problem with the labor market, some say it's an issue with the general business climate post-COVID. There are between 5000 and 6000 contractors, so about a quarter of them are concerned.

The company wants a different kind of contractor and it will be a mess as it transitions to that version of the model if it can. It’s disappointing.

The general trend seems to be toward larger contractors who are better equipped to handle whatever problems arise. This area continues to see significant growth and has been dominated by larger carriers, so maybe that explains a lot of it.

For everyone who wants out because it's no longer worth it to them, there's someone else who sees it as a great opportunity.

 

[59 Dano]

Judging by your responses on most matters, it appears you're a little slow mentally speaking.

Thanks for letting me know. I always wondered what you though!

 

[59 Dano]

Did the guy (@59 Dano) ever respond after your answer, to maybe ask why?

I'm just curious.

I saw that he had posted last year that he was looking to get fairly soon. Big money was going to be rolling in, he's in his early 50's and there's a lot he wants to see and do, etc.

 

[59 Dano]

Not that he is an executive, don't get me wrong.
We can coin "yes men" as a @59 Dano, henceforth?

Got to get your quota of gratuitous mentions in, no?