Bonuses, awards for 5 at FedEx nearly $16.8 million

[pilot141]

satpak77 relax for a minute and recage your gyros.

The "everyone else" that Purple Tail was referring to is, I believe, FedEx management and non-union employees. In other words, he was only asking for something similar to what other emloyees at the SAME company got.

And your sob story is meaningless...we all know someone who regrets a decision he made. I have a good friend who left jetblue in August 2000 to go to AA. Yep, he's furloughed now and trying to get on at FedEx. Does this mean that we should all quake in our boots and just be happy to have a "good" job?

NO.

If you are willing to settle for a "good" job, I have no problem with that. But many people have spent many years and countless hours trying to make this job a "better" one.

The next time you sit back and contemplate how "good you have it", think about what the company would do for you if you poked out your eye when you opened up your garage tomorrow (I know someone who had this happen to him - a spring broke and he's now -1 eyeball). What, no love? What about a stroke or a heart attack? How about a busted recurrent checkride? How about a visit from your friendly FAA rep? Or a violation? Or a lawsuit from a passenger who says you didn't have the seatbelt sign on?

Has management really beaten down the pilot corps so much that we question our own value to the operation? Do we get lulled into the routine so much that we determine that what we do is "nothing special" and could be had for pennies on the dollar if only we weren't so greedy?

The next time you think that what you do is "nothing special", go back and review all of the checkrides you sweated out in your life. Think about the ground evals, the orals, the upgrades.....everything that got you to that cushy job in the left seat flying the trips you want. Yep....nothing at all to justify what you make....in fact a reporter from the local newspaper could ride along with you and announce to the public that anyone in the world could do your job...it only involves a little typing on a keypad.

Right?

 

[capt. megadeth]

Has management really beaten down the pilot corps so much that we question our own value to the operation? Do we get lulled into the routine so much that we determine that what we do is "nothing special" and could be had for pennies on the dollar if only we weren't so greedy?

Pretty sad isn't it?

I wonder if executives scuabble amongst eachother in regards to whether or not they should get more money and/or how important their job is.

I could just see it now:

Dude #1: "Oh, quit your bitchin, at least you have a job. Besides $1 mil ain't so bad if you just cut out the yacht and 5th mistress. You are being way too greedy."

Dude #2: "Oh whatever, (insert executive's name here), you know how much responsibility we hold to the employees, taxpayers, etc? I deserve more. I mean, I know the company will probably file, but I have to ensure my pension. I mean, I am the CEO for God's sake"

Dude #3: "Now, now (insert the other executive's name here), you should just be happy doing what you have always set out to do. Who cares if you get more cash. I mean, you don't need to eat filet mignon every day, ya know?"

Things that make you go hmmm.......

 

[AlbieF15]

Satpak77,

If I remember correctly you were considering applying to the airlines a year or two back, but decided at your age your secure gov'mint flying position was a good gig. Am I correct or have I remembered a different screen name?

Is there a bit of personal baggage in your post? By deciding NOT to leave, do you have to now make the job you passed less desirable? One trait I've seen in the past (especially from my military brethren) is a tendency to say "you guys should be happy with that"...and it lasts until they get hired a fly a year or two on the line and realize the demands of the job. I've also seen some retirees who passed on the airlines for whatever reason, then seem to second guess themselves down the road...and many of them are FULL of advice on what we should do and not do at our company. My take--they regret their decision and now cry "sour grapes".

This battle at FDX is a family squabble. There is a VERY nice apple pie on the table. The dad and big brothers and taking a VERY big slice. We'd like our piece to be a bit bigger, too. Dad may have planted the apple tree, and big brothers run the slicer and canners, but us little kids have been out in the orchard day and night day picking the apples. I think our piece after the GREAT harvest the last few years could be bigger than a 2.3% increase. Dad is still a good guy, and our brothers do a heck of good job at what they do. However, nobody sells even one apple if we don't pick them. Dad says if we keep complaining he'll go hire some migrant workers--but he knows we do a good job, and they are a big unknown. We know at some point he'd rather just give us a bit more pie than risk losing the orchard (and its customers)...so we'll see just how much.

 

[satpak77]

gyros

All good points....and again I don't want to get into a bitching contest however when I see fellow pilots bitch about "how bad it is" at their place, sometimes it trips the "Let me Say Something" CB on my panel.

The underlying theme of my responses was not a direct volley against the two or three FDX posters on this thread, but more against the "it sucks here" attitude that ALL pilots tend to inherit even after reaching the "goal" of their pilot career.

Observe the thread got started as a "the execs dont work" type of thing, and they "dont deserve" their bonuses. Maybe those who are not happy with that need to get their MBA's and JD's and apply for the corporate office.

I know real estate agents that make $200K a year, and never fly one approach and are home M-F. Since I don't get a piece of that action, I guess its "wrong" that they should get that much?

Flip it around and we have blue collar workers and laborers, driving bulldozers all day long, at low wages, with no benefits. They see "airline pilots" are underworked, overpaid people who get to see Europe for free and work 4 days a month. Of course thats another incorrest assessment.

My words to them are the same, park the bulldozer and get your pilot's license.

Albie- I am sticking around until I retire, then I will try to join you guys and we can respond to non-FDXers on Flightinfo and chastise them

Everybody Fly Safe

 

[PurpleTail]

All good points....and again I don't want to get into a bitching contest however when I see fellow pilots bitch about "how bad it is" at their place, sometimes it trips the "Let me Say Something" CB on my panel.

The underlying theme of my responses was not a direct volley against the two or three FDX posters on this thread, but more against the "it sucks here" attitude that ALL pilots tend to inherit even after reaching the "goal" of their pilot career.

Observe the thread got started as a "the execs dont work" type of thing, and they "dont deserve" their bonuses. Maybe those who are not happy with that need to get their MBA's and JD's and apply for the corporate office.

I know real estate agents that make $200K a year, and never fly one approach and are home M-F. Since I don't get a piece of that action, I guess its "wrong" that they should get that much?

Everybody Fly Safe

SATPAK~

What don't you get??? Nobody is complaining about our job or how bad we have it. Kudos to management for making some great decisions. Most pilots here at FedEx love being here (me included), showing up for work and helping the company grow and be profitable.

Just like Albie said, very interestingly, we just want a piece of the pie as well, like everyone else, at FedEx, is getting. How is it a company can be making SO MUCH MONEY yet DAL pilots are getting paid MORE, even after their 30% paycut, and they are bleeding money???

It is time for the FedEx pilot group to set the bar in the industry because if we don't who will???

 

[stonewall]

I have no problem with execs making that kind of cash...if the company is doing well. I want Fred Smith to be the most successful and richest CEO on the friggin planet. I want this company to be around for a long, long time.

I'd also like a responsible and well thought out contract that rewards and acknowledges the hard work we do. A raise and better work rules are NOT unreasonable requests.

 

[DenverDude2002]

We all know Fedex has such good profits because of Fedex Kinkos