FedEx Guys: wear your hat next week!!

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Sqwkvfr,

It is all political. You don't get what you deserve you get what you negotiate!

BTW, the FedEx guys deserve a just, fair, reasonable contract....

Show em how its done!!

 

[AlbieF15]

That "unnamed company" would get a lot more business, both international and domestic, if our company couldn't haul but 3% of the freight for a day, week, month, or longer. We still have customers from when the last time another company had to walk.

Nobody wants to play that rough. The ability to do just that, however, is what provides leverage. Its a scary, stupid game. Its also, unfortunately, the only way pilots at any carrier ever get any improvement if works rules, scope, or compensation.

My union speaks for me...

 

[klhoard]

Goose... don't forget the sunblock 30 or greater... if you are going to be out there all day without your hat on...! ;-)

Wuv,

Kav

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Goose better go way north of 45 or get one of the Michael Jackson umbrellas . . . .
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[Purpledog]

What exactly are the strengths from which your union is bargaining?

PERIOD ENDING31-May-04Total Revenue24,710,000 Cost of Revenue16,139,000 Gross Profit8,571,000
*All numbers in thousands

There were 8.5 billion (with a 'B') of them last year. The Express Holding still earns 75% of the money according to the company's own numbers. The new kid on the block isn't taking anything away, however they do have a good ad campaign to make you think that. See ya'll in Mtown on the 23rd.

 

[JethroF15]

Take it to cargo pal. My point has much more of a place than your cowardly name calling. Hide behind the mask and sling insults. This thread belongs in cargo. Plain and simple.

Answer this one... How many more times are you going to open this thread that bothers you so much? And by the way, what exactly were the "insults" I slung at you?

 

[Goose17]

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Goose better go way north of 45 or get one of the Michael Jackson umbrellas . . . .
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What you talk'n bout Willis? Are you referring to my folically challenged top?

Your mother was bald too! : )

Goose17

 

[FedEx1]

I can't believe the "you guys belong in Cargo" thread has reared its ugly head again.

G'ahead, stick us in cargo. That's what we do. The best part? Let me tell you, it is very lover-ly getting up and going to the bathroom and time you want!! No flight attendants to call and ask permission from.....

I feel like I am back in junior high and I accidently sat at the wrong lunch table- Taz's. I bet he also corrects people's grammer, sucks up to the teacher, and freaks out if you accidently have a toe over the marked line at the DMV. Got to make sure we are all following your OCD rules!

Lighten up Francis.....

 

[AlbieF15]

well...you are right. Cargo stinks. I'm sure all those guys flying MD11s there second year on the property here wish they were somewhere else. With Continental hiring 20 a month I'm sure we are going to all be moving up in seniority as all those guys in front of me finally bail now that there is a chance to go to a major that is hiring

Don't take offense, Continental guys...I'm thrilled things are good there and you are hiring! I'm impressed with the fact your company is funding its pension, has recalled its crew force, and is highly regarded by the traveling public. My point is I think 9/11 and the ensuing horrible time for most pax carriers has made a profitable, secure job at one of the big box carriers a lot more appealling than some "major" jobs out there.

 

[sqwkvfr]

The Express Holding still earns 75% of the money according to the company's own numbers.

That is incorrect. The last numbers that I saw that were available (and this was about a year ago that I looked this up..I think that they were 2002 or 2003 numbers) showed that Ground made nearly as much as the rest of the units (Express, Custom Critical(are they even still around??), Freight, and Trade Networks) combined.

I'm not certain what the numbers are now, but I find it really hard to believe that given the tremendous growth that Ground has experienced, Express is now making 300% of the rest of the units combined.

 

[sqwkvfr]

That "unnamed company" would get a lot more business, both international and domestic

Domestic, yes...it would be a windfall for DHL. International, no. DHL is the 800lb monkey in the room on this deal, and I think that the MGT at Express knows it.

That's why I'm worried that you guys won't get what you want...I think DHL just might screw your pooch...this time around, anyway.

I'm gonna quit this before someone takes my posts the wrong way and gets pissed.

Good luck fellas, I hope you get what you're looking for.

 

[TAZ MAN]

G'ahead, stick us in cargo. That's what we do. The best part? Let me tell you, it is very lover-ly getting up and going to the bathroom and time you want!! No flight attendants to call and ask permission from.....

I feel like I am back in junior high and I accidently sat at the wrong lunch table- Taz's. I bet he also corrects people's grammer, sucks up to the teacher, and freaks out if you accidently have a toe over the marked line at the DMV. Got to make sure we are all following your OCD rules!

Lighten up Francis.....

Heh! I was the one that you freight dogs came after. I was just surprised that this thread was one that only FEDex pilots would give a $h.t about. So the question came from the perspective of " why don't you guys have your own forum?" Most all other "passenger" carriers do. Then you guys get all cockeyed at the notion and defensive about this forum. The truth of the matter is that you DO belong somewhere else. Your business is different than the passenger side. Our schedules are different, our job security is different, our interaction with flight crews is different.

I think you need to lighten up...... Sally.

You only wish you had the chance to have a few babe FA's to have a drink with on an overnight.

Oh, and by the way genius...I have never corrected anyones grammar on this forum or anywhere else for that matter..but if your going to bring up such a lame point....spell it right. G_R_A_M_M_A_R.

I find it interesting that its only the military guys that are so bent about this. It actually doesn't surprise me.

 

[Mr Zog]

That is incorrect. The last numbers that I saw that were available (and this was about a year ago that I looked this up..I think that they were 2002 or 2003 numbers) showed that Ground made nearly as much as the rest of the units (Express, Custom Critical(are they even still around??), Freight, and Trade Networks) combined.

I'm not certain what the numbers are now, but I find it really hard to believe that given the tremendous growth that Ground has experienced, Express is now making 300% of the rest of the units combined.

I don't know where you got your numbers, but look at the latest SEC filings. Express is by far the largest revenue provider for FedEx.

FedEx Express 4,915
FedEx Ground 1,200
FedEx Freight 747
FedEx Kinkos 499

Above amounts are in millions of dollars and are only quarterly revenue. Direct from the 2/28/05 SEC filing 10-Q.

Have you ever seen that FedEx commercial where the guy says you are always wrong? We don't get French benefits, Steely Dan is not an individual, it is not the leaning tower of Pizza, .....Hint. Hint.

 

[Mr Zog]

As a former part of and interested observer of the package delivery/logistics-supply chain managment world, I've been reading your posts with great interest.

But I've got a few questions:

What exactly are the strengths from which your union is bargaining?

This is what I've observed:

-Express, over the last five years, has not exactly been a wildly successful unit of FedEx. In fact, of the Express employees that I've spoken to, more than not believe that had it not been for the Calibre aquisition and the postal contracts, FedEx corp would be in a tough spot right now. ALSO, I read a financial report a while back that said that FedEx's issues are being compounded by poorer financial standing as the result of greater than expected depreciation of their aircraft.

Express has been incredibly successful. Who do you think carries the mail? We are the reason for the 7-8 billion dollar postal contract. Add the increase expansion in China and internationally, I don't think FedEx can afford a hickup in the express business.

 

[sqwkvfr]

I don't know where you got your numbers, but look at the latest SEC filings. Express is by far the largest revenue provider for FedEx.

FedEx Express 4,915
FedEx Ground 1,200
FedEx Freight 747
FedEx Kinkos 499

Above amounts are in millions of dollars and are only quarterly revenue. Direct from the 2/28/05 SEC filing 10-Q.

Have you ever seen that FedEx commercial where the guy says you are always wrong? We don't get French benefits, Steely Dan is not an individual, it is not the leaning tower of Pizza, .....Hint. Hint.

Yeah, yeah.

I wish I could show you where I got those numbers, but I can't find it. If i remember right, it was out of a Pittsburgh publication (that's where Ground is headquartered) but I can't find it.

Anywho, you're right, so I'll start sucking on my foot.

 

[johnny taliban]

You only wish you had the chance to have a few babe FA's to have a drink with on an overnight

Which babes? The old fat ones or the gay ones?

sorry,couldn't resist

Johnny

 

[Purpledog]

More numbers

That is incorrect. The last numbers that I saw that were available (and this was about a year ago that I looked this up..I think that they were 2002 or 2003 numbers) showed that Ground made nearly as much as the rest of the units (Express, Custom Critical(are they even still around??), Freight, and Trade Networks) combined.

Total revenues for Q1-Q3 FY '05 in millions.
Express 14,365
Ground 3,447
Freight 2,374
Kinkos 1,513

 

[USNFDX]

Flew back from CDG Sat night. 3 MD11s in trail 10 min apart, all completely packed 165000 plus pounds of cargo. Business is bad!

 

[FedExFlyer]

Domestic, yes...it would be a windfall for DHL. International, no. DHL is the 800lb monkey in the room on this deal, and I think that the MGT at Express knows it.

You're kidding right??? Now that's some funny stuff on a Monday morning!!!

 

[FedEx1]

..but if your going to bring up such a lame point....spell it right. G_R_A_M_M_A_R.

QUOTE]

Um, yeah, case in point! The misspelling was a joke..... a little too subtle I see.

Taz, why do you think only Fedex pilots would be interested in this thread? You have been here the whole time... I know our UPS friends are interested. Potential employees want to know what is going on. It is just kind of funny it bugs you so much, like the stars are not aligned in your universe and now you are unable to sleep.....

This forum is not titled "Passenger Carriers." But again I say, who cares? Guys, we can go over to the cargo forum. Isn't going to change our record profits.

Oh, and I have had the passenger airline experience. I really don't miss the backend crew.... late for the van, whining about everything (almost sounding like pilots, except for the zoloft!), expecting us to pick up the entire tab after we had already bought a few rounds, the drama....

 

[JethroF15]

Heh! I was the one that you freight dogs came after. Hey, YOU are the one who brought the subject up! I was just surprised that this thread was one that only FEDex pilots would give a $h.t about Yet YOU have made 4 posts in this thread. So the question came from the perspective of " why don't you guys have your own forum?" Why don't YOU have your own forum? We'll call it the "I need something to whine about" forum. Most all other "passenger" carriers do. Then you guys get all cockeyed at the notion and defensive about this forum. Are you paying for the computer memory or servers that support this site? It sure sounds like you have a personal issue with a MAJOR Airline using space on the MAJOR forum. The truth of the matter is that you DO belong somewhere else. Your business is different than the passenger side. This is NOT the "passenger" forum, it is the "Major" forum. If any airline today qualifies as a Major (i.e. revenue) then it is FedEx and UPS. Our schedules are different, our job security is different, our interaction with flight crews is different. Yet there are more pilots out there right now that are getting interviews and jobs at FedEx and UPS than at any of the legacy passenger carriers COMBINED! Last I checked this is the Major Interview forum. I would think that anyone looking at working at FedEx would want to know as much as possible about the atmosphere there to include the current labor negotiations.

I think you need to lighten up...... Sally. Right back at ya!

You only wish you had the chance to have a few babe FA's to have a drink with on an overnight. Now that is the most humorous thing you have posted!

Oh, and by the way genius...I have never corrected anyones grammar on this forum or anywhere else for that matter..but if your going to bring up such a lame point....spell it right. G_R_A_M_M_A_R. ??????

I find it interesting that its only the military guys that are so bent about this. It actually doesn't surprise me. So now you want to kick that dead horse too? On second thought, I am beginning to see a pattern in your posts. Flame bait poster!

 

[Huck]

Sqkvfr, you are actually asking some good questions. Let me show you how I approach this thing.

- The relationship between business and labor is contractual. That is, unless you are at-will. There are a few carriers out there that are at-will, but the overwhelming majority operate under a labor contract.

- Our contract expired a year ago. Due to the NRLA rules that we operate under (only applicable to us airline types and railroad employees), we CANNOT stop obeying the contract when it expires. We HAVE TO operate as if it was still valid until a new one is signed.

- To get a new contract, we must negotiate. It's pretty obvious who wants negotiations to go fast, and who wants negotiations to go slow. The old contract is saving the company money every day.

- The ONLY thing the pilots can do at this stage of the game is protest, both in numbers and visibility, in the hopes that adverse publicity will get the company off top dead center.

- Do we deserve a better deal? I don't think in terms like "deserve", "fair", or "just." I think we will get the contract that we negotiate. We either do it well or not.

- Remember this about all the JD's and MBA's on the company side - NONE of them are at-will employees. They bargained for their contracts, just like we are bargaining for ours.

- The bottom line: I love my company, I thank God for my job, and I thank God Fred Smith is a genius. We got some business to settle, that's all. Nothing personal - just business.

- And as for DHL, I used to fly their trans-Atlantic stuff at Gemini. Great company, great pilots - I wish them well. But at the time (1999) we were running two DC-10's a day to Midlands. The scale difference is pretty substantial. We're flying (somebody correct me here) 240 flights a night out of MEM. God knows how many are to Europe. That's not counting the day sort....

 

[Jeff Helgeson]

I think they call it a....

When the Union restores the vacation longevity they gave away in the parking lot last time I will buy two hats,one for my head,ond one to cover something else.

JIMMY-HAT!

 

[TAZ MAN]

Um, yeah, case in point! The misspelling was a joke..... a little too subtle I see.

Taz, why do you think only Fedex pilots would be interested in this thread? You have been here the whole time... I know our UPS friends are interested. Potential employees want to know what is going on. It is just kind of funny it bugs you so much, like the stars are not aligned in your universe and now you are unable to sleep.....

This forum is not titled "Passenger Carriers." But again I say, who cares? Guys, we can go over to the cargo forum. Isn't going to change our record profits.

Oh, and I have had the passenger airline experience. I really don't miss the backend crew.... late for the van, whining about everything (almost sounding like pilots, except for the zoloft!), expecting us to pick up the entire tab after we had already bought a few rounds, the drama....

Originally Posted by TAZ MAN
Heh! I was the one that you freight dogs came after. Hey, YOU are the one who brought the subject up! I was just surprised that this thread was one that only FEDex pilots would give a $h.t about Yet YOU have made 4 posts in this thread. So the question came from the perspective of " why don't you guys have your own forum?" Why don't YOU have your own forum? We'll call it the "I need something to whine about" forum. Most all other "passenger" carriers do. Then you guys get all cockeyed at the notion and defensive about this forum. Are you paying for the computer memory or servers that support this site? It sure sounds like you have a personal issue with a MAJOR Airline using space on the MAJOR forum. The truth of the matter is that you DO belong somewhere else. Your business is different than the passenger side. This is NOT the "passenger" forum, it is the "Major" forum. If any airline today qualifies as a Major (i.e. revenue) then it is FedEx and UPS. Our schedules are different, our job security is different, our interaction with flight crews is different. Yet there are more pilots out there right now that are getting interviews and jobs at FedEx and UPS than at any of the legacy passenger carriers COMBINED! Last I checked this is the Major Interview forum. I would think that anyone looking at working at FedEx would want to know as much as possible about the atmosphere there to include the current labor negotiations.

I think you need to lighten up...... Sally. Right back at ya!

You only wish you had the chance to have a few babe FA's to have a drink with on an overnight. Now that is the most humorous thing you have posted!

Oh, and by the way genius...I have never corrected anyones grammar on this forum or anywhere else for that matter..but if your going to bring up such a lame point....spell it right. G_R_A_M_M_A_R. ??????

I find it interesting that its only the military guys that are so bent about this. It actually doesn't surprise me. So now you want to kick that dead horse too? On second thought, I am beginning to see a pattern in your posts. Flame bait poster!

Well you are right Jethro. Most of this is flame bait. Why? Because I made a suggestion that I thought might be helpful to your group and you guys took it as a slam of some sort. So you guys gang up to try and come after someone who really doesn't have a fight in this battle. So I took advantage of the very predictable aspect of this forum, the courage of one hiding behind a mask.

I'll say it again, your group might benefit having your own forum. Mine does at www.Pprune.org

Good luck to all of the FEDex pilots and their negotiations.

 

[klhoard]

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What is Pprune.org???
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[Hugh Jorgan]

Domestic, yes...it would be a windfall for DHL. International, no. DHL is the 800lb monkey in the room on this deal, and I think that the MGT at Express knows it.

More like a 10-pound pu$$y in the room. I don't think the boys in Memphis or Louisville are all-too-worried about DHLs US operation at this point. The Astar/ABX marriage isn't working out too well from what I've heard. When it comes to express freight, the customer wants reliability and it just ain't happening in the yellow and red camp with the consistency that the express customer demands. Many will give DHL a chance since they are cheaper, but many are finding that you get what you pay for and UPS/FedEx gets the business back in the end.
I was most surprised to hear that ABX and Astar have completely incompatible ULD cans. Kinda nullifies the "U" in the abbreviation. Also kinda makes for very innefficient freight routing.
DHL reigns in Europe, but I wouldn't count on them taking much of the market share in the US.
Finally, I think a strike by either UPS or FedEx would benefit one or the other with DHL seeing very little benefit. Then again, I was still buying tech stocks in 2000.....

 

[TAZ MAN]

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What is Pprune.org???
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It is a forum similar to this except you can have airline specific sites that only your pilots can access so essentially you can keep the dialog private. You would need a moderator to approve the users of your airline specific link.

Our airlines site is very active and many issues are debated daily. When ours was opened it became popular quickly with a minority of our pilot group.

As with this forum it can be quite entertaining.

 

[JethroF15]

It is a forum similar to this except you can have airline specific sites that only your pilots can access so essentially you can keep the dialog private. You would need a moderator to approve the users of your airline specific link.

Our airlines site is very active and many issues are debated daily. When ours was opened it became popular quickly with a minority of our pilot group.

As with this forum it can be quite entertaining.

Mr. Taz, who do you fly for? Thanks.

 

[TAZ MAN]

Mr. Taz, who do you fly for? Thanks.

Mr. Jethro, Why do you ask?

 

[SWAdude]

It is a forum similar to this except you can have airline specific sites that only your pilots can access so essentially you can keep the dialog private. You would need a moderator to approve the users of your airline specific link.

Our airlines site is very active and many issues are debated daily. When ours was opened it became popular quickly with a minority of our pilot group.

As with this forum it can be quite entertaining.

The pilots at Southwest have a site on Pprune and I would have to agree with TAZ that it is quite entertaining.

Much more is said by our pilots in what is intended to being private. Which for the last five years that I have been a member seems to hold up. Like this forum you can have a user name but some have decide to use their real name as their user name. Brave souls.

 

[AlbieF15]

...danger Will Robinson...danger...

You can go to PPRUNE and post whatever you like. However, anyone who has access can then cut/paste your post and put it in a much more public place. There aren't any STU-III secure internet chats...sorry.

Lambasting your ACP or someone else in management, talking about "unofficial work actions", etc etc can get your a$$ nailed in any forum.

Also...on the unity front. A long while back, I once had a captain ask me about how my mil leave worked. He then lectured me on why it was "abuse" for guys like me to use it for non-direct combat ops. (Like, say, flying F-15 training missions over the Gulf Coast instead of flying caps over NYC or over Iraq). I (professionally) disagreed, and explained how in my mind it takes all the gears working to make the big machine work. He refused to see it my way, but we cordially agreed to disagree, and later went on to have (I thought) a nice dinner with the whole crew.

Guess what--he called my ACP the very next day (must have rushed in from the trip, actually) and took my words about why mil leave for training was NOT abuse and recounted them (completely out of context, I might add...) to my ACP. So...the next time I asked for mil leave I got a phone call and went a few rounds with my ACP as to the "reason" behind needing this leave during a busy period. When I explained what I ACTUALLY said and tried to put my situation in the proper context (ie....I was actually waaaay behind on ANG obligations due to 2.5 months in training, etc) he seemed to understand...BUT...in my mind the water in the well was already poisoned with bad perceptions. I'm not sure this ACP will ever see me now as anything but a guy trying to weasel out of work, even if that is 100% NOT the case.

So...my advice to everyone is keep your mouth shut. Unity is one thing, but even your "bro" in the hat to your left or behind you can cause you a lot of damage. Stick to the party line, and don't get too personal. Somebody (a non-member or someone with a twisted personal agenda) might take a post you placed on a "secure" site and burn a copy for someone in management. I'm a pretty open book--my name isn't a secret here and my picture is even on the internet. However, even some of you more "anonymous" types could potentially be figured out by someone who had an axe to grind.

And to my bros...when we are on a trip somewhere and I limit my conversation to my kids, the wonderful weather, and the Auburn Tigers...I hope you'll understand. My business, the ANG duties, and anything else besides "how much I love flying this jet" are simply not discussion items.