Fedex Practice excess Bid looks GOOD!

[AlbieF15]

If he doesn't, maybe you can enjoy both boobies and sunshine in your face as you take your 737 from MCO to PHX for SWA.

Who knows...there may be a lot more 737 type ratings sold in the next year to guys who "already" have a job. Kind of seems silly to suffer in the middle of the night sitting sideways for the next 7 years so someone else can take that 21 year multiplier and turn it into 25.

There may be a lot of guys with a lot at stake in 2004, but I think you will find the bottom 300 or so may just be willing to burn down the house if they don't think they stand to gain in a large way in 2004-5. There are probably 100 of us who could go back full time in the military, including a bunch of us who could get to an active duty retirement in 5 years or less. I imagine it won't be the senior guys telling the junior guys to "buck up", but rather them having to say "easy son...easy....don't make me lose this great ride 10/5/3 years from retirement". Think I'm bluffing? How many non members are there in the bottom 300? Okay...how about the top 300? I love my job, but my W-2 showed a whopping 36k last year. The junior crowd has MUCH less to lose than the guy with the six figure w-2, and we have a much longer time to live with PBS and a bunch of other potential nightmares if we don't do this right. So...I don't think anyone needs to lecture the bottom feeders on unity. Those are the guys who are already working a couple extra jobs, and the "adustment" of lifestyle if this went "poof" tomorrow would be much less traumatic for us than I think some people realize.

 

[Rock]

7 more years on the panel!!?! Sorry, but that would kill most people. And if you've got 7 years in your future than I probably have 10 because in my book YOU are a senior guy. Somehow I don't see it happening....but then again, I guess I won't quit my day job just yet. On the bright side, I've got a few buds that are looking at 7 years on the furlough list.

 

[USNFDX]

I'm a bottom 300 guy and I'm certainly not willing to burn down the house! I like my job and feel that I get paid pretty well for the work that I do. Sure, I'd like more, and occasionaly I'll bitch as well....but it it beats the hell out of being on furlough or being haze grey and underway for 8 months. I wasn't around to hear Fred promise me Delta plus Nikel, nor did I receive a "Red Letter" from him.........

There is no question that there are guys that are a lot senior to me that have very legitimate gripes.

Bottom line for me, is that nothing has changed at Fedex since I interviewed, was offerd a job and ACCEPTED it.

Life is all about Timing. Sure it's too bad we don't all have shiny used MD-11s to fly! But like I said above, It beats the alternatives. At least in my case.

It's not the A60 guy or the draft whore, it's just timing.....and if the timing doesn't work for you, find your niche elsewhere!

 

[switchbiatch]

I liked the last 2 posts and agree. I am very grateful that I have this job and will do it as long as it takes til upgrade; however the only thing I like about being a F/E is when I am not at work. In the past jobs I enjoyed the flying bit so it was easier to get up and go to work. Now looking at 5 yrs plus as a F/E it is just a desk job with a great compnay and I am paying my dues. Hopefully not wrenching til the 27 is gone in 10yrs.

 

[TonyC]

I wasn't around to hear Fred promise me Delta plus Nikel, nor did I receive "Red Letter" from him.........

I encourage you to take the time to go by the Union office on Kirby at Germantown - - Building III, 3rd floor - - and step into the conference room where framed copies of the red letters hang on the wall. It will give you a good deal of insight into the man who runs the ship.

When my wife read the last one - - delivered by FedEx Express one Saturday morning - - she exclaimed "Why would ANYONE want to work for HIM?!"

 

[PurpleTail]

Fred is awesome! I'll drink the Purple CoolAide til I'm 60

Business wise I really do think management has done a bang up job. I also feel pretty good about the company strength and overall position for the future. I believe I will have a solid pension (along with my 401k, thank goodness) when I retire and the company won't be run into the ground...but that is today.

I too never got to see the "red letter" days and hope that it won't come to that with ALPA on board.

And as far as you bottom feeders go I sympathize for you. I was OK for the first year on the panel but then my brain started turning to mush and at the two year mark I was flipping switches in my sleep...at work! But then I upgraded, went to class and have come alive again. I know it is excrusiating painful to wait for that upgrade award but it will be worth it when it comes...trust me! (Hopefully it won't take 5 yrs)

Best of luck and hang in there. "Can't have the sweet without the sour" --Vanilla Sky

 

[busdrver]

"Why would ANYONE want to work for HIM?!"

And what was your answer?

 

[klhoard]

I love my job, but my W-2 showed a whopping 36k last year.

. . . . to quote Bill O'Reilly, let's be "fair and balanced". . .

1) What about you other two W-2's from last year??

2) How many Credit Hours did you drop from your FedEx flying to get those other W-2's?

You may be giving guys looking at FedEx a skewed view of the salary situation. . . .

 

[MadDogPilot]

So, with slow hiring (maybe 100 a year for a few years) and conversion from a three seater (727) to a 2 seater (737?? something else!), what is the best guess on how long us poolies will sit on the panel? Assuming we get in this year!

Hey, I am not complaining- it is better than sitting on my duff. I am just trying to plan financially.

Also, are all the 727's is MEM? Are all domestic? And is most of the flying in the dead zone (at night?) You all keep refering to it as the "slave" ship, so I was just trying to get an idea.
Thanks!

 

[Falconjet]

Numbers

MadDog: Your guess is as good as anybody's, but I would venture a guess of at least 3 and more likely 5 years before you are able to move off the panel. There are many variables that will come into play in the next couple of years that will impact that, and nobody knows how. New aircraft (A-380) and the eventual retirement of the 72 will play a large role in your experience.

All of the 72s are based out of MEM, but there is some international flying to South America/Mexico in the 72. Most of the flying is domestic, and maybe 65% night and 35% day flying. That will be dramatically effected by the end of the mail contract also, should we not be able to hold it. From all reports, everybody involved loves our work on the mail contract, but I doubt UPS will take the next contract laying down.

The numbers on your W2 could be better as well, and with a new contract coming up in a year or three who knows. But at current rates I made about 44K last year even though 7 months of that was on first year pay. I could have made about 6K more had I not dropped about 90 hours of work (25 or so of which was carryover that I got on reserve lines that I couldn't avoid - I prefer not to get carryover) during the year.

So although the work in the back of the slave ship isn't very rewarding, it does give you a great opportunity to learn the aircraft and the FedEx operation, as well as the 121 environment for those of us who are new to that. It would be most excellent to have the OPPORTUNITY to bid out after a couple of years or so, that is probably all most of us would ask. But it isn't all that bad and in the long run it will have been worth paying the dues.

No major complaints, just some frustration at the lack of mobility is what you are sensing from some of the posts (mine anyway). Take a look at some of the FedEx discussions from the past few months and you'll see some good info on the lifestyle. Plus feel free to pm me if you have other questions you don't want to throw out on the board.

Can't wait to get you on the property!

FJ

 

[FastCargo]

Interesting...

As someone lucky enough to get affected by the excess bid, I was very surprised by the results of the first practice bid. Until my wife asked a question about moving costs...

I realized that in a normal aircraft bid, FedEx doesn't pay for moving costs if your domicile changes...except in certain situations, such as excessing. While I doubt all the Subic bids will stay as fragged, the ANC and LAX bids might be pretty close to reality. Considering how much it costs to move in the CONUS, much less to ANC, it couild be a great opportunity for those who want those areas, but weren't willing to shell out all that cash.

JMHO, based on how I read the contract and the results of the 1st practice bid. I could be smoking a controlled substance...

Fly Safe!

FastCargo

 

[PurpleTail]

Cost of living...

When considering the excess bid, commuting and cost of living in the LA area is just ridiculous. Real estate prices are threw the roof, property taxes will rob you blind and you have state income tax AND local sales tax...OUCH. Not much of a pay bump after it is all said and done.

ANC is whole different story. Single? Possible. Married? Better check with the boss first and rent for the first year to be on the safe side.

As far as the move packages go Package #1 for "Excess Pilot" awards is pretty good. Lots of benefits like real estate assistance, all household goods professionally move plus car, 7 roundtrip tickets for family to research new area, etc, etc. plus an extra 10k.

 

[spanky2]

Anybody want to explain what "red letters" are /were ??

 

[TonyC]

Anybody want to explain what "red letters" are /were ??

I'm in a really good mood right now, and don't feel like getting steamed up with too many of the details. Perhaps someone else might elaborate, and I might later.

But for now, I'll give you an overview.

They were letters from Fred Smith to the pilots. They were printed on red paper - - hence the nickname. They threatened pilots that if they didn't behave, he would shut the airline down and turn it into a trucking company. (Well, at least that's what the last one said.) They were obviously intended to intimidate, and some indeed were intimidated. Others were only enraged and redoubled their resolve to fight for a fair set of work rules.

Today they serve as a reminder that we do not work for a benevolent benefactor, as some of the Purple Koolaid drinkers of yore might have you to believe.

 

[spanky2]

THX ... Fred must have a different but related play book. Other CEOs use the media for threats.