Sunday, April 27, 2008

The Anti-Union Campaign at FedEx Ground

FedEx Ground drivers often face long hours, no benefits, and no control over their work because the company claims they are independent contractors. When drivers attempt to form unions to address their working conditions, they face an arduous route. First, they must prove they are employees, and not independent contractors who lack the federally protected right to form a union. If they overcome that legal obstacle, they have to go up against FedEx Ground’s sophisticated anti-union campaign.

To date, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued complaints charging FedEx Ground with unlawful threats, interrogation, bribery, soliciting grievances, creating the impression that it was spying on workers’ union activities, and harassing, isolating, and firing union supporters.

FedEx CEO Fred Smith told The Wall Street Journal in 1989, “I don't intend to recognize any unions at Federal Express.”

Read More Click Here

NY Times Reporter's Book on FedEx Ground

Steven Greenhouse, the labor beat reporter for the New York Times, released a book called The Big Squeeze which focuses on the hardships for today's working men and women.

The New York Times is serializing parts of Greenhouse's book. The April 20 Sunday Times had an extensive excerpt that focused on former FedEx Ground driver Jean Capobianco.

Read More Click Here

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Compare Teamsters To FedEx Freight Employee ...


Fedex Teamster Chronicles Interview with Frank Pineira
Recently Fedex Teamster Chronicles got a chance to sit down with Frank Pineira to talk with about his retirement:
Q: To the best of your knowledge how much will you receive when you retire?
A: When I retire after 33 years of being a proud Teamster I will receive 4100 dollars per month.
Q: Is that 4100 dollars per month include your Teamster Pension, 401k, and social security?
A: No, that 4100 dollars per month is just my Teamsters Pension. If I include my 401k and social security with my pension then I will receive 6100 dollars per month.
Q: How comfortable are you with your retirement?
A: I am tremendously comfortable with my retirement. God Bless the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for making it happen with the benefits they bargained for over the years. I am grateful for my Teamsters Pension you can't live on just social security and a 401k. The 401k goes up and down at the whim of the stock market. Sure the 401k helps, but you can't make future plans on a hope that the stock market will do well and social security doesn't get privatized. I firmly believe that with a Union contract I have secured my future.
Q: What is your opinion on the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and their impact on the American workforce?
A: If it weren't for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters there would be a super Wal-Mart or a group of companies treating their employees terribly like Fedex. At non-union companies like Fedex there is no Union contract which means no grievance procedure which places hard working employees at the mercy of CEOs who change policy at every whim to suit the company's needs.
Q: Are Unions necessary to obtain a decent retirement package?
A: Absolutely. That's what a Union contract is for. You can't deal with a 401k alone for a retirement plan. I have the Western Conference Teamsters Pension and a 401k. With the International Brotherhood of Teamsters I have the total package. They have blessed my life and they have enriched my future. Fedex has put the money that they would've paid their employees in their own pockets at the expense of hard working employees who deserve retiree medical and the best pension out there the Western Conference Teamsters Pension. I am confident with a Teamsters Pension I will be able to retire comfortably with peace.
Q: Are you confident you will not have to return to work once you retire because of financial hardship?
A: Yes, I am confident I will not have to return to work once I retire because there will be no reason for me to return to work. I have more then a substantial amount of income to live the way I am accustomed to right now. I don't have to spend my time worrying about where the money is going to come from because I am guaranteed the money in my Teamsters Pension. Plus I have retiree medical which was negotiated in the contract by the Teamsters who safeguarded my future. When the Teamsters go to the bargaining table they bring the most important voice to the table. The voice of the workers.
Q: What do you think of Joe Nuno and the various organizing committees organizing fedex thoughout Southern California?
A: I think it is fantastic to see the Fedex Teamsters involved and persistent to change the environment in their workplace. The Fedex Teamsters have a great and devoted following. It takes a lot to stand up to the constant harassment from the Fedex management and gain a voice in the workplace forming a union. There's a right way and a wrong way to live life and I am encouraged to see people fighting for their rights. I am honored to stand with you guys. It is also very encouraging to see Joey Nuno with his father, Joe Nuno. It is very touching to see a father bring up his son with a deep passion for other people's rights putting other people's needs above his own. I am pleased to see the bright future joined between the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Fedex.



Fedex Teamsters Chronicles Interview with Cliff Armstrong.

Cliff is a future Teamster. He is an organizer with the Fedex Teamsters in Fontana Service Center driving Pick Up and Delivery. He is 54 years old and he has 30 years of service with Fedex Freight/Viking Freight.
Q: To the best of your knowledge how much will you receive when you retire?
A: I will receive $1100 per month with my Fedex pension. With social security I will receive $1300 per month. So a total of $2400 dollars per month. You know after 30 years of service the Fedex Pension plan stops growing for me. This simply means I won't get one penny more after 30 years with the Fedex pension, but with a teamsters Pension I will keep growing my pension until I retire. Plus I won't have any medical insurance to speak of with fedex's pension, but the Teamsters have retiree medical something fedex is too cheap to give to their employees. I guess fedex just doesn't care when the employees retire if the employees have medical insurance or not.
Q: How comfortable are you with your retirement plan from Fedex?
A: I'm not comfortable with the Fedex pension at all. New pension or old pension is all the same. A complete fantasy. There is no medical plan to fall back on. I don't know what I'll do for medical insurance when I retire. It's going to be hard for me to live on that 1100 dollar a month pension Fedex is going to give me.
Q: What do you think about the NEW revamped pension plan Fedex is putting out there now that people are unionizing?
A: With the new pension plan, with my age and years of service I think this new plan stinks. The Fedex management is trying to simulate the Teamsters pension in a much cheaper version which will hurt employees in the long run. It's similar to the Teamsters golden 80's which combines years with length of service. I will get 36,000 dollars from this pension plan that's it. This amount with the new Fedex pension plan will be drawn off of the Treasury Rate. Let's say an employee, for sake of the conversation we will call the person Bugsy, would get 50,000 dollars after ten years of service. So say Bugsy works 20 years and gets 100,000 dollars. Bugsy then after taxes on that money which is drawn in a lump sum gets 75,000 dollars. This 75,000 dollars will only last Bugsy for 1 or 2 years tops. This is a weak retirement. Both Fedex pensions are pathetic and I feel the new pension plan is even more pathetic than the old one. The Fedex Corporation stresses a 401k plan, but the 401k plan goes up and down like a yo-yo. So you have to ask yourself is this plan secure for you and your future? Or are you going to rely on a yo-yo for your retirement? Is the 401k going to be up or down?
Q: What do you think of the so-called retirement estimator being passed around by the management at Fedex Freight?
A: I think it is like Disneyland. The retirement estimator is something out of fantasy land. It is pure nonsense. It is like setting up your retirement using a crystal ball. I have worked for fedex freight/Viking for 30 tough years and I feel very insulted by this retirement estimator. Everything about the old pension was a secret for the last 30 years, but now since there is a mass interest in unionizing the company is scared a union will come in. I feel as if the pension plan should have now and always have been public information for all employees to look at anytime they want to. I don't understand all of the secrecy and lies from the management.
Q: What would be a direct impact of unionizing Fedex Freight?
A: With a union the benefits package would be included in the union dues which means we as employees would pay less in benefits per month. The dues are 2 and a half times what we make per hour. With Fedex you have Fred Smith and a lot of corporate greed going on with the employees having to bear the brunt of paying more for health insurance, a terrible pension plan, and a fantastical retirement scheme involving a 401k. What a scam. The Fedex management is just taking more and more advantage of the employees trying to get a lot paying for very little.
Q: Do you think a Union would be good or bad for Fedex Freight?
A: I think that the Teamsters Union would be great for Fedex Freight. We will have an enhanced medical plan with little to no co-pay for medical visits and prescriptions. I will have a good retirement and favoritism till soon be eliminated with a union. If the company continues to try and cut my overtime the union will step in and demand that my seniority be respected. It is about respect. Also, I will have good backup if the company tries to write me up for no good reason. This is called a grievance procedure not a sham that is done now with a gestapo type management berating employees.
Q: What kind of future do you see for the Fedex Teamsters unionizing Fedex Freight?
A: I think the Fedex Teamsters have a very positive future. I see a binding Teamsters Union contract in our future. No more empty company promises. Fedex Freight employees will make more money per hour with better benefits, but the company will also have a lower turnover rate saving money and keeping employees working. Fedex Freight tells us we have the best company, but Fedex doesn't pay us or treat us like the best.You have to ask yourself whats wrong with this picture?

Friday, April 11, 2008

My Conversation With An UPS Freight Supervisor ...

Today I had a conversion with a UPS Freight supervisor (formerly Overnite) about how things were going on over there, since they became Teamsters. He mentioned that all of management had educational class' to help inform them of what it is like to work with a terminal that is organized. He said what he had gotten out of these meeting is that UPS Packaging has been working with the Union for many years now and it has worked just fine there, so they should have no problems with it working here at UP Freight.

This just goes to show you all, that a company will do anything it takes to oppose a campaign to organize a company,( lie, threaten, pay a union buster any amount of money) to keep it out. But in the long run, will deal with it when it comes!

Unionizing Begins With You, Organizing Begins With You.
Tag Your It!

BE WISE AND ORGANIZE!
FEDEX EMPLOYEES!

Rudy.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Joe Nuno said...

I like to say the Teamsters have never pressured me into joining them, or being force to sign a union card, this is my choice.
I choose to join the Teamsters because it’s time for a “change to win” having a union gives me some leverage, a voice to speak freely without retaliation, and to give me the Rights to dispute and file a grievance for wrongful accusation or for wrongful termination, and having no union gives you no Rights, their words against yours.
Being a member of the Teamsters gives me Rights, and being a non-union company worker makes me a member of the “At Will Employee”
So I don’t mind paying for union dues, 2 1\2 hrs per month give me legal representation, real Lawyers, a well negotiated pension fund per hour, medical benefit per hour, and a contract too.
Human Resource to the company is like a union representative for the company, Management haves more Rights, remember who pays H.R, the company does, Human Resource is paid to protect the company and their legal Rights.does it Sound like union dues!!!!

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Fresno Update ...

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Fresno had a VP of Operations return today, who came back to apologize to the employees for his outburst, which he could not remember? , but had to comeback anyway?? He did not come empty handed though. He had an anti-union video about “Union Dues”. To the uninformed this could be “scary”. But to the ones who are well informed got a good laugh! Don’t believe the lies management will tell you Fresno employees! Apparently management has told these lies so often; they’re beginning to believe them!

We started this campaign two years ago and not once have any union rep. come up to my door or called me up to sign a card or ask for any union dues! No union dues are collected until a contract has been negotiated. Below is some information about union dues.

BE WISE AND ORGANIZE!


The Facts About Dues

1.4 million working men and women are dues paying members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Dues provide the resources to stand up for good jobs and benefits, decent working conditions and a better future for our families.

That's why union members in private industry earn 38 percent more on average than than nonunion workers. They also receive 54 percent more in benefits.

None of this would be possible without the strength that comes from our Teamsters dues.

Management knows the power of Teamsters unity. That's why companies try to distract and deceive you with lies about union dues.

Let's look at the truth:

Monday, April 7, 2008

UPS Freight Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Ratify Contract

More than 9,900 Workers Covered Under Contract

April 7, 2008

(Washington, D.C.) —The Teamsters added more than 9,900 new members with workers at UPS Freight, overwhelmingly ratifying a contract by more than 89 percent. The agreement will improve wages, benefits and working conditions, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced today.

The Teamsters kicked off this organizing campaign in 2006 when it organized UPS Freight (formerly Overnite Transportation) workers in Indianapolis and negotiated a contract with the company that was ratified by a 107-1 vote last October.

READ MORE AT TEAMSTERS.ORG

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Teamsters, Mechanics Secure $99,000 Settlement from ABX Air

Company Agrees To Reduce Workers’ Disciplinary Charges, Remind Managers of Employees’ Rights

April 3, 2008

ABX Air has agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit the Teamsters Union filed on behalf of 17 wrongly terminated and disciplined mechanics. The agreement includes a $99,000 settlement for two mechanics, and the removal or lessening of disciplinary charges or evaluations that affected more than 20 employees’ work records.

“This is a great settlement and I’m happy with it,” said Greg Miller, a 14-year ABX Air mechanic who received a $59,500 settlement for his termination. “It shows that the Teamsters know how to fight ABX Air to make sure workers’ rights are not stomped on.”

Read More At Teamster.org

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Lets All Do Our Homework ...

Last week during a “Change of Operations” meeting, the topic of UPS Freights new contract was brought up. A driver mentioned that UPS Drivers were going to make around $26.00 an hour. John and Russ said that this was not true. Well for one thing, this is true John and Russ. For a couple of managers who say get the truth, they need to do their homework. Next time any driver who has any question about any subjects likes this. Feel free to ask your Organizers at your service centers. And if we do not have the answers right away, we'll get you the answer.

Don't forget, the managers just want you to know what they want you to know. And during a Union campaign to organize it’s usually not the truth. We're just saying do your homework also.
This also goes to the management in Fresno. When management whips out an article about anything you are questionable about. Ask them if you can have a copy of it and if they would sign it also. If they have nothing to hide they should do so.


THE TIME TO ORGANIZE IS NOW!

BE WISE AND ORGANIZE FEDEX FREIGHT