Tuesday, March 30, 2010

7 Things Your Boss or Buddy Should Never Say to You

A look at the various comment threads shows that a few bosses out there could also benefit from a review of the basics of good workplace relations--not to mention a quickie refresher of what constitutes good leadership.

So, bosses, are you listening? Here are seven things you, as a boss, should never say to your employees:

1. "I pay your salary. You have to do what I say." Have you not heard? It's the 21st century. Threats and power plays just do not cut it anymore (and they were always a terrible way to manage). Yes, you pay people's salaries but that doesn't mean you're their lord and master. You are their leader, however. Leaders lead by inspiring, teaching, encouraging, and, yes, serving their employees. Good leaders never need to threaten. So keep your word, set a good example, praise in public, criticize in private, respect your employees' capabilities, give credit where credit is due, learn to delegate, and when you ask for feedback don't forget to respond to it. (Another sentence to be avoided: "Do what I say, not what I do.")


2. "I don't want to listen to your complaints." Hey, boss, you have this backwards. You do want to listen to employees' complaints. That's part of your job. You should be actively seeking feedback, even negative feedback. It may be annoying, even painful, but that's why you get the big bucks. Complaints point to where your processes and practices need improvement. And even if a problem absolutely can't be helped, allowing your employees to vent can go a long way toward restoring morale and building loyalty.

3. "I was here on Saturday afternoon. Where were you?" This kind of "subtle" pressure to work 24/7 is a good way to burn out your employees. You won't get that much more productivity out of them, and you will destroy morale. You may choose to work seven days a week. That's your call. But your employees shouldn't have to. If you observe that they are working way more than their job descriptions call for, consider that maybe it's because you're overloading them. Look for ways to fix this problem.


4. "Isn't your performance review coming up soon?" Maybe you're trying to motivate an employee to do a better job. Maybe this is just a ham-handed way to remind underlings of who has the power. Who knows. Either way, a statement like this is not only tacky and passive-aggressive, it's ineffective. If you really want to motivate people, consider giving them a stake in the success of your enterprise. Show employees you value them. Let them know what they have to gain by doing a good job. The results may surprise you.

5. "We've always done it this way." Want to crush your employees' initiative? This is a good way. News flash: Your employees may actually have a pretty good idea of how to do their jobs. Maybe they know even more than you. Your job as boss is to encourage them to have the energy and motivation to be innovative. In fact, employees who come up with better ways to do things should be celebrated and rewarded. (Hint: Cash is nice.)

6. "We need to cut costs" (at the same time you are, say, redecorating your office). Nothing breeds resentment more than asking employees to tighten their belts while you, to their eyes, are living it up. Even if the office redecoration can be totally justified in business terms, or the budget for it was a gift from your uncle, it still looks hypocritical and is demoralizing. Being sensitive to other people's feelings is good karma. Leading by example is the best way to lead.

7. "You should work better." Managers need to communication expectations clearly, to give employees the tools they need to do a good job, to set reasonable deadlines, and to offer help if needed. When giving instructions, ask if they understand your instructions. Don't assume. You may not be the stellar communicator you think you are. If your employees are making mistakes, or not performing up to par, consider that maybe it's because you're giving them vague instructions like "you should work better."

The bottom line is that in the workplace respect, a little tact, and a good attitude go both ways.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Challenge - Unheard Conversations

When I first started to organize FedEx frt. and was being introduced into Change to Win, I do remember when Russ and Farrin cornered me in Farrin’s office, telling me that the Teamsters will never ever enter at FedEx, that Fred Smith wouldn't allow this. Russ also told me that I would have to organize all of FedEx and that it would be impossible for me to do this by myself. I told Russ and Farrin that it could be done, if man can move mountains across the lands and build islands in the ocean, then nothing is impossible to do and I accepted that challenge. So Rudy and I started networking with terminals in the western region and manage to succeed. Then Rudy and I started to connect with Memphis Tennessee FedEx Express, the mother company and that blow across the entire nation, and now our Brothers and Sisters from Canada, now that is a major labor movement. Wow, like I told you Russ and Farrin nothing is impossible, having faith in God will lead me to the right path.

Joe Nuno

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Thanks Fred ...

With the Senate passing of the "FAA Reauthorization Bill" today. It was perfect timing that our Chairman, Fred Smith, sent out those letters about the "Reauthorization" bill. This letter has sparked a move from our employees in the west to actually call their Senators to ask them to vote "Yes" for the passage of this bill. They could not believe that the company would ask its employees to call and say otherwise!

After all the "anti-labor" this company has shown towards their employees, no "COLA", lost of full time status, lost of benefits, loss of dignity of providing for one's family after so many years of service to a Muti-Billion dollar company!
So, do your part to help yourselves and your fellow employees and do what the Chairman wants you to do. Call your Senators and Representatives and tell them to say "YES" to pass the "FAA Reauthorization" bill!

Let the company know. Let the shareholders know. And let Fred Smith know!
Enough is enough! United We Bargain! Divide We BEG
!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Forbes: Fred Smith one of 937 billionaires

Friday, March 12, 2010
Memphis Business Journal


Fred Smith is one of the world’s 937 billionaires, according to a Forbes report.

The FedEx Corp. founder ranks No. 556 on Forbes’ list, with a net worth of $1.8 billion.

Smith’s fortune grew from last year, when Forbes placed a $1.3 billion value on his net worth. That is due, in part, to FedEx’s stock price.

Shares of FedEx were trading close to $86 Friday, compared to $38.56 on March 12, 2009.

Smith’s fortune is still down from 2008 though, when the publication estimated his net worth at $2.4 billion.

Smith is the only Memphis resident on the list. There are three other Tennessee billionaires: Thomas Frist Jr. and family of Nashville rank No. 316 with a net worth of $3 billion; Martha Ingram and family of Nashville rank No. 488 with a net worth of $2 billion; and Brad Kelley of Nashville ranks No. 655 with a net worth of $1.8 billion.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

"HEY BIG SPENDER"

FedEx Spends Millions on Lobbyists,
NotWorkers
USA Today recently published this chart depicting the “Top 20
Spenders on Lobbying.” FedEx made the list, at No. 13. Our company
spent $9,335,000 in 2008 to lobby Congress and increased
that expense to $17,050,000 in 2009.
What could have fueled almost doubling FedEx’s expense on lobbying
in 2009? Does our legislation, “Express Carrier Employee
Protection Act” ring a bell? The legislation that helps us regain our
rights under Federal Law. The rights to freedom of association that
were swept away from all of us by FedEx lobbying efforts back in
1996.
FedEx is spending the money we help to generate for them on lobbying
Congress against its employees best interests. This doesn’t
seem right and certainly not fair.
All of this while our 401(k) matching funds are suspended, our insurance
costs go up while our coverage goes down, our defined
benefit pension plan is frozen and eliminated.
The money that is being used against us, could have been used to
help pay the cost for insurance, pay the high out of pocket expenses
we incur or even to save for retirement.
To keep FedEx from doing this again we need a written contract
with our employer to lock in our wages and benefits. So we don’t
have to pay for our company’s next whim.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The Teamsters Union Applies for certification to represent FedEx Workers in Barrie, Ontario

The Teamsters Union applies for certification to represent FedEx workers in Barrie, Ontario.

The Teamsters Union today applied for certification to represent the workers based at FedEx’s terminal in Barrie, Ontario.

The application was filed on behalf of the workers based at FedEx Express’ terminal in Barrie, Ontario.

These workers decided to join the Teamsters Union during the large-scale campaign launched in 2009 to organize FedEx workers.

“It seems that the decision made by FedEx’s administrative workers in Mississauga inspired others,” points out Robert Bouvier, president of Teamsters Canada. “The workers in Barrie have indicated that they wish to benefit from fair treatment from their employer.”

Dozens of organizers are taking part in this large-scale campaign. The Teamster Union will regularly update its FedEx campaign websites.

The Teamsters Union represents 125,000 members in Canada in all trades. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.

Information:

Stéphane Lacroix, Director of Communications, Teamsters Canada

514-609-5101

 

In Solidarity,

 

Stéphane Lacroix

Director / Directeur

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Why Even Bother With PT's ?

The FedEx Watch Dogs have heard that a local driver had to run to Sacramento today which is not to unusual only that he is hauling a "PT trailer" not a FedEx trailer? How can this company run another companies equipment without knowing if its road ready?
Will FedEx cover this driver for any "fix it problems" or will it most likely be the drivers responsibility and go against his CDL because of the new CSA 2010 laws?
Here we have a system that doesn't save any money in our minds. First you are paying a 3rd party carrier who cannot cover shipments. Now we are using a 3rd party trailer at a cost of $500-$800 a day plus driver wages and hotel? We thought that was the whole ideal of this "spoke and hub" BS? To lower cost on lay overs?

When our sales force goes out and sales this FedEx product to potential customers, do they explain to them that we use PT carriers to get their freight from point A, point B and charge high prices to use the "FedEx" brand? And undermining the employees of FedEx? By cutting runs for line and cutting full time dock workers to part time. Who lose their medical benefits and cut their income?

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Organizing Meeting At Local 952

Organizing Meeting At Local 952

DATE: SUNDAY, March 14,2010

TIME: 8:30-11:00 A.M.

PLACE: TEAMSTERS LOCAL 952
140 S. MARKS WAY, ORANGE

THE TIME TO ORGANIZE IS NOW!

Bring a co-worker to their first meeting or a spouse and
even an LTL,Express or Ground employee!

If Canada FedEx can organize, so can we!

Teamsters Canada files to represent FedEx Ground employees

Teamsters Canada, an affiliate of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has filed an application with the Canada Industrial Relations Board to represent 45 administrative workers for FedEx Ground in Mississauga, Ontario.

The board is expected to render its decision within the next few weeks.

“I would like to congratulate these men and women who had the courage to stand up to their employer, well known for his anti-unionism,” James P. Hoffa, general president for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said in a statement. “Signing a card is the first step to improving their work conditions.”

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million workers in North America, including 125,000 in Canada.

Memphis Business Journal - by Andy Ashby
Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Teamsters issued a press release announcing the application filing and stated that “For the first time in the history of organized labor in Canada, FedEx workers have decided to join a union, and they have chosen the Teamsters.”

FedEx issued this statement in response:

"Contrary to the inaccurate claims of the Teamsters' press release, this application does not mean that the union represents any FedEx Ground employee or has majority support at this time,” FedEx Ground spokesman Perry Colosimo said. “The company will request a hearing to challenge this application, which resulted from a card signing organizing effort. Until this challenge is resolved, FedEx Ground is under no obligation to bargain with the Teamsters."

FedEx Ground is a division of Memphis-based shipping giant FedEx Corp.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

East And West ...

A good solution to get the west back to a profitalble company is to go back to system that was in placed before all this anti-west from the east, ie. “ The west don't know what the f#*k their doing” attitude. If this is some retaliation to what the east went through back in Viking days, when Viking had the nerve to service the whole USA, this is wrong!

Most of the managers that were behind that are gone,I.e. Bill Zollar! And we all know what a jem he has been for YRC.

East. If you want to see some profit from the west. Give us a month to run this division like it used to run. The Viking managers,drivers,dockworkers and office personnel all know how to run a an LTL company.

Because of some of you ex-Central,Spartan,Cole freight people just can't let go of the past.
Is this FedEx's definition of "Diversity"?

THE FEDEX WATCHDOGS

Monday, March 8, 2010

F.Y.I.

My fellow FedEx Freight employees, I want to make you aware of a recent change concerning our short term and long term disability benefits.

As of Jan 1, 2010 Cigna manages our disability claims. Whenever you are out due to medical or injury and need these benefits to cover the time off work, Cigna has to approve it. FXF pays them to micro manage our claims and deny them when possible. I had double knee surgery in April 2009, Cigna approved my STD claim and then months later in July denied it. The claims manager for Cigna stated that my doctor’s medical records were too brief and did not contain the info she wanted. After fighting with them with no resolution, FXF sent me forms to apply for FMLA and General leave to cover the unpaid time off. I did this to make them happy. This was a huge mistake. FXF sent me a letter just recently informing me that unless I return to work by March 2, 2010 they would consider it my "resignation".

This was due to the fact that you can only be off on FMLA or General Leave protected time for 90 days. At that time the employer can demand you return to work or you can be fired legally regardless of whether you or healed. If it had not been for CA State Disability, I would have had no pay for the entire time I was off. So you see, here is just another example of how benefits that we pay for are worthless.

Unless we have a say in how our benefits are managed then we are subject to whatever FXF wants to do. The only way we will be able to have that say is with a collective bargaining agreement. The time is now to stand up and fight for our jobs, benefits and stop the use of these purchased transports.

I spent most of last night at WHT unloading FXF trailers destined for the Northwest and loading the freight onto PT long vans. This is ridiculous. Those routes were once driven by our Line Drivers.

We CAN change FedEx to win for us and our families. One thing is for sure, it will not change if you wait for someone else to do it for you. Get involved now, get to a meeting at a local and make an informed decision about your future!


Jimtrucky
Road Driver
OXN

Thursday, March 4, 2010

How To Destory A Profitable Company ...

One of the reasons you would think that FedEx made the purchase of Viking Freight was because it was a profitable and fine tuned machine? When the talk of any raises for the coming fiscal year comes up, the answers have been we are not as profitable as years before, so any kind of pay increase in the near future is questionable. So whose fault is it?

We have a system which is a model from anywhere but Vikings original territories, i.e. Arkansas. The elimination of long haul runs for the use of PT drivers. Cutting full time dockworkers to part time, or dock drivers.

The Watch Dogs would say that some of the reasons why this system is a waste of money are because when a PT driver comes in to pick a trailer and it has HM loaded. The dock has to unload that trailer to remove it. Why? That driver has no HM endorsements? Or when a PT driver who was suppose to make a pick-up is late or shutdown and cannot make the pick-up. It’s reloaded onto a set so our line drivers can move the freight. This is most likely a last resort, because the company has to pay a high paid employee now. There was a report that an employee turned in a PT driver because he was intoxicated and the police were called to remove him from the terminal!

Is This the New Purple Promise we have been reduced too?

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

What Makes 100%?

Mathematics
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint it goes like this:

What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%



and


K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But,

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that, while Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Bullshit and Ass kissing that will put you over the top