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Monday, December 15, 2014

Some very interresting information

UNITED WE BARGAIN DIVIDED WE BEG

I received this from a very reliable source that been with FedEx for decades.  Please read it carefully and understand what is and has been happening to us

Feel free to share this with your coworkers that either never bother to pay attention..........
or just don't care about it because all of their family members are healthy and haven't
had to actually utilize our medical benefits like some of us have been forced to, especially
when you have a loved one with cancer and has more doctors than some of us have
underwear in our drawer!!  I would suggest that most of you pray you never have to really
utilize our medical insurance, or start filling out the papers to file for bankruptcy??
 
Just in case you did not know our health plan sucks big time!
 
Best medical plan here in 2010 was a $250 individual deductible. It was only $36.92 a wk.
That's right $36.92 It paid 90% of expenses.
 
2011 deductible went to $300 ind and $900 for family. Out of network family $1800 deductible.
 
2012 it had same $300 ind and 900 family in network but out of network family went to $2400.
The out of pocket max in 2012 was $2000 ind and $6000 family.
 
2013 deductible went to 500 ind and 1500 family.
 
2014 deductible $1200 ind and $3600 family. Plan pays just 80% its there best plan. Out of
pocket maximum is $3200 ind and $9600 family.
 
2015 deductible $2250 ind $4500 family. Out of pocket maximum $4850 ind and $9700 family.
 
As you can see how any raise was never really a raise. Our insurance has been declining rapidly since 2012.
Individual deductible $250(2010) - $2250(15) that's a $2000 increase.
 
Out of pocket maximums $2000(12) - $4850(15) that's a $2850 increase for individuals.
 
Out of pocket maximums $6000(12) - $9700(15) that's a $3700 increase for families
 
2015 is so bad they did not print any info on cards.
Its on a crash course to really effect peoples lives here. Its been admitted by a person from
Corporate that they have a step plan from now until 2018 to continue to lower our coverage
and increase deductibles.
 
Most of us have been thinking twice this year about getting any type of procedure, operation, etc. I guess that's what the Company want us to do. Sadly, many of us will not be able to opt to not have treatment or treat our chronic conditions.

We need to stop the bleeding, and have a plan in place to help us, but we need cardsI'm asking everybody In MEM, LAV, IND, OAK and all the out stations to come on board.  We need to stop the loss of benefits.

 Remember, United we bargain, divided we beg.





I have the P.O. Box for another 3 months and then I'm going to cancel it.

It is inconceivable to me that the Job Family One AMT's don't want to be in their own Class and Craft.  The Truckers beat us out for goodness sake.  What does that say about us and what is it going to take.  After they take it away, it's impossible to get it back.

This was the best time politically to get this done, but most ignored it.  I guess most are too busy to protect themselves and their families.

All the AMT's I talked to for cards, you know who you are, you didn't sent not even one and the help that was asked for was only answered by one SAMT.

I'm finished with it.  Tom hat 2 heart attaches and the money we spent we should have just flushed it down the toilet.

Just think of out retirement, 8 grand a year vs. 52, 000. a year.  Eight grand what you got now, you must like it because nobody except for one offered help.  

If, and when whoever takes this up again, I'll sign a card and good luck.  As I said before this wasn't a union drive, it was for Class and Craft.  If you think that little about yourself, I can't help you.

Randy Sherwood
ChiefSherwood@aol.com






19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well put Randy!

For the majority of AMT's, it appears, they aren't concerned UNTIL it personally affects them directly (either financially or directly from management retaliation/attacks) as some of us have had happen numerous times!

It is my guess that too many don't have family members that MUST utilize our medical benefits weekly or as some daily, due to cancer or other life struggling issues to survive? If so, they would have gotten the message loud and clear, the importance of obtaining what our pilots have!!

I've been 100% on board with Tom and others since day one but the NUMBERS DON'T LIE as to what the reality is......approx. 2500 AMT's and approx. 600 cards (give or take a few)??

I'd still like to try and understand HOW you can work in Aircraft Mx for the past 8-10 years and NOT KNOW that this drive has been going on?? Do people really live in a cave to where you would never hear anything about this quest? Someone please post on here, just how that is possible, because I flat don't get it!!! Especially in MEM or IND where the focus should be the strongest. My belief is, that is the excuse, even though that actually did hear the info but chose to IGNORE it.

I'm anxious to hear the answer!

Anonymous said...

The drive between 2007 - 2008 led by the IBT got us a decent response with close to 60% of the entire craft and class signing up. The IBT wanted 70-75% since they knew the company would continue to wage war against our effort. Enter the RLA legislation shortly thereafter and the focus shifted to getting that passed. This legislation would have defined our craft and class.

Fast forward to 2013. Conditions got progressively worse since the company took our pension away. We now have substandard health insurance from a $50 + billion dollar company. Several folks took the time to study the company's latest slight of hand and wanted to do something about it. An effort was taken up without using the scale of a third party organization. Just this blog site, a few fliers and not so good word of mouth. What this bare bones effort yielded is truly amazing - more than half of the AMTs needed to get our issue heard in DC - signed cards in order to get a seat at the table and the protection of a contract. Many have not logged on and have stayed disengaged but nonetheless still found time to complain about how bad things really are here at a time when upper management is raking in the cash off of the savings generated from switching to a substandard, catastrophic health plan, diluted medical pay, etc.

We have just over 10 months to get the additional support necessary so that we can get this before a Board that wants to help us. We are going to begin reaching out to folks who we need to support this effort. Rest assured, they are out there. (We got nine more folks on board over the wkd in MEM).

Given the amount of management browsing here, we will stop short of what we have in mind once we begin to connect with more supporters.

When FedEx releases it second quarter earnings on Wednesday, ask your manager how much money the company is saving with our new health plan and remind him that whatever the net profit is, it was fueled by cuts made to your very own health plan!!

Anonymous said...

Anybody know how negotiations are going right now for the UPS AMTs?

Anonymous said...

I truly appreciate someone taking a few minutes to speak up and address this with some kind of explanation.

I can promise you that what Tom was pointing out regarding continued changes happening, and we've witnessed them change......will continue to change, NOT FOR OUR BENEFIT!

I will make a wager, that within the next 2-3 years or possibly sooner, you'll see them walk away from the Portable Pension just as they did to the Traditional?

Do you know that since we have gone on a massive spare aircraft reduction, that we now are leasing space on commercial passenger carriers such as British Airways(and I'm sure others)to get International freight back over to the U.S. because we don't have the capable lift to fly it ourselves? These changes had nothing to do with Christmas volumes.

Thanks again for answer/explanation above....It's good to hear that more people are waking up to the importance of the ever changing concerns!

Anonymous said...

I second the thanks.

Things are all beginning to make sense now.

You have the support of many guys where I am.

Also, does anyone have the headcounts for our top 10 most staffed locations?



Anonymous said...

Good summary. Let's go.


-MEM Line Gang

Anonymous said...

This sucks, this company is going down the TOILET! We need to get PISSED OFF and come together. I'm sick of begging and we deserve too be treated better! Give me someone that has been with this company over ten years, that feels as though we are better off now then, then. Because I can get a hundred coworker that say IT'S NOT! We need some common ground to work from. Let me know if you feel the same.

Anonymous said...

Yep.

I agree.

While the company likes to tought our pay, we have been getting killed on big ticket items like health care, pension, medical pay, etc, while our very own pilots and peers at UPS have retained these very valuable benefits.

Watch the FedEx pilot negotiations and UPS AMT negotiations in 2015. The rich benefits will remain in the next contracts.

Why, you ask? The leverage of a third party negotiated contract. We will continue to get screwed untIl we take this path. Think beyond the paycheck the company gives you every month - helathcare, pension, are the most valuable which is why the company has diluted them to almost nothing!

Hope everyone has a great holiday and does some thinking. A great opportunity exists right now to get before the Board next year. Several of us are working hard to make that happen. However, we all have to come together off of our collective asses and get this done.

Anonymous said...

Time to stop all the bullshit this company has been engaging in against its employees - we are all getting hurt:

Our Company's History of Opposing
Unionization:

• As early as 1983, a FedEx booklet titled “Managers Labor Law Book” credits the company’s success in large part to being “union free.”66 On the second page, the booklet declares that the corporate goal is to remain “union free;”

• In 1989, shortly before acquiring Tiger International Airline, many of whose pilots were union members, FedEx’s founder and chief executive officer, Fred Smith, declared: “I don’t intend to recognize any unions at Federal Express;”67

• In 1993, FedEx distributed to its managers a booklet produced by the company’s legal department titled “Keeping the People Philosophy Alive: Making Unions Unnecessary.” The cover letter said, “Enclosed you will find a new guide designed to provide Federal Express managers with basic information about union avoidance and union organizing.

• As recently as 2013, FedEx’s Human Resource Services and Diversity Organization published a paper calling on human resources staff to “co-develop strategy with Labor Relations team on union avoidance,” and listing five “union avoidance strategies.

We recognize the right of Express to resist unionization by its employees – provided that in doing so, it respects the rights of the employees and complies with its own legal obligations. But that has not always been the case with FedEx.

In 1991, for example, the National Mediation Board found that FedEx Express illegally interfered with the representation election for the company’s pilots.70 In another election, the pilots voted for union representation, becoming the only group of FedEx Express’ employees to unionize.

Today, the Company has adopted its policy of appeasement - or let's just buy off the fools with a patchwork of hidden raises other "perks" which do not cost the company a penny. All at the same time fleecing our pension, various work benefits and most recently our entire health care plan. The tactic here is simple - buy off the AMTs in the short run so they want force the company into meaningful bargaining.

Who wins here? I think we all know the answer.

Anonymous said...

We probably would have had a votr if the cards would have been turned in about 8 years ago but someone thought the law would change so HE decideed to sit on them and take the chance that that so called law would pass and it failed.Now the Teamster guy sitting next to him new that we had to have class and craft first but didn't say a word.

Anonymous said...

We are 479 cards shy of what we need. We must get this down before next fall which is when the current cards to stale.

This is very achievable.

Anonymous said...

Great strides have been made towards our effort in 2014. I want to thank everyone who helped get us this far for their continued support and efforts. These efforts are not going unnoticed.

There are large factions of support out there right now with more jumping on board each week.

2015 shows great promise for this drive at a time when the company's executives and officer teams have been raking in money hand over fist as the company continues to exceed its business plans and the stock continues to soar to new heights. What we have received in return is a joke of a health plan with high premiums, high deductibles and coverage for only the most catastrophic situations.

The "crumbs" we are being thrown now are nice but not a replacement for a decent health plan and a credible pension. Folks are waking up to this reality and the need for credible benefits befitting a company as successful as FedEx.

In 2015 we are going to see to it that we get the protection we need to secure all that we have lost. We wish everyone a great holiday season.

Anonymous said...

Could not agree more!

Anonymous said...

There's no better Christmas present than to see that after years and years of throwing seeds out(to the AMT's) regarding the ever changing dynamics of how this company has proven it no longer respects it's employees as a treasured commodity, people are beginning to see the truth to the reality!!

Here's wishing all of you and your families a joyous Christmas and that 2015 is the year we demand to be given our dignity and respect back for the incredible job we do to keep our most expensive assets, fine tuned and operating at the level we do!

That job deserves MORE than we're being given!!!!

Unknown said...

Let's keep our eye on the Prize.No more he said she said Crap.This is do able.Merry Christmas to all.Randy you need any help just contact me.I'm not hiding.

Anonymous said...

A few of us just found this site out here in LA - couple of managers actually said we would be fools not to go after a contract with an AMT craft and class. Everyone has had it with the smoke and mirrors.

For us, it boils down to:

1. The health insurance scam the company pulled in us this year.
2. A complete lack of respect for what we do to make this company very profitable.
3. No meaningful retirement benefits.

As an earlier poster said, think beyond the crumbs the company his using right now in an attempt to quiet everyone. The gig is up.

It's our time now! We can do this

Anonymous said...

Yep - well said. Enough already.

Jim - MEM

Anonymous said...

We would like to give a shout out to Tom and Randy for all that they have accomplished so far. Props you both...

Agree - look beyond the "crumbs". We all deserve much better.

Bad year healthcare wise for several of us here in IND. Every one needs to wake the hell up! They are trying to divert your attention from the real issues like lack of adequate health insurance, piss poor retirement plan. Contrary to what many of you young bucks think, you all are really going to appreciate these items in the future.

This is real - this is about our futures.

"Think beyond the Crumbs"

IND Committee

Anonymous said...

Several of you have been asking for general head count numbers. AMT headcount numbers below to aid in reaching our goal.

Some Location Breakdowns:

MEM: 871
LAX: 405
IND - 317
OAK - 70
EWR - 58
ANC - 45
DFW - 37
ATL - 34
ORD - 32
BOS - 21

Phoenix - 17
Philadelphia - 16
Denver - 16
Miami - 15
Houston - 14
Detroit - 12
Minneapolis - 12
Ontario -15
Seattle - 13
San Diego - 12
Columbus - 10
Dulles - 10
Portland, Or - 10
Fort Lauderdale - 9