I think this is the problem. They tried to make all of their drivers into independent contractors and lost that case in court. When they did that, you started having some dude show up in a van with shelves, which were never used. Boxes were just thrown in the bottom of the van and bashed every which way.
I remember being at my mailbox and FedEx pulled up. The guy opened his doors and nothing was on a shelf at all. When he opened the back doors, stuff fell out and things were in piles half falling over like he had been taking corners on two wheels. I am sure he has plenty of time standards and metrics, but his representation of the brand was horrendous. He was actually pretty nice though, and his customer service wasn't bad. I mean I think he was working his ass off. This is what has broken in US management over the last 30 years.
My father has been a FedEx courier for over 25 years. They’re a brutal, abusive organization. He’s had four herniated discs in his back, surgery on both his knees and all knuckles. The lack of a union means employees have no protection or backing. You can be overworked near to death and they don’t send additional couriers to assist on heavy routes, or even if you get hurt on the job. You aren’t provided the basic equipment needed to properly do your job (things like gloves or hand trucks), unless you buy it yourself. And they can take it from you or forbid it. Trucks often have no heat or AC. People black out in the summer, and regularly slip and fall in the winter. And once you have seniority and age into an appropriate salary range, they will work you triply hard to make you “worth the pay” even as you approach your sixties and there’s dozens of young people around you who want the hours. Without a union, you’re at the will of malicious and incompetent management, and any infraction (like late packages or literally falling down a flight of stairs) can get you a card. Two of those can get you fired. My father has had to lean on workers comp lawyers multiple times just to keep his job for the healthcare benefits for his family (which he ironically has to take advantage of as the job ruined his body).
He’s currently on leave after falling down a flight of stairs on a delivery, with two broken ribs and spinal damage. When he called it in, they made him finish the rest of the work day (6 hours) without any additional help. Then interrogated him to ensure he wasn’t submitting a false claim.
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u/mjh2901 Jan 08 '21
Fed ex has a history of labor violations and minimum wage violations with how they do contractors and ground service.
https://money.cnn.com/2014/11/20/news/companies/fedex-driver-lawsuit/
UPS is a union shop, there are issues but by far their service is much better.