The loss of jobs at ABX/Astar would be easier to take if DHL's decision made sense. After years of mistakes led to their loss of market share/profits, they seemed to blame everything and everone else for it rather than say "what are we doing wrong?" Then they decide to pay the competition a billion dollars a year to compete against them, throwing away what they perceived to be the problem; ABX/Astar/Ohio workers. This would be like Delta Airlines making the anouncement that they can no longer accept their current losses, so they are going to fire their pilots and FA's, park their airplanes, and pay American Airlines a billion dollars a year to fly their passengers, and still consider themselves in competition.
In the past when an airline has gone out of business, with hindsight people can say "if only they had done this or if only they had done that", but with DHL, their current situation was seen with foresight, not hindsight. Everyone screamed "don't do this, don't do that" or you'll lose the business, but they didn't listen. What a shame!
I have nothing to back any of this up with, only my emotions and gut feelings. I'm frustrated with the situation, but it's water under the bridge and now I'll move on with my life. Guys flying for UPS telling me that I'm a fool for fighting for my job only add to my frustration. Have a little sympathy. My thanks to the ones that do.
In closing I believe that FedEx and UPS were never afraid of DHL. They were afraid of Airborne Express with money!
Anybody else believe that?