NoKoolAid,

You made the right decision staying at Fedex. Here's why:

Fedex BELIEVES in proper and progressive management. This is something that you can sink your teeth into and get behind. Something you can gain loyalty to.

UPS, is the exact opposite. They lead by fear, sarcassm, and ridicule. As the old saying goes, "The beatings will continue until moral improves". This is the 50's style of management that UPS follows. Don't let their buzzwords and catch phrases of, "....to be the safest airline in the world, where our people enjoy coming to work".

Its not like that. I have been at 5 previous airlines. Never once, was I called at home by the chief pilot. Days off were days off. Unless, you were going to get fired. Ask any captain how often they have gotten called at home while working at UPS. Maybe 4x a year. And ask them how often they got called when they first upgraded. Times that by 4.

UPS always has the implied hammer. They accomplish this through their little middle pilot managers that run around asking questions of why line captain x did this or that. In addition to the United Way and catering that someone else mentioned.

This is the way of life at UPS. Sorry. They also have 90+ years of dealing with the teamsters. And they LOVE fighting with labor. It is their comfort zone. It's, "what they do". And they do it very very well. Just ask any of the guys that have been fired, or, temporarily taken hostage, I should say, until they get their job back. Ridiculous. They just love to poke and screw around with the pilot group as a whole on a daily basis to see how united we are.

I love the stability of UPS. It is as close as working for the government in stability that you can get. However, I have started over 5x in my career. It is a painful process. I wont leave UPS because of knowing that pain. And that's why people stay. Because UPS is stable, and starting over can be detrimental to your health, your marriage, and your life. So the people who would say, if you don't like it, leave, have no concept.

As far as changing something, as someone responded already, going to the dark side is a one way door. I, and probably many others have been offered to interview. Beyond the yearly mailing by UPS of, hey! Come to management! That we all get. I´ve been offered in person on two occassions and wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.

Sorry, the us vs them is a comfort zone that UPS loves. They have created it. And it is so silly because there is so little that they could do to get actual allegiance from the heart rather than fear of losing our jobs.

And that is all sincere writing.