Albie,

I was actually started to disregard the majority of posts in this forum in the same way I did FI. I'm glad you posted your thoughts and hope posts like yours and some consistent action by the moderators keep this forum useful.

Couple things I've noticed where my personal experience diverges from what I see on APC:

1. 99.9%of the Fella/Gals I've flown with at Fdx are professional, prepared, smart and easy to fly with....and generally happy with their jobs.

2. Fedex mgt has treated me pretty well. First of all, they hired me. I've asked for help in one hurricane and one family emergency. I was taken off a trip b4 I could finish the explanation about the family issue....and the Chief of Training's response to the impending hurricane was , "Here is my cell #, call me when the storm passes and you know how much damage you have and we'll reschedule your sims. Go take care of your family." BUT I have heard the stories of guys getting fired after accidents, sick call harassment, slow grievance resolution etc. I know there is a darker side to our relations with mgt at times.

3. The union. I am not in favor of Age 60 because I don't want to work past age 60. I voted against the FDA LOA. However, most of my interaction with the union has been positive. The benefits gal is a whiz and so is David at contract enforcement. My block rep has replied to all my emails and questions. The meetings are well-organized, our new negotiating chairman is one of the smartest, most motivated guys I've seen yet. I disagree with some of the positions my MEC (note the wording...MY) has taken but generally feel the union has my back. Having said that, I did just give them significant negative feedback during their recent Wilson poll...specifically about communication, meeting documentation, contract enforcement. BUT, my MEC commissioned a poll to allow me the give them feedback...good on them.

So why the difference in what I experience day to day and what folks post here? Could be the anonymity that APC offers. Could be some angst that folks suppress day to day at work. Maybe APC does represent that "vocal minority" that DC talked about.....I'm not sure. LOA voting vs. the online poll here actually does bear this out.

We do seem to present a very negative picture online to the rest of the "online" aviation community about working at Fedex. I troll around the UPS posts and despite their co./union history, their posts seems much more well....mature, less emotional. FI has gone the other direction and is totally useless....just a foodfight.

It's a strange study of human nature...not really sure we'll ever figure out online behavior vs. actual behavior.

I guess it's just comes down to your personal outlook, positive or negative.

 

Yup, good post Albie, Sniz and others. It needed to be said. I haven't spent much time here lately, primarily because of all the "negative vibes". Hopefully this sticky will keep the scotch and key board a bit more apart.

 

Albie ... great subject and I know deep down inside that you are right (morally, politically and professionally). Here's my perspective ...

I previously worked for a failing legacy carrier. At that airline, a) we were treated like professionals, b) your flight manager was your friend, it was his job to get you out of trouble if he possibly could. (I do NOT understand why flight management is such an adversary here?). c) If you had a lapse of judgment, it was likely that ALPA would be able to get your job back.

I, like you, really like this job. No doubt it's my (and most of our) type "A" personality that "makes" me do everything I can to the very best of my ability to move the airplane as professionally as I possibly can. Truth be told, I take a deep personal pride in the job I do for this company each and every day. That said, I find it difficult to rationalize:

1. Red Letters from the company founder and CEO telling me he can do this "With or Without me"!*? Many people have expressed that it was just business, it was never intended to be personal. Well. I TOOK IT PERSONALLY!*? Yeah, that makes me want to bust my ass every night for him! What the hell was he thinking? What a STUPID management philosophy that was!

2. After maybe 150 deviation check-ins, I forgot to do one. I wasn't out of position for my trip. I didn't miss a flight ... I just forgot to check in. There is now a irregularity report in my personnel file. Needless to say, it doesn't address the really good job I do for this company each and every day ... instead, it addresses the ONE TIME I "failed to comply with the CBA." Yeah, that makes me want to bust my ass every night for this company!

3. I have yet to get one of the infamous "sick leave abuse" calls but I did once have a critically ill family member. I called my flight manager and told him I needed some time off. He told me he could drop my trips eligible for make-up. After I explained the FELA (Family Emergency Leave Act) to him, he told me I could use both my sick leave and vacation to care for my sick relative (in accordance with federal labor law!). WTFO? I had to tell him what the proper (legal!) answer was to my leave request? I was called periodically by flight management to see how things were going at home which I didn't find offensive.

4. Prior to my most recent upgrade training cycle, I called the head of MD-11 training and requested that the scheduled 10 day break in the middle of training be moved up a week so that I could still go on my long planned (from the previous years vacation bidding!) family ski vacation (I had already called the f/o I was paired with to make sure he didn't mind. He said the week I wanted off would be better for him also). "Can't do it," was the answer from our now MD-11 DP king. After training started, I spoke with the scheduler who said she could have and would gladly have accommodated my request had she received it prior to the start of training. Thanks Buck!

5. Expense reports ... Our deviation system is a great deal. I treat my deviation bank as though it was my personal money. Back in the days before we got NW Worldperks miles, I would sometimes deviate just because I could get a cheaper fare on another airline and save the company some money (and thus help insure some of my own job security through greater company profits!). I would sometimes take the subway and then a taxi when deviating home instead of just a taxi because it saved the company $35. Because of my good stewardship with the company's money, I have sometimes felt as though maybe my flight manager might be inclined to bend the rules on a deviation request but NOOOOOOOOO!

So .. I could go on but I've ranted long enough. In short (OK, maybe not so short), I do not feel as though I'm treated like a professional. Instead, I'm just a member of a "chain gang" waiting to get hit over the head with the guard's shotgun if I screw up ...

Regards ... Mark
__________________

 

"What we got heeeere, is a failure ta communicate!"

 

Civility. Yes. We should maintain that.

Good things--

It is truly an amazing thing that the company can't force us to use the company jumpseat for DHs. I appreciate that.

I am glad I can't be forced into an FDA

Pretty good vacation system.

Ability to drop trips is cool.

I work with some really good guys/gals. That is nice.

727 training department is not the creature it once was. (So I hear) Some good guys/gals doing good things there now.

I've heard MD11 is better too.

I have high hopes for the 757 program.

I like scoobie snacks.

Company is stable and makes gobs of money



Bad things--

They look smaller in comparison

 

True, but if you don't address them, they will grow.

 

Mayday Mark

Can you expand on your experience with your ACP when you mentioned the Family Emergency Leave Act?

I've heard conflicting stories/guidance on what's allowed/accepted for using our "sick leave" when other family members are ill.

Thanks.

 

Here's a simple answer - if you are not physically or mentally fit to fly – you are sick. If you were worrying about sick family members and/or child care issues more than your job, you would not be mentally fit to fly, call in sick.

 

Agree....another poster mentioned that if you fail any portion of the IMSAFE checklist you can/should call in sick.

I guess I am more interested in learning about the "legal aspect" of invoking the Family Emergency Leave Act as a method to ward off a probing ACP.

Prior to the early 90s, some major airlines wouldn't hire pilots unless you had 20/20 vision - uncorrected.

Then the American Disabilities Act was passed and they could no longer legally discriminate against those who wore glasses.

Just wondering why this issue is still debated if there is a federal law which specifically addresses it.

(OK....major apology to Albie for the thread hijack)

 

The answer is rather long and complicated. I'll PM you so as not to bore those who might not be interested.