rvfanatic

Nice to have ALPA protection on things like this!

Fedex999999

So, you’re asking us to give the retirees more? When you got buy outs and other goodies? And you’re no longer here? I’d rather pay for hotels for basic Indoc new hires and keep the flow coming here. I’m not trying to sound cold- I know a lot of you worked hard- but I’d like to spend the capital on the folks on the property.

busdriver12

That might sound good to you now, but before you know it, you’ll be off the property. And you’ll be thinking that after 25-30 years, the contracts should have better addressed your retirement years.

Tuck

Very few people retire before age 65 - that's just the facts. Of the ones that do, by looking at the names I'd say at least half have Tricare so we are talking about maybe 20 people a year that would benefit from the changes - going forward. I just don't see spending negotiation capital on such a small amount of people - it's up to you to plan on retirement appropriately - if you have no other insurance and are counting on Fedex then you probably need to save up some money. I'd be all for it if more retired early but we have strong evidence that they just don't. Heck after the 2006 CBA gave that huge $25,000 to the older folks on property regardless of years on property (only time I've ever seen age matter in a contract more than seniority) very few decided to actually use that $25K for health care and retire. They went to the back seat and then when the age changed they moved back up to the front.

I see a very small vocal minority screaming for improvement here but I'd much rather spend the capital on something that will affect us all equally.

Nightflyer

Since 2006, I've been asking the union when I was going to get my $25K, PLUS INTEREST.

So far, silence.

I think anyone on the property in 2006 should get the $25K, plus interest from 2006 when they retire.

You know, just to be fair and all.

Then we can talk about the multipliers they also got.

Funny how the negotiators always seem to feather their own nest and those of their friends.

FXLAX

Or do some of both?

busdriver12

Seriously. I think we can do some of both. The concept that we should neglect everyone who is going to retire to spend on those who aren’t even on the property yet, makes zero sense. We will all be retired at some point, and we want to encourage people to retire early, not make it unattractive. Not everyone is eligible for the 40K retirement bonus from the last contract. Of course we all need to save our money for retirement, but the concept that we shouldn’t even waste time making sure that retirees don’t get totally screwed over healthcare is shortsighted.

HIFLYR

Problem is the union has allowed in a way age discrimination against the younger pilots. These age limited benefits need to stop and apply to everyone on the seniority list. This has created bad blood within the
membership i.e. only one group getting the 25k etc. I personally do not believe these "encourage people to retire" items actually do that, just look at all that stayed after pocketing the 25k payment.

busdriver12

I agree with not putting in age limited benefits in the contract, for example you don’t get the retirement notification bonus if you were less than 54 at age of signing (which makes no sense to me). While I don’t know that ensuring that retiree health care costs aren’t exorbitant may not encourage people to retire early, allowing the company to massively raise costs at their whim certainly discourages people from doing so. And making sure that retiree benefits don’t suck is not an age limited benefit, it’s a benefit that is available to everyone if they choose to utilize it.

I, for one, would like to retire by 60, but if medical costs are ridiculously expensive, I will have to rethink my strategy and possibly delay retirement.

FXLAX

I think it’s going to get to the point where we won’t really need to negotiate for things solely for new hires. As it is, FedEx is already disadvantaged by not providing regular pay and a hotel during initial. There will come a point where management will add that themselves, along with wanting to increase first year pay. When that happens, we should say, “sure, go ahead and add all that, but what will you compensate current (and or retired) pilots with to make it happen?”