October 2018

As part of our Quality of Life Initiative, we would like to highlight a couple of benefits that we believe you should consider during this open enrollment period. Please note, the annual open enrollment period for FedEx benefits opened on October 18, 2018, and runs through November 1, 2018.

FDX MEC Long-Term Disability: Special Enrollment Period, November 1-December 31, 2018
We have negotiated a substantial reduction in premium costs, which complements and greatly enhances the total long-term disability (LTD) package offered by the corporation and the union. This plan provides 17 percent of pre-disability income, and that benefit is not subject to federal income tax or most state income tax as well. During the special enrollment period, Evidence of Insurability (EOI) is NOT REQUIRED with proof of an approved FAA physical.

ALPA Critical Illness & Accident Insurance: Year-Round Enrollment Begins November 1, 2018
Critical Illness and Accident Insurance are two separate plans that provide a cash benefit payout that when used with the wellness benefit, can reduce your payments to little or nothing. For example, if you are married with two children, elect Accident Insurance, and obtain the max wellness credit (by submitting an annual wellness exam for you and each covered dependent), your monthly premium would be $5.24 a month.

Yes, we know this sounds too good to be true but please reach out to the R&I Committee (901-752-8749 or FedEx-R&IChair@alpa.org) for further details.

There are multiple covered accidents that qualify for benefits under this plan. For example, if you have an emergency room visit, the plan will pay you $300. If a covered participant fractures their leg, the cash payout would be between $2,500 and $5,000.

A s you can see, we believe these benefits will greatly enhance your quality of life. For more information, please see this recent communication, which provides more detail, or call the FedEx ALPA office at 901-752-8749 and ask to speak with a benefits specialist.

You hear us say this all the time, “no data, no problem.” The Company has created a system where we have to fill out time-consuming reports and forms to validate what we know to be a problem.

Is there any doubt when ground transportation does not show up on time or does not show up at all? Is there any doubt when a pairing has unrealistic times associated with it, either the leg itself or the turn? What about trips that were diverted, revised, or a million other things the Company altered that caused a problem?

But yet, we still have to fill out a report to prove there was a problem. Remember, “no data, no problem.”

The Company has built a system of reports and forms so that we can let them know when there is a problem. Yet, time and time again after we do, nothing gets changed. We often hear from pilots that a report was filled out, but they never heard anything back or received any feedback.

Why do these reports and forms have to be excessively difficult to complete? Why do they have to be confusing and inconvenient? This picture comes to mind for some when filling out Company reports.

Company reports are the equivalent to a retail store’s rebate system. Why do stores provide rebates instead of just putting an item on sale? If we are purchasing a $1,000 pool table and the store has a rebate for $200, why doesn’t the store just sell the pool table for $800 in the first place?

Here’s why. Up to 60% of all rebates are never redeemed. These businesses know that only a certain percentage of people are going to take the time to go through what is typically an inconvenient, sometimes complicated, time-consuming task required to accomplish the rebate process. The result is the store is able to keep their price point for the pool table high (it remains a $1,000 product) and only refund those customers who successfully completed the rebate procedure.

Let’s compare this to filling out a Company report. Frankly, the Company knows that a certain number of pilots are just not going to take the time to fill out these reports. Let’s say that eliminates 60% of the pilots. That leaves 40% who might actually take the time to fill out the report. The pilot actually tries to go to PFC to fill out the Company report and experiences a technical issue; the PFC website is down, you can’t get a computer to work in AOC or you attempt to fill out the report multiple times only to get kicked out of the system each time. How often have those failures happened lately? Well, that just eliminates more pilots; let’s say another 10%. Now out of the 30% of pilots who are left, some realize the reports are too complicated or time consuming and 10% more give up. You can see that now there are only a small percentage of pilots left who are actually successful in filling out these reports to notify the Company of a problem.

As a result, the Company can make claims like we don’t have any Insite reports or only 20% of pilots have this or that issue. Then they can also make claims that they have industry-leading programs that might not be so industry leading.

Again, “no data, no problem.”

Please don’t let these complications we write about above deter or stop you from filling out these reports as these are the games we have to play to try and improve our quality of life. When you are successful, we ask that you send us a copy.

Send copies or screenshots to:
Insite@alpa.org
FatigueReport@alpa.org