VOD#3, FAQ and UltraEx

Market Street's down that way.
Yes, it is raining as a matter of fact.
Right there next to where it says "SIGNATURE" in big capital letters, please.
No, I don't have any proj.
You can catch the cable car right down there.
Sure, I'm all right; it's just a flesh wound.
I was looking where I was going, you fucking idiot!
No, I don't think we're hiring. Try Aero.
It's that real big building right there.
Da!

-Eric Wilson

What's Up, Doc?!
Hard Times @ Ultra-Ex

The day after Thanksgiving, Ultra-Express dropped its bikers' commission a record 4%, without any advance warning. The drop from 50% to 46% is a 8% loss in overall pay. Messengers noticed the lower wages on Monday and complained. They were told all would be explained at a mandatory 6.30am meeting on Wednesday. Some of her fellow co-workers encouraged Wendy Phelan to write a petition, stating that the drop in commission was unfair. Unless the full 50% commission* was restored the messengers would walk-out on Friday.

During the meeting over 50 of the 70 employees present signed the petition. After seeing the signatures, Ernest "Doc" Holbrook said any messenger who walked-out would be fired. Ultra-Ex does, however, have a policy allowing three days of absence, without calling in, before termination.

Doc said the whole situation was a big misunderstanding. He had intended to raise rates the entire time. Rates were raised by 10%, but only in Zones 1, 2, and 3. And clients who refused to pay the increased rates simply paid the old rates. As the higher zones are at old rates, the longboard riders are still loosing 8% of their pay. This hurts some of the most experienced and dedicated riders Ultra-Ex has.

The justification for dropping commission was the age-old lament that too many accidents skyrockets the workman's comp rates; however, Ultra-Ex hasn't recently experienced extraordinarily horrible accidents and Speedway, by changing names to Ultra-Ex, should theoretically have a clean slate. This is the same thing that occurred when Special T became Flash and San Francisco Delivery Service became All-City. Wendy theorizes that since the buy-out, Doc has been loosing money due to Ultra-Ex's high overhead and decided to cover in by trimming messengers' wages. The surcharge off the top of the price was increased as the commission was dropped.

On January 1st, longboard rates are supposed to be increased by 10%, but Doc says he has no intention of restoring commission to the full 50%. Many bikers quit. One of the bikers that stayed said he regretted the fact that they did not already have representatives in place to present a unified front, instead of the management talking to each messenger individually. The remaining messengers intend to start meeting outside of work and to elect representatives that will keep the lines of communication from the office to the streets open. - America

*Of course, that is 50% of the tag price after the 15% insurance surcharge has been taken out.

First Meeting to Discuss Messenger Labor Reform

Joining a Union? Forming a Union?
Forming a Guild? What are our options?

Thursday, December 19th, 1996 at 7.00pm, 2134 Folsom Street

Bring your ideas and concerns.
At least one person from every company should try to attend!