More than 3,000 employees rally in support of FedEx:
Wednesday November 18 10:47 AM ET
Nonunion FedEx Staff Picks Up Slack
By WOODY BAIRD Associated Press Writer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Nonunion employees of Federal Express Corp. vow to keep holiday shipments moving
whether the company's pilots strike or not.
More than 3,000 company workers hit the streets Tuesday in Memphis to show support for Federal Express in its
struggle with the Fedex Pilots Association.
''We wanted to show we're all willing to come together,'' said Susan Inman, a FedEx office worker. ''If we have to
deliver packages, work the hub, whatever it takes, that's what we'll do.''
Meanwhile, the pilots union staged informational pickets in New York and Los Angeles. They put on a similar
demonstration Monday in Atlanta.
The company and its pilots have been haggling over a work contract since July. Negotiations broke off Oct. 30 and last
week pilots began refusing to work overtime.
Strike authorization ballots have been mailed to union members; if two-thirds of them approve, a strike can be called.
The ballots will be counted the first week in December.
The National Mediation Board is trying to get FedEx and the pilots union talking again, but no date has been set for
renewal of negotiations.
The NMB said Tuesday it also is urging the company and the union to tone down their comments about each other. Each
side has accused the other of refusing to negotiate in good faith.
FedEx pilots say they want greater job security, control over work rules and a pay raise. The company says its latest
contract offer includes a 17 percent raise over five years that would put the pilots near the top of industry pay scales.
The union wants a 5 percent raise retroactive to a negotiated date and 19 percent more over four years.
FedEx officials say the company will use more ground vehicles and contract aircraft to keep packages moving if the pilots
strike. FedEx has two $1 billion lines of credit to finance such efforts.
Though both sides say a strike is far from certain, many nonunion workers fear threats of a work slowdown over the
busy holiday season will lead some FedEx customers to take their business elsewhere.
Memphis-based Federal Express, a subsidiary of FDX Corp. (NYSE:FDX - news), is the world's largest air cargo
delivery company with 326 cargo jets. It has 3,500 pilots and more than 140,000 employees worldwide. |
