FedEx Versus Congress
By J Scott Leake • Jul 28th, 2009 • Category: Feature, PoliticsWhen members of the Virginia General Assembly stand before a committee of their peers to present a bill, the first question often posed is “what problem is this legislation supposed to correct.” It is too bad lawmakers in Washington do not take the same approach, especially when 1,700 workers in Virginia can be impacted. Let me explain.
While far reaching energy, environment and health care legislation understandably dominate the news, another measure is winding its way through the congressional legislative maze. With little notice, a bill that would change the parameters under which Federal Express operates is quietly waiting for a vote. The individual consumer likely cares little about the outcome, but they should!
Imagine a strike at a key Federal Express hub in Virginia by the Teamsters based on the vote of only a handful of workers. What important medical package or critical document could be stranded in transit? Think life saving medicine, pay checks, replacement parts and critical inventory for all sorts of businesses, not to mention flowers and the Valentine’s Day teddy bear.
How could this be possible? By an act of Congress.
Already the House of Representatives has passed without any public hearings, (so much for the promised new transparency), a change in the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) reauthorization act. Buried in this bill is a provision that would take Federal Express out from the provisions of the Railroad Labor Act (RLA) and place it under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) where UPS – FedEx’s larger but worried competitor — currently operates.
FedEx delivers 85 percent of its packages by air. It is the world’s second largest ‘airline, ‘ and subsequently it is regulated by the RLA as that governs both railroads and airlines. Going back to 1926, the law is designed to keep local strikes in the transportation industry from creating a bottleneck that would in turn cripple the entire nationwide system. Strikes can only be called nationwide and the President has the authority to impose mediation, cooling off periods and the like.
UPS delivers 85 percent of its shipments exclusively by truck. As such it is regulated like every other trucking company and falls under the authority of the NLRA. If regulations on FedEx were changed so that it was government by NLRA a local Teamsters strike in one of their choke points could devastate its nationwide distribution system; and the government could not intervene as it can today.
So if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
Follow the money. The market share of UPS has capped out and may be shrinking. With a different business model – air vs. truck and other innovations – FedEx Express has come on strong and continues to improve its economic position. Much like Brer Rabbit, UPS wants to drag FedEx into its own briar patch of labor relations. And, of course, the Teamsters want its foot in the airplane door.
And what many don’t understand is that FedEx has an especially large footprint in Virginia. Dulles, Richmond and Norfolk are major FedEx hubs. These facilities employ more than 1,700 people and lease space equivalent to eight of Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium.
Virginia has been rated the most ‘Business Friendly’ state a number of times, including during both then-governor Mark Warner’s and current governor Tim Kaine’s terms. It will be interesting to see how Sen. Webb and Warner vote if and when a similar provision comes to the Senate. It would be interesting to see if Governor Kaine, with his new national political title, weighs in to support the continuation of the current, and successful, regulatory set up for FedEx Express.
There is something unseemly about taking very successful company and forcing it into a different government oversight situation, especially when the situation does not warrant it. FedEx is successful, so just leave it alone and let Virginia’s 1,700 FedEx employees continue doing what they do in the way they do it. There is no rational reason it seems to me to make a change.
J Scott Leake is the Director of Government and Public Affairs for the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy and is a well known figure in Richmond. He has been associated with the House and Senate Republican caucuses of the General assembly since 1993, providing them with guidance in the arenas of policy and press as well as politics. Importantly, his professional and personal demeanor has enabled him to foster and maintain cordial relationships across the political spectrum and across the political aisle.
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I cannot understand how any business-minded legislator could support this effort to subject FedEx’s labor relations to the NLRA, particularly in a time of economic downturn such as this. Many businesses are keeping smaller and smaller inventories on hand and therefore depend on quick, reliable shipping to meet customers’ needs. Striking employees would harm more than just FedEx, it could cripple small businesses around the country, not to mention hospitals and health care providers who rely on their shipping services.
If Fedex is delivering 85% of their packages by air, then where are all these airplanes landing? Oh – at airports, just like UPS airplanes; the packages and freight are distributed just like UPS packages and delivered like UPS packages. If Fedex is primarily an airline, then what is Fedex Ground and Fedex Home Delivery? If I recall correctly, Fedex purchased both RPS (Roadway Package Service) and Watkins Truck Lines (Less Than Truck Load) for the purpose of competing in ground transportation, so what is it about “85% of their deliveries being by air”??? I think not, and you shouldn’t either….
FedEx Ground, Home Delivery and Freight segments comprise a very small part of the overall business model. Express deliveries (read airplanes) have always been the biggest FedEx Operating Company based on both shipment count and revenues.
Ground transit/expansion is just another way for FedEx to expand their synergies- much like Kroger sells fresh flowers and pastries to compete with florists and bakers.
Mr. Leake, I’ll have to agree with Mr. Williams. Unless FedEx pilots drop packages from the sky to both commercial and residential addresses, I don’t think you have a clear understanding of the law that FedEx has been trying to hide over the past several years. This law gives FedEx an unfair competitive advantage over other transportation carriers. To keep this argument as simple as possible, Congress needs to ask themselves one simple question…Who makes the FINAL delivery of FedEx packages to their customers…the pilots or the package car drivers? If you want to talk about FedEx being an airline…UPS is the 10th largest airline in the United States. Concerning your statement, “Imagine a strike a key Federal Express hub in Virginia…” I’ll tell you who would deliver the packages…UPS would without a problem. UPS delivers more packages overnight on time in the U.S. than any other carrier, including FedEx. Mr. Leake, were even aware UPS had airplanes?
Sir, I have to disagree with the entire premise of your opinion piece. It is not that FedEx will go on strike with the new legislation, it is that the playing field in the world of labor laws would be even. IT is up to the employees of FedEx if they choose union representation.
UPS has been very successfull (my driver rocks) being burndened with an unfair disadvantage to FedEx that congress has continued to ignore. UPS is 103 years old and going strong.
UPS manages to keep it’s network running while falling under the NLRA. FedEx points out their advantage over UPS in cometative sales situations and for that reason, I must say it is time to level the playing field. When you say “it aint broke, don’t fix it”, that is a direct insult to the 4000 UPS workers in Virginia. It is broke, and time to be fixed.
I
One more quick response to Tom -
Tom, it would be like Kroger competing with florists and bakeries, while getting a huge discount on their groceries from suppliers. They would get this “special treatment” from vendors, putting the other grocery stores at a disadvantage.
The laws are uneven and would give “kroger” a distinct advantage over their competitors.
Mr Sorce/Mr Williams, I’d like to correct the record. FedEx Express is the only operating company under the FedEx portfolio that falls under the RLA. FedEx Ground, Home Delivery and the LTL operating companies are under the NLRA already. UPS Air lobbied back in the 90″s to be covered by the RLA. That effort was denied due to the model UPS implements. UPS combines air and ground packages within the same network. FedEx’s model of separate operating companies does not mix freight. They pick up and deliver packages based on the mode selected. Express packages and Ground packages are picked up, transported, sorted through separate networks and delivered by different drivers/couriers. They never mix freight and they operate independent of each other.
The Express network opearates as an airline and the couriers are part of the integrated network that provides the pick up and delivery of packages once the air tramsportation segement is complete.
Aprreciate the article and the commenters. Is there a labor question encoded here? Virginia is a business friendly state. With the vague mention of the Teamsters this brings right to work or run a business in Virginia. I have learned that the term right to work in Virginia means the right to get screwed by your employer. IMHO.
Like’s keep it real simple, does FedEx have more pilots or more truck drivers?
There is no good reason to give any union or any government bureau (state or federal) any more power over any business, including Fedx. All businesses should be governed only by free market principles and not by organized gangsters.
Unions already have too much power in the states and federal governments.
Steven,
You’re right. Keep it simple, but focus on the network, not the role of the employee. The integrated Express network works with air frieght only. Using pilots, couriors, handlers, customer service agents etc. All are airline employees in the same manner one would recognize pilots,flight attendents and counter agents at United Airlines. RLA applies to airlines, it’s that simple.
Bowman…amen brother,amen
Joe…FedEx, I mean FedEx Express. Which one do they use now? Doesn’t the commercial say FedEx? It gets confusing after awhile. FedEx can continue to use smoke and mirrors to try to call themselves an airline, but we know what’s gong on with that whole thing. A FedEx DRIVER makes the end deliver to the customer, just like a UPS, DHL, and any other parcel delivery driver. On another note, have you heard how those class action lawsuits are going by the FedEx Ground drivers? It makes you wonder what else FedEx has up their sleeve and is trying to get away with? Let me ask one more question…did Fred Smith actually make a threat to some congressman if this ruling went against FedEx…hmmmm.
I’ve worked at UPS for almost 30 years and I am ashamed of their practices when it comes to affecting political policy.
Watching my co workers being made write out letters to their representatives is almost comical. What dullards they are.
Oh, well. Being paid over 20 dollars an hour on the average to write letters is ok if you don’t mind being told what to write. It’s Big Brown…
I can see the motivation for this argument, “the big footprint that fedex has in Va,” also Mr.Leake has many leaks in his argument. A handful of workers cannot cause a strike, it needs to be voted upon nationally. The days of the wildcat strikes are over. Mr. Leake doesn’t cite the way employees are treated or classified nor does he bring up the fact that other companies are doing the “SAME” job for a higher rate of pay and better benefits! Mr. Leake seems to cite the same unfounded rallying points that all fedex employees were given. Nothing new nothing innovative just Company rhetoric!
J -
I realize you may be confused by which operating company is being referenced. But under the legal definition, FedEx Express and FedEx Ground are completely separate units of a larger corporation, FedEx Corp. You are defining the role of courier, which in this case is employed by the airline division of FedEx Corp. Thanks for clearing up who makes the end delivery for FedEx Express. Yes, you are correct, a FedEx Exress courier delivers a package. What you are not wanting to recognize is that for an airline to provide door to door service, the system must be integrated with ground operations. Their can not be one segment that can disrupt the other by creating a work stoppage. Thereby, interrupting the movement of critical, sometimes lifesaving, goods.
Please provide reference for FWS threats to a congressman. I have not heard this before your post. My guess, if true, he is not the first US citizen that would like to set someone in congress straight. But actually, I don’t think FWS would make such a threat. He’s a class act ,beginning to end. A true US success story.
DJC…any proof of higher pay and better benefits? Let’s be honest, unions have outlived their usefulness. They protect the employees that need to be removed and do nothing for those with drive and a sense of responsibility and work ethic. When a company treats it’s employees well, provides a competitive wage/benefit package and a positive work environment, a third party is not needed to skim dollars from the empolyees. Ask the teamster members how much of their wages they rec’d during their strike in ‘97. Then ask the union bosses how much they sacrificed for the cause. My guess is the answer is the same…very little or none.
Joe,
As an employee at Ups for 34 yrs all I have to do is produce my paycheck as proof and compare it to my friends that work at FedEx that do the exact same job! As benefits go we are the envy of the industry even at the part time level. (part time benefits are the exact sameone as the fulltime benefits) As for strike insurance my local doesn’t feel the need for one. Come on, 1 strike in 90yrs, and with all that income the prudent employee puts money away for contract years. The union staff was not on strike, in a matter fact they were working harder and longer during the strike, although nobody liked being on the streets, it was good feeling to see the support the public and other unions offered us during this time. (food, water, some jobs, and in one case that I saw, money!) Obviously you seem to be writing about something you really don’t know to much about! I always thought an article was supposed to be written without bias apparently this is not the case here! Well it doesen’t suprise me that in these hard economic times that even a so called writer could WHORE himself out to write such a biased peice, much like the defense attorney can hire a “proffesional” witness to see the story from his point of view! ” When will the blind begin to see!!”
Joe
For your reference, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, (3/25/09) on 3/24 at a SEC filing FWS stated that the sale of 30Boeing aircraft was “contingent” on the outcome of the FAA reauthorization bill. He made the same threat before congress in May.
On June 9, 2009 FWS stated “I’m gong to destroy them” in regards to the congressmen who supported the FAA Reauthorization Act. This was reported by Maury Lane who seems to be the front man for FedEx in this fight. So you see Joe that once again your research seems to be lacking on yor posts as well as in your article! Maybe holding Boeing hostage and threatening to destroy congressmen is considered being a class act in VA. but in the real world it is viewed as being a whining spoiled baby!
Funny how this gets downplayed soooo much. Dont let the numbers of fedex’s 85% fool you. Dont let a fear of a strike fool you either. UPS has done an excellent job of rewarding its union employees with benefits and excellent pay. To give Fedex employees the right to unionize is only to ensure that they are given the same benefits and opportunities as like business. Why does Fred Smith threaten to pull his Boeing contract? Threaten senators? Give perks to them to use his jets in Washington? I dont hear of UPS doing this. Fred Smith is terrified that they will have to embrace the times. BOTH UPS AND FEDEX USE AIRPLANES, BOTH USE TRAILERS TO MOVE GROUND PACKAGES, BOTH USE TRUCKS TO DELIVER THE PACKAGES. DO YOU EVER SEE AN AIRPLANE LAND IN FRONT OF YOUR OFFICE TO DELIVER YOUR LETTER! Stop hiding behind the smoke! UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS MODEL!
DJC,
I’m well aware of the contingency of the aircraft orders report. That is old news and is not referenced in the post from J. Sorce. J Sorce’s post referencing a “threat” to a congressman implies a physical threat. A quote from a FedEx mouth piece, does not indicate FWS threatening to destroy anyone. And, be careful when siting anything you may read when teamster representatives are the source of the information being reported. The next time that organization’s leaders tell the truth will be the first.
Now let’s review your resources and research. I’ assume you are getting your info from articles like the one found at http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS161719+05-Jun-2009+PRN20090605 . A slanted view from teamster leaders hardly qualifies as a good sound perspective. Beware of quotes taken out of context as well ( I know that rarely happens)
If any organization needs to stop the whining, it’s UPS. Instead of trying to lobby and legislate to compete, why not invest and improve the service. Since they can’t remove the anchor from around their necks (aka teamsters), they’d like to impose that weight onto competitors. If UPS wants so badly to “even the playing field”, why don’t they spend the lobbing dollars on attempts to get UPS Air classified under RLA? Woudn’t that “even the playing field”.
jkb,
Thank you for finally directing all to “understand the business model”. You too may want to take your own advice. FedEx’s model of separate operating companies, independent of each other, is the business model that dictates that FedEx Express (airline) falls under RLA guidelines. FedEx Ground, Home Delivery and LTL divisions (trucking or over the road) fall under NLRA already. The point is not how a package gets from customer to airport and airport to recipient, it is about the model. The integrated Express business model…separate from the other operating companies and their models. Focusing on what a courier’s role is misses the point of the FedEx Corp’s business model. And one last thank you for allowing me to step away from my office window. I’ve been waiting everyday to see if an MD 80 would land to deliver my daily overnight letter. I just assumed I’d been missing the landing everyday as my envelope always appears on my desk, yet no plane.
By the way, “smoke and mirrors” sounds an awful lot like teamster/UPS talking points, straight from the ” international brotherhood” memos. I’ll assume they aren’t paying you to form your own opinions, just take your 20 minutes per day to write your congressman and then back on the truck.
Joe,
Say it ain’t so Joe! You condemn a article that you consider a slanted piece, and then you write an article that is beyond slanted! You tell me not to believe what the Teamsters bosses say, you tell me not to believe the designated spokesperson for FedEx,Hmmmm… I’m a bit confused, The threat of holding Boeing hostage contigent on a vote in legislation is okay because that is old news? The fact that the spokesman for FedEx reported on FWS threat on US legislators and not FWS himself probably means it is not true? Please Joe you sound like a FedEx flunky . Once again you are wrong, as you seem to be so often in your article and blog! I didn’t get my info from the article you recommended but thanks for the good read! actually the majority of my info is taken from The Wall Street Journal , and the Los Angeles Times.
More info for you Joe, the Teamsters were invited by the founders of UPS to organize its employees and act as a negotiator at contract times. That probably explains the good working relationship that the union and mgmt has at most locals. It is through this method of give and take that enables us to enjoy the benefits and wages that we have! As for yourself I’m assuming that you are on FSW’s payroll, either as middle mgmt. or a low paid literary whore! I say low paid because you seem to copy your material straight from the Co. propaganda updates,and give little or no thought to making this article your own! As a so called proffesional writer I would be embarrassed to publish such a one sided story. Your consistant defense of FSW and FedEx I realize you have a horse in this race. (a deadhorse) At least you are not citing Yellow Freight and UAW as arguments like all the other FSW lemmings. PS, Don’t Quit Your Real Job!!! HA!HA!HA!!!!!!!
DJC,
The “news” artilce you are referencing are sourced from the “international brotherhood of teamsters”. The information may printed in the WSJ, LA Times, etc., but are not objectively writtent by the newspaper. You will notice the tag line reads “source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters” used at the bottom of the Reuters report in the link provided in my previous post. The article is a re-print taken directly from the IBT web site. Come on now, that hardly seems unbiased.
Now I don’t expect any objectivity from a 34 year UPS/Teamster. I will commend you though on your commitment and longevity. As for me being a FedEx flunky…not so much (nice try).
I’m sure that in your estimation, the locals and UPS mgmt have a warm and fuzzy feeling when “working” together. Trust me though, UPS would love to rid themselves of teamster interference between the company and it’s employees. By the way, do you work for UPS or for the union? Always wondered where union members loyalties fall. I’ve never been a union memebr, so I’ve never had to decide if I’d rather have my company succeed or my union. Maybe that’s where you get that “lemming” idea. See Robert’s post above regarding the letter writing campaign for proof of lemmings.
I love the spin you provide relating to the founders of UPS “inviting” the teamsters for contract negotiations. Very nice re-writing of history by the Brotherhood, I suspect. Unions are never “invited” to get between a company and it’s employees. I guess it depends on how you define “invited” though. If you mean by strong arming and intimidating the founders, then “yes” they were probably were “invited” to take their collective foot off the collective throats of UPS mgmt.
I love a spirited debate, but honestly, the name calling (whore)? Sure sign of one losing an argument is when they break out the personal attacks.
Robert, Wow! Are you not a member of the union? After 30 years of accepting your “well deserved ” paychecks, (begrudgingly I’m sure) , I am sure you can afford to be such a hypocrite. Did it ever occur to you maybe those “dullards” actually are loyal employees of UPS, unlike yourself? Maybe if you are so embarrassed you should take the early out and hit the bricks with your nice little retirement plan UPS has provided you with!!!
Joe, Fed-ex and UPS would not be such strong competitors if they were not bidding for the same work. I think that puts them in the same group… package deliverers. Nice dodge on Stephens question by the way, you should go into politics.
Did anyone else notice that this whole link was created by Fed-ex? I am a UPS wife and proud to be union! Thank you America for giving us certain rights. Even if that means we have to listen to fools sometimes. I’ll bet some of the arguments against this point are the same arguments voiced against allowing women and blacks to receive equal pay for equal work. Fairness and equality, thanks again America!
Joe,
Just calling them like I see them. Nothing more nothing less, if the stiletto shoe fits! When articles quote the CEO of FedEx , and the appointed spokesperson for FedEx (that supplies the updates for the FedEx website) I tend to believe them after seeing the same quote in different articles. Are you telling me these quotes are not true or are you dancing around the issue because you don’t know? Your use of words like I guess, maybe, probably, are sure signs of a student trying to skirt the issues to turn in a paper without having to do the required research! Joe for the record was this Pro FedEx article written specifically for this website or did you wake up one morning and have an epiphany and run to the aid of FWS?
Joe, I am a UPS employee , and I am an active Teamster, not an agent or stewart, but have attended the Teamsters national convention and have met James Hoffa jr. on more than one occasion . He is an exceptional speaker one that you might enjoy hearing speak. At UPS inception Mr Casey had the foresight to see that it would be a greater advantage to have the Teamsters as an ally and not a foe. I agree that times have changed and the union remains strong as a watch dog to make sure agreements are enforced and employees are not exploited! Contrary to your belief it is not uncommon to come to work and find mgmt and business agents joking around in the office with other employees. To answer your question, The Company does doesn’t succeed without the union and the Union doesn’t succeed without the company. Roberts case is different than what I have experienced, we were asked , given addresses there was a example letter for those that needed it. Completely voluntarily. Sorry Joe I have to get to work, gotta go, looking forward to the reasoning for such a one sided article just like the ones you condemn when written by the Teamsters!
Let’s eliminate all the spin. This bill only applies to FedEx Express non-FAA regulated employees and whether or not they should continue their RLA classification. It has absolutely nothing to do with:
Leveling the playing field
Giving FedEx workers better wages and benefits
Correcting a mistake
What type of job a worker does
These issues above are only “spin” to evoke emotional responses. Those are great for creating lively debate but receive no mention in this bill. This change in FedEx Express classification was an amendment inserted in the the FAA Reauthorization Act by Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN) at the request of UPS and the Teamsters.
Plain and simple (in a no-spin zone) The RLA is designed to prevent “local job actions” from disrupting nationwide movement of air and rail freight and services and calls for mediation instead of binding arbitration.
Without millions in special interest money (from both sides) being used to bribe congressmen, there should only be one question:
If you give FedEx Express couriers the ability to unionize and strike in just certain locations (not nationally as provided for under the RLA) would it disrupt nationwide movement of air/rail freight?
The answer has already come out of several federal courts which have taken up this case over the years. YES. These courts (both in liberal and conservative districts) have repeatedly ruled that FedEx Express is “exactly the type of company” that should be covered by the RLA (and a decade ago, when UPS tried to switch their drivers to the RLA, ruled that UPS belonged under the NLRA).
The courts have ruled that the difference between FedEx Express and UPS is that FedEx Express came in to existence and continues to be licensed as an Air Cargo airline which uses couriers to complete the final leg of the delivery. UPS came in to existence as a trucking company which later added an air division to carry a small percentage of their overall freight.
This is the only difference that matters under the RLA. Not the job one performs (a United Airlines reservation agent does basically the same job as a travel agent, but the United agent is covered under the RLA even though he/she has no contact with the airplane). It’s not about giving FedEx Express drivers better pay/benefits (that’s a free-market and business decision that should not be dictated by the government – apologies to the socialists in the crowd). Or, leveling the playing field (this could be done now under the RLA by unionizing FedEx nationally as is UPS).
But please let’s not insist that the Teamsters can’t organize a company under the RLA. Not when 80% of RLA employees in this country are already unionized! If the unions can organize every major airline in the U.S. but can’t unionize FedEx Express, then it would seem that maybe there just isn’t the interest among FedEx employees. But the Teamsters know that there are some FedEx stations in big “union towns” (where every courier’s dad is a lifelong union man). Those station would be easy to organize if this bill is passed. I don’t think being nationally unionized scares FedEx as much as having a few key markets unionize and disrupting their service (which plays in to UPS’s motive).
Thanks Dr. Spin, for removing the spin so we could all see from fedex point of view! Where did you read that Mr. Oberstar inserted this specifically at the request of UPS and the Teamsters? It strikes me as amazing that you left out Bailout as one of the emotional evoking words! Hello, Joe is that you? Can you tell me why this wouldn’t level the playing field? Having both teams playing by the same rules certainly would not leave either team with an advantage! And I suppose you and FWS are the only two that don’t believe his employees deserve a comparable wage to that of others doing the same job! If you are going to remove the spin let’s agree that this is the true reason FWS is afraid of losing his loophole. Do you really think he cares for his employees and the customers?
Another question Dr. Spin, what court cases are you referring to? I can recall instances where fedex ground facilities have tried but the courts ruled they were independent contractors and unable to organize. Another one of FWS brilliant plans to keep his employees under thumb! Recently the courts are ruling against this practice and saying these contractors are in actuality employees of fedex. No one is forcing anybody to go union, that is just another scare tactic that mgmt. is pushing. Maybe with knowing that his employees have a choice FWS will offer some sort of incentive(pay) to keep his employees from choosing to go union. And that would be a free market and business decision and not dictated by the Govt. ( great usage of emotional evoking words, dictate, socialists.) Wow that’s a stretch, when employees are given a choice , and that is considered socialist and dictated by the govt. Thanks for giving us a no spin diatribe while reading from fedex’s tired arguments. I think I’m dizzy from all that no spin I had better go lie down! HA!HA!HA!!!
This is interesting. I wonder how many of the above comments were paid for (not casting aspersions on the original post (well, except for the silly 85% sleight of hand)).
In any event, it was educational. Before reading this, I had no opinion on the matter. Now, I’ll be urging Rep. Moran to support bringing FedEx Express under the NLRA.
MB, I thought i was the only one that could see through this sham. If anybody took the time to research this author it seems Joe forgot to list in his bio. is that he is a lobbyist! Need I say more?
MB,
I’m willing to bet any amount of money you’d like, that you won’t have to urge Rep Moran too much. Democrats are owned by unions…I don’t think Rep Moran will wonder off the reservation. A union cause = a democratic yes vote, very simple.
And who owns the Republicans? Who owns YOU Joe?
DJC,
No political ties here. Just an objective observer. It’s not extremely difficult to see what organization’s tactics and strategies are linked to this issue. It’s also not a far leap to look at which political party is backed by which organizations. I was merely implying that MB shouldn’t waste a lot energy “urging” Rep Moran. He/she may be able use that energy elsewhere.
And for the record, I didn’t write this article and I’m not from VA. I’m just a small business owner that is tired of political interference in the free market. I’m tired of watching politicians line their pockets and then “fight” for the cause that pays the most. This issue caught my attention due to the players involved, FedEx and UPS. Basically a duel-opoly in the shipping business is the reality we are working with in the US. If this reauthorization bill removes FedEx Express from the RLA, the small business community will be impacted. Competition in price, service and reliability will be affected. This does not mean that the Teamsters will take over FedEx Express totally. It simply means that they can target local facilities and disrupt the FedEx network. Having a choice between carriers is a good thing. The union vs non-union is also a good thing. As a small business owner, I want to have the option to choose based on the criteria I set. If both companies become union affiliated, my choice is limited to ” do I use the company run by the unions or do I use the company run by the unions”? Basically, my options are the same. I prefer to use FedEx for my business based on their reliability, their business model, their attention to detail and customer first approach. My opinion, those elements are lost when a third party is involved. Just my opinion, based on years of experience in business and dealings with many organizations, both union and non-union.
Joe,
AHHH! So we are finally making headway here and agreeing to disagree, well that is a start. Being a union man for 34 yrs I see the positive side of the union. The wages, medical benefits, pension, and the one most criticized, representation. I know on all the blogs it is stated over and over again that if the co. treats you right there is no need for a union, this is all well and good in a perfect world Joe, unfortunately it is not one. In my 34 yrs I’ve had great mgmt teams and not so great mgmt teams, it is because of the latter that at times the representation is important. I have proudly raised my family as union family, the co.and union has enabled me to send my children to private school and college and I am very thankful to both. You once asked me about where my loyalty lies, my loyalty lies with both, I am a UPS/TEAMSTER as most of the career employees will tell you they care about both. I can tell you it hurt being on strike, not so much monetarily but the fact we weren’t doing our job and taking care of our customers/friends. The strike wasn’t about money it was about who controls our pension and keeping benefits. You can see why I am so passionate about this subject, if fedex employees don’t want a union they deserve a chance to vote and say no end of story.
It is hard to get an objective point of view from this slanted article, it just reiterates the distorted facts and misrepresentations that fedex has been promoting on their web site. My logic is if both employees are playing by the same rules they would be more price competetive. Now days the union has nothing to do with the day to day operation of the co. merely makes sure that the agreed terms of the contract are enforced. The days of the wildcat strike are over contrary to what fedex wants you to think. Too many of my friends at fedex don’t seem to agree with the happy employee-mgmt relation as the brown bailout projects , that is why FWS is afraid of this bill passing with this laguage in it. In any case you are entitled to your opinion just as the employees as fedex employee should have a right to vote yes or no! All I ask is that you get the story from both sides, not from FWS’s bailout site, there is no bailout. I know both sides are equally guilty of cherry picking the facts to suite their agenda, all I can give you a view from my perspective as a union member and experience as a long time employee.
Fair enough, SHAKE….
When a private company is giving its best such as Fedex has been for decades now, in principled trade, there is no such thing as, “an unfair competitive advantage.” There is only freedom to do the work or there is not. In other words, there is freedom or there is no freedom.
The fundamental issue is not which law best fits the work to be done, but is the company free or not free. It is long past due that legislatures need to separate economics from the state. Private corporations need to operate by their own unhindered best judgment. Lobbying itself needs to be scrutinized and curtailed, preferably to nothing so no one can ever use government force to stop new or better methods of doing business. That’s the American tradition. That’s the only future for everybody.
Ted Harlson
Fedex Canadian