Teamsters Convention Highlights
The proceedings at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters 27th Convention have included a number of issues that directly impact FedEx workers and all workers in the transportation industry.
The 1,800 delegates unanimously approved a resolution that commits the full power of the IBT to bringing FedEx workers into the Teamsters union. The delegation committed the strength of the IBT and the Teamster membership to help solve problems FedEx workers face today - like ending the phony independent contractor classification scheme for Ground and Home Delivery drivers - and drive towards the ultimate goal of organizing FedEx workers.
There were two big announcements of developments with UPS that show how Teamsters representation brings real benefits to UPS workers.
The Teamsters and UPS agreed to enter into early negotiations to move towards a new national bargaining agreement that will insure further success for UPS Teamster members and Big Brown. FedEx salespeople should see clearly that they willl not be able to put any doubt into UPS customers' minds while the two sides are at the negotiating table.
Also, the Teamsters and UPS entered into an historic agreement to allow for card check recognition in organizing UPS Freight/Overnite. The convention floor erupted into cheers when Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced the agreement. Essentially, UPS management will not interfere with or intimidate its workers in joining the Teamsters and they will allow UPS Freight workers to join the Teamsters under a stream-lined process. Teamsters all around the country will join together to bring UPS Freight workers into the union under this card check and neutrality agreement. And UPS Freight workers will finally get the good wages, benefits and security of a Teamsters contract.
Rolf Buttner, the Postal Division Director at Ver.di - the German United Service Union and the largest union at DHL's corporate parent Duetsche Post WorldNet - brought a clear message of solidarity and strength to the delegation. Ver.di members make up 90% of the Duetsch Post WorldNet workforce in Germany. Buttner pledged to work hand in hand with the Teamsters and said "We want Teamster members to get collective bargaining agreements from coast to coast at DHL in the United States."
The convention clearly shows that Teamsters will put the power of the entire union behind the drive to organize workers in the delivery industry - at UPS, at DHL and at FedEx.
-- June 29
New resources: FedEx Ground Sues state of Oregon
FedEx Ground has sued the Oregon Employment Department to overturn an administrative order that ruled a FedEx Home Delivery multi-route "contractor" was an employee and eligible for unemployment insurance. The Administrative Law Judge found the driver was an employee and was fired "but not for misconduct."
FedEx appealed this order to the Oregon Court of Appeals in May 2006. We'll be tracking closely the court filings at the Resource page we've created for this case.
-- June 19
Don't Sit Out the Fight at FedEx Ground Actions
In a series of actions by Teamsters local unions, Teamster members fanned out around the country during June to distribute educational leaflets to FedEx Ground and Home Delivery drivers. Their message was simple: Don't Sit Out the Fight at FedEx Ground - Drivers are Employees, Not Contractors - Employees Have Rights to Form Unions
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery drivers are fighting against the illegal misclassification as "contractors" and the cost shifting of taxes and operating expenses that should rightly be paid by FedEx. The courts are repeatedly ruling for the drivers and against FedEx. When drivers and the Teamsters are fighting for union rights before the National Labor Relations Board, the Board is repeatedly ruling for the drivers and against FedEx.
If the Teamsters were at your station but you didn't get a chance to talk to someone, send us a note and we'll put you in touch with a person to answer your questions. If the Teamsters weren't around this time, send us a note and we'll get someone to contact you about your station. Send any email to fedexwatch AT teamster DOT org.
-- June 16
Loyalty Only Goes One Way at FedEx
The conversation over at FedExaminer.com is really worth the free subscription for anyone who is concerned about what's going on at FedEx. Some folks over there have the gift of gab and others are Internet sleuths, so the time spent there is time well spent.
The article posted there titled FedEx Strategy Backfires in Punitive Stage at Law.com is a gem. The article analyzes FedEx's arrogance going into the Lebanese-American drivers' trial. And further comments on the way the company threw the accused manager overboard the instant it served their purpose. One trial participant said the company "treated the manager like a leper" after the compensatory award was announced. So much for loyalty to a supposedly well-regarded manager.
But we've also heard that Paul Callahan had a very rough time that day the jury came back with the punitive damages award. Callahan made a last minute appeal to the jury himself. We heard it was as close to begging as one can get in a cramped witness box that is too small to kneel in. The jury promptly came back with the shocking $50 million award. Wonder how long Callahan's losing streak in court will go before he gets tossed overboard too.
-- June 14
Is FedEx Ground a "National Package Delivery Company"?
And if FedEx Ground is a national package delivery company, is it the national package delivery company that "routinely misclassifies drivers as independent contractors" in New Jersey? The New Jersey Department of Labor went out of its way to avoid identifying exactly what company was audited, found to be wrongly classifying its drivers, contested the audit, then settled and paid back taxes.
-- June 07
Disingenuous Nonsense Report: 6.06.06 Edition
The level of arrogance at FedEx headquarters is truly amazing. FedEx is stiffing the EEOC on an administrative subpoena that requests "basic information on the type of computerized or machine readable files that it maintains." According to court filings, the EEOC is "currently investigating a charge alleging a pattern and practice of race and national origin discrimination" against FedEx Express. The filings so far from the EEOC vs FedEx Corporation case in Arizona are now at our Resource page.
The Arizona press is digging more into the story. And looking for more comment from FedEx. FedEx spokeswoman Sandra Munoz replies, "This company does not tolerate discrimination of any kind." This type of throw-away line is just more disingenuous nonsense with news of $61 million awards so fresh in everyone's mind. The "no tolerance" broken promise must be on a three-by-five card given to all FedEx mouthpieces.
The charge and EEOC investigation are directly related to the Express employees' allegations in the Satchell vs FedEx Express class action lawsuit.
-- June 06
$50 Million Award to Arab-American FedEx Ground Drivers
The two Arab-American drivers were harassed by supervisors with taunts of "sand nigger" and other slurs. The jury awarded the two men $11 million in compensatory damages and then an additional $50 MILLION in punitive damages.
Something is seriously wrong in the management ranks at FedEx Ground & Home Delivery. What kind of people are being promoted? What policies are being enforced and what other policies are being ignored? "Guaranteed fair treatment" is just more disingenuous nonsense.
Remember, this is the company that allows even high level managers like Senior Vice President Paul Callahan to say things like, "If we had selected the right people, we wouldn't be seeing these lawsuits." In that quote, Callahan is talking about the drivers who are beating the pants off FedEx on the driver classification issue in the MDL. But it shows the mindset at FedEx Ground where it is never their fault. Apparently in the case of the two Arab-American drivers, the jury decided it was FedEx's fault - to the tune of $61 million.
-- June 03
We're FedEx Ground, We Don't Pay Taxes, Governor
So another governor - this time Haley Barbour in Mississippi - attended another groundbreaking at another FedEx Ground facility. Seeing life slowly get back to normal in Gulfport and the Gulf Region is tremendously good news. We can appreciate Gov. Barbour's appearance in that context.
But what excuse did Gov. Ehrlich or Gov. Perdue have?
We'd really like to see some effort by these governors to press FedEx Ground to account for the lost tax revenue and workplace insurance funds that the "independent contractor" scam costs these states.
-- June 02
