Comm Appeal WRONG as FedEx Wins Battle But Fight Continues - December 20, 2007

There is a disturbing pattern of the news coverage about FedEx in Memphis' paper recently.  Since a very solid summary piece on the FedEx Ground contractor scam in October, the only news appearing in the Commercial Appeal seems to be 'good news' from FedEx's perspective. 

Such is the case with the badly headlined story "FedEx Wins Labor Word War" that could lead a reader to the wrong conclusion.

It is true that the language which would remove the non-FAA certified workers at FedEx Express out from under the Railway Labor Act and under the National Labor Relations Act was floated during the discussion of the omnibus spending bill.  And it is true that the language in the end didn't get inserted into that spending package.

But so what?

The original language introduced (properly) as part of the House version of Federal Aviation Administration re-authorization act still is there.  And - as noted in the body of the Commercial Appeal article - "(House Transportation Committee Chairman Oberstar's spokesman) also pointed out that the National Labor Relations Act language remains in the House-passed FAA reauthorization bill. The Senate bill reauthorizing the FAA does not contain the provision and will be considered early next year."  CongressDaily did a better job on this although also deep in the body of its analysis.

The FAA bill will be up again before the Senate next year. As anyone who flies knows, the air traffic system is breaking down .  And it isn't going to be fixed by Santa's elves.  Nor will fixing it be held up by one man or one company.

So FedEx Express employees shouldn't get spooked by headlines.  FredEx might have won a battle but the fight continues.