I think FedEx is taking notes on NWA. The NWA union is also concerned about this practice of skirting the CBA/negotiations as NWA keeps offering these "incentives" around the holidays to supposedly guarantee reliable service to the customer. (Read greedy/pillaged employees won't call is sick if we offer them another $1K not to call in sick for a month during Christmas and New Year.) It's the same thing they did the end of Aug/beginning of Sept. Totally done unilaterally by the company. Totally skirting the CBA. Falls right in line with the Pinnacle recruiting bonus. The company will piecemeal out money when they think they can benefit at the lowest common denominator without making improvements to the CBA. That way they can give and take away at their convenience. BEWARE!