FedEx closing in on a contract
 

FedEx hopeful of pilot deal soon - exec
Wed May 10, 2006 9:13 PM ET

By Nick Carey

NEW YORK, May 10 (Reuters) - Package delivery company FedEx Corp. <FDX.N> is hopeful of a successful conclusion to talks with its pilots' union after more than two years without a deal, a top executive said on Wednesday.

"We think we have put together a good package for the pilots," corporate vice president for strategic financial planning and analysis James Hudson told Reuters on the sidelines of a transportation conference organized by investment bank Bear Stearns in New York.

"We are hopeful we will be able to reach an agreement that will be fair to the pilots, their families, our customers, our company and our shareholders," he added.

FedEx and the union representing its 4,500 pilots are due to start federally mediated talks next week. Negotiations on a new contract began in March 2004.

Before Hudson arrived at the conference, more than a dozen union pilots in full uniform staged a protest outside Bear Stearns' offices, bearing placards saying "FedEx has failed to deliver."

Pilots' union spokesman Wes Reed said the main sticking points for an agreement with FedEx focused on work rules, job security, retirement and health care.

"We have made significant concessions since the last round of talks in the fall," Reed said. "We would now like to see FedEx meet us halfway."

He added that if a deal is not forthcoming, the union would likely seek to be excused from the talks hosted by the National Mediation Board, a step that could lead to strike action.

FedEx has said its offer includes raising the average pilot's salary to more than $200,000 per year from about $176,000.

FedEx's main rival United Parcel Service Inc. <UPS.N> also has been holding talks with its 2,700 pilots. Those negotiations have dragged on since October 2002.

UPS Chief Financial Officer Scott Davis said at the conference on Wednesday that the Federal Mediation Board has not announced a date for a fresh round of talks, after the federal mediator called a recess in December. At that time the mediator declined a request from the pilots to be excused from talks with UPS.

Like FedEx, UPS has repeatedly said that it has proposed a fair deal for its pilots.

Once again the company tries to appeal to the public rather than actually negotiate with the pilots. And as always, all they can do is bring up salaries.

C'mon, mgmt doesn't lie! :rolleyes:

We're not closing in on a contract. We're closing in on another attempt by management to deal directly with the pilots (and the media), bypassing the negotiating committee, with another "take-it-or-leave-it" offer. yawn. SS, DD.

Just like I can't go see Fred without going through his secretary, management can't offer me a contract without going through my NC.

If it's a valid offer, give it to the NC.
If it's a good offer, then the NC will give it to me for approval.

-'Frater

Hmm,

They "forgot" to tell the media they wanted to jack up our health care premiums to around $500 per month, negating any real pay increase.

Here it comes
 

Yep, I expect to see another deal offered direct to the pilots... and I sure hope no pilot is stupid enough to say "That's a good deal," instead of "My negotiating committee speaks for me!"

- just a really dim hope. i know better :(

Absolutely, what a crock of ****. They won't deal with our negotiating committee, but go to the media. I have had it with these guys. Bring it on. This is just what we predicted, another underhanded trick to make us look like we are not cooperating when it is completely the opposite. I am sure the "offer" is a tad bid better than their last pathetic one that did not even keep up with inflation. Check out FedEx stock and profits for the last 5 years. Give me a break!

How is it that the media is always swinging for left field when it comes to every other issue out there, but when it comes to labor/corporate issues they always seem to favor the company? The same reporter who can sit there and spout off managements talking points with a straight face would probably eviscerate a Republican attempt to marginalize unions. I thought the same thing about 5 mos ago when USA Today reported the average Delta salary as somewhere around 240K, without any disclaimers at all about the payscale. Can these reporters really be this dumb? I'm usually not a conspiracy theorist, but crap like this makes you wonder who is really pulling the strings of our national media.

Dang. Either way, I am still a below average pilot...

[QUOTE=Freighter Captain]FedEx hopeful of pilot deal soon - exec
FedEx has said its offer includes raising the average pilot's salary to more than $200,000 per year from about $176,000.

QUOTE]


Where is my money? I never made $176 in the right seat of the MD11 and I'm not on track to make that much in the left seat of the light twin Airbus. I guess most folks don't support the union efforts and work extra to make that much money. In 11 years I've never made average pay. WTF is up with that? If everyone would just do their job for one month we'd all get a raise with a new contract. Like all pilots we are our own worst enemy. I gusee we tend to look at the trees (give me mine) and miss the forest (best for all).

So how long do you think before this article gets posted as "News Updated" on pilot.fedex.com or under the contract administration link?

Sad but true
 

Don't worry, we have a couple FedExer's posting here that will tell you that any offer the company puts out is more than (we) deserve. :rolleyes:

What the "company spokesman" also failed to mention is that the total raise is 15% over FIVE years...that's 3% per year...less than most annual estimates of inflation...

Also...like Nightflyer posted, for an "average" wide-body F/O, the company proposed increases in monthly healthcare premiums negate the entire first year raise, and then some.

In fact, folks with my seniority will be paying back more TO THE COMPANY than our entire first year "raise" to have family healthcare. So we'll be making "concessionary" payments to enjoy the EXACT SAME healthcare benefits we do with our current contract.

Sad, sad, sad, for a company that is making over a billion dollars PROFIT a year.

Just say "NO..."

Stay the course folks.

In Unity

I'm not saying to take a bad offer, but whatever you do, settle before the limp dicks at UPS get a deal. Hate to say it, but ours is going to end up dragging yours down

Say what?
 

Okay ... I'LL SAY IT.

Do not take a bad offer, do not even ponder another direct offer, do not forget the cornerstone issues, do not, for a single second, consider any proposal that doesn't come via the Negotiating Committee.

Indeed, stay the course and be an active participant in the process ... the true good faith bargaining process!

This is about business ... business at FedEx, not UPS, not Delta, not Southwest ... just business here at our very own extremely successful corporation.

[QUOTE=R1200RT]stop whining...beamerboy...looks like u have some extra flying on your line this month...what's up with that????????