MD11Fr8Dog

Certainly, someone as knowledgeable as you should know that it doesn't require "all of the employees all over the world" to organize under the RLA. Employees under that RLA are required to organize companywide by "class and craft"!

Just sayin!

MD11Fr8Dog

Really? How was it possible for the pilots at FedEx to organize without the "entire workforce"?

Soyathink

From ther actual site of the RLA. Not a union site

Railroad Labor Act Overview

The RLA contemplates that employees will be represented on a carrier-wide basis through crafts or classes of employees (e.g., railroad engineers and airline pilots), and that the majority of the employees in each class or craft may select a bargaining representative. Representational disputes include issues of whether: (1) a majority of a craft or class of employees desire to be represented by a particular union or to be unrepresented; (2) a union's certification survives a merger; and (3) two related carriers will be treated as one (or two) for representation purposes. The RLA commits representational disputes to the exclusive jurisdiction of the NMB, and requires the NMB, upon the request of either party to a dispute among a carrier's employees, to investigate and certify bargaining representatives for a class or craft. A carrier is required to deal with the representatives certified to it by the NMB.

But you knew that

Next

Soyathink

MD11Fr8Dog, My wife is home and we are going out. I'll look forward to your next question and will respond tomorrow.

MD11Fr8Dog

Dude, you do realize that you're making my point for me, thanks!

In two seperate posts you assert that it takes all of the employees of a company to organize under the RLA, and I point out to you that it is companywide, class and craft and you follow that up by making my point? You've been online too long! Take a break, get a meal, go for a brisk walk.

BTW, have you figured out if the IPA negotiates under the RLA yet?

MD11Fr8Dog

Keep looking...

Vinnie The Chee

I am a newby here ( 1st post ) I'm stuck at YYZ ( landing gear ) and reading this post, can only agree that if our #1 competitor can turn out such great numbers year after year with unionized driver, we should be able to do the same!

golfandfly

Vinnie,

Then they should organize if it suits them. They have the ability to form a union now if they wish. Send out the ballots.....

Soyathink

The current RLA certification process stands alone among all union and other voting procedures in this country in both the public and private sectors. Unlike any other election process, if you don’t vote, or are unable to vote, or even were not aware there was a vote, you are assumed to have voted no. The union must win 50 percent plus one of eligible voters in the craft or class (including those on furlough who may be impossible to reach) rather than 50 percent plus one of those who cast valid ballots. The US is a country where the majority vote standard of 50 percent plus one has a unique history, value, and tradition. We have majority vote in our legislative system rather than a parliament, and we have exclusive representation under our labor laws rather than minority unionism. Fifty-percent plus one is a concept that everyone understands whether it be for elections or card check it is the bar that has to be reached in order to win an election or win certification. It is one where every individual’s vote matters because if just one person doesn’t make it to the polls or does not sign a card the outcome could be just 50 percent or a tie, which in most cases means the union loses.

Thus under the NLRB, turnout averages quite high, at 88 percent, with the union working hard to get every single union supporter to the polls or to remember to mail their ballot in, while the employer does the same with no votes. However, the nature of RLA voting rules causes something very different and inherently undemocratic to occur. While unions still focus their efforts on getting yes votes to the polls, the employer efforts shift to suppressing voter turnout—either by confusing voters about the election procedure or by getting voters to destroy their ballots.

Employer suppression takes many forms under the RLA, including making positive changes in personnel, wages and working conditions so as to make a union seem less necessary; making it more difficult to organize or vote through transferring workers, initiating layoffs, and threatening bankruptcy; and suppressing the vote either through urging workers to tear up their ballots or providing misleading information about election procedures. This is all separate and beyond the majority of campaigns where the employer intimidates, threatens, harasses, coerces, and retaliates against union supporters to try to dissuade them from voting for the union.

MD, Fred has never tried to surpress a union? He has never threatened or intimidated the pilot group FDX that you fly for? The guy threatened DC with 777 cancelations for god sakes.

"In two seperate posts you assert that it takes all of the employees of a company to organize under the RLA, and I point out to you that it is companywide, class and craft and you follow that up by making my point?"

Sorry I typoed wrong and left out class and craft .... It does take all employees company wide in class or craft. I also typoed and put worldwide when we all know US law covers Nationwide

What is your point other than me leaving out class and craft?

UPS Pilots are under RLA, so are Mech, dispatchers. You knew that.

My point is FDX Drivers are under RLA. UPS did the same model as FDX in the 1990's with separate air trailers (those light tan ones with doors going down the sides.) and separate air (express drivers) just like FDX Express. This was to get Air Express drivers under RLA just like FDX. FDX lobbied against it and RLA status for UPS AIR drivers was denied. Bottom line is Fred wants to keep unions out so FDX Sales can keep going out and telling customers they don't have to worry about service disruptions because of RLA. On FDX Ground they don't have to worry about service disruptions because they are non union contractors. FDX smart post (a FDX Ground Service) can give major accounts Express transit times at ground rates by going air, using express couriers and independent contractors. All intermingled but protected under law

Keep up splitting the hairs.....

Soyathink

They do but under RLA all employees (class or craft for MD ) to vote. Any employee that doesn't vote under RLA is considered a NO. Knowing Fred he would force the ballots to go out FDX and they would get lost

If they get reclassified under NLRA then it is 51% of the voter turnout that is majority. Non voters will not be counted. The only reason why FDX is spending millions to fight is is to keep out unions and keep labor costs down. Those reduced labor costs and law protection are used to take marketshare from UPS. See:

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/ca...dex-grows.html

UPS reduced labor costs by layoffs and furloughs to retain and grow marketshare.

Fred can easily adjust workers to keep them from voting, causing a worker not to be able to vote. See my last reply to MD.