Airline Pilot Central Forums - letter fr FedEx strike prep committee

Fellow Crewmembers:

As you know, we have rescheduled the Negotiations Unity Demonstrations
for next Thursday, June 23. In addition to marking the passing of the
one-year anniversary of the amendable date of our current contract and
our rejection of management's unsatisfactory "2.3 percent offer," that
date is also significant because it is the day when FedEx Corporation
announces its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2005 financial results. All
indications are that those dollar figures, as opposed to management's
negotiating proposals, will once again be very impressive.

How much revenue, profit, growth, and stability do we have to provide to
our corporation before management recognizes and acknowledges our
contribution to the incredible success that FedEx has enjoyed over the
last six years? What you have identified as our negotiating goals are
not anywhere near being over the top. They are actually very realistic
and in the big scheme of things, they don't cost that much. We only want
recognition for being such an integral part of an operation that
generates the impressive earnings you will see on June 23rd. That
recognition should come in the form of management at least acknowledging
our legally afforded opportunity to voice our points and concerns with
regard to scope, work rules, health care and retirement security. What
we are asking is that they sit down at the table and actually NEGOTIATE
with us instead of pretending, as evidenced in the last Negotiations
Updates (05-03 and 05-04), that we essentially don't exist.

We must continue to remember that the National Mediation Board, the UPS
negotiations, articles in the Commercial Appeal, or any other outside
influences will not solve our situation. The only effective solution is
for all FedEx crewmembers to stand up together for our legal rights and
let our management know that we are serious in our quest for a fair and
equitable solution to our contract. The first overt step in that
direction will be the Unity Demonstrations next Thursday.

You should know that this activity is both entirely legal and sanctioned
by the Railway Labor Act. It will not be informational picketing in the
classic sense (i.e., marching with square corners, everyone holding
signs, etc.). It will be a gathering of a large number of our pilots, in
high visibility locations, that will illustrate that we stand together
behind our Negotiating Committee in their efforts to represent our
interests. If you are unable to participate because you are on a trip,
we understand. However, if you actively choose to just not participate,
realize that you are effectively supporting the other side of the table.
And those people are not on your side. Management is actually hoping
that you will not join with your fellow pilots because that will provide
them with the small divisions in the crew force that they are actively
trying to cultivate for future reference. As we have said, we have seen
this all before and management is doing it again because it has been
historically effective for them. Do not let them be successful this
time.

Additionally, if you are a little uncomfortable participating in this
type of activity now, we will almost guarantee that you will be much
more uncomfortable with a management lock-out threat, actual self-help
picketing, or even just a "With or Without You"-type red letter. By
standing united now, and investing a little time and perhaps minor
discomfort, you will be actively trying to preclude those future, much
more uncomfortable, possibilities. (And, by the way, they can't do it
without us - if they could, they already would be doing so.)

We have scheduled events during the middle of the day so that those of
you who are day-turning, on reserve, jumpseating, or deadheading in/out
or that live in the Memphis area will be able to participate.

Please wear your uniform with I.D. and bring your hat (with an emblem)
if you have one - we will be outside and it will probably be sunny and
hot.

For those of you who live locally or have a crash pad here, we ask that
you plan on meeting at 0945 at the Showplace Arena parking lot (next to
the Agricenter) just south of Walnut Grove Road on Germantown Parkway.
(See attached map or check the ALPA website.) Carpooling is encouraged.
We will provide round-trip coach bus transportation to the
demonstrations which will last from 1100-1300. Spouses are also
encouraged to attend but for safety reasons, no children please.

For those of you who will be transiting MEM while day turning,
jumpseating or deadheading, there will be pilots in AOC on Thursday
morning to direct you to transportation.

We will get all working pilots and jumpseating crewmembers back to the
hub for their flights. To ensure pilots are back to the hub for early
show times, we will have buses running every 10 minutes to take pilots
back to the hub, plus we will have two buses in reserve if there are any
breakdowns. Pilots with early show times will have priority. The return
of pilots to the hub for work will be the highest priority at the
conclusion of the events.

Additionally, for those of you who will be unable to attend due to work
schedules that will keep you away from MEM, we ask that you wear your
hats on your trips that day thru IND, OAK, EWR, LAX, ANC, SFS, AFW, etc.

Finally, if you are in training that day, either as an instructor or
going through ITU or recurrent, please wear you uniforms as a show of
solidarity.

If you are not out of town or flying a trip, please plan on joining us
in support of our Negotiating Committee.

Fraternally,

Captain Whitey Drossel
First Officer Wes Reed
SPC Co-Chairmen