Tuesday, October 16, 2007

JOE NUNO said..

I say lets build concentration camps at FedEx Corporation, and our old glory that hangs on the pole on our yards, which represents FREEDOM!!! For 231 years.
Lets hang swastika flags which represent control, communist, telling workers that they can not speak Spanish or any other language on radios is absurd, why do they ask not to speak any other language, because they have guilt conscience or because they think that Hispanic are organizing in codes? In addition, freezing accrued pensions that were earned; and without our approval, that is more communist control by the corporation.
Changing or deducting money from your accrued v-peps without consulting our approvals, that is a thought control by the company.
Now being a member of the Teamsters and having a joint council, the corporation wouldn’t be able to change anything without the Teamsters and members approval, or having a VOTE!!!!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is another way of a union buster hiding behind supervisors. Telling management what to do. In addition, who can be sued if the right people stand up and get involved. Leaving the union buster off the hook and using management as puppets!

Anonymous said...

THESE "UNION BUSTERS" TELL MANAGEMENT WHAT TO DO.



Following is a checklist of tactics "union busters" use to try to defeat union campaigns. Use this guide to prepare yourself and your colleagues for what will happen. Keep track by checking off each tactic your Employer and/or its Human Resource Personnel attempt to use to try to DEFEAT YOU !



PRESSURE FROM SUPERVISORS:



Supervisors will be front-line troops against the union delivering letters, informal chats and speeches prepared by the "Union Busters."



LETTERS, LEAFLETS, MEMOS AND MORE MEMOS:



The "Union Busters" will write you many letters and hand out lots of leaflets during the union organizing campaign... only the letters will be signed by upper management, or the Human Resource Personnel - not the Union Busting consultants.



INCREASES IN PAY:



They may tell you, you don’t need a Union to get wage increases, and they were about to increase your pay just prior to the start of the organizing campaign. They may even tell you now that the Union is here they can’t by law give you a raise but would like to give you a dollar raise. DON’T BE FOOLED.



LOVE LETTERS:



In some of the letters, the "union busting" consultants will have management say how much they really appreciate what all of you do for the organization. They might even admit mistakes! They want to convince you that the "boss" is really a good person who can be trusted with your future.



THE UGLY UNION LETTERS:



Most of the letters will paint a pretty ugly picture of the union. Management will want you to think the union is just out for money. They will even refer to the union as a "Third Party." The FACT is, the workers ARE the union - they form the collective voice. The officers will elect their own representatives and will decide what issues they wish to promote and negotiate.



LOVE OFFERINGS:



The "Union Busters" will tell management to give you some unexpected perks (i.e. bonuses, paid lunches, parties, etc...) They want you to believe you don't need a union to get good things and improve security.



LET'S BE PALS:



Management and their RATS will be everywhere. Walking the floors - on every shift. Setting up spur-of-the-moment chats so he/she can find out what's on your mind. "Don't' let a 3rd party come between our wonderful relationship!" BEWARE !



ONE-ON-ONES:



Your supervisors or the Human Resource Department may call you in for face-to-face talks about the union. You have no choice if they insist, however, you do have the right to ask a fellow employee to sit in with you. Also, you do NOT have to divulge your interest in the Union. The supervisor or the Human Resource Department has been told what to say by the "union buster consultants."



DIVIDE AND CONQUER:



They will try to play one group against the other: "Disloyal" union supporters against "loyal pro-employer" union opponents; men vs. women, older vs. younger, day shift vs. night shift, one department against another - whatever works for them.



"VOTE-NO" COMMITTEE:



A small group of employees might be set up to "stand up" for the employer. They want to "save" the organization from the Union. The "Union Buster" is behind this committee and is training the leaders to destroy the union organizing efforts.



CAPTIVE AUDIENCE MEETINGS:



Employees might be required, on paid time, to attend meetings where top management will deliver a speech. It is not an open debate. Remember Don’t be Fooled by Union-Busting Propaganda.



SCARE TACTICS



Management’s biggest weapon is Fear. In the Security Industry beware of threats of Outsourcing your Job Tactics. This is common in every Union Campaign. Remember - presently you are a, AT-WILL – EMPLOYEE with No Rights, No Voice or No Job Security.



You can be FIRED or Replaced by management at anytime ! Don’t be Fooled ! Only by Unionizing, can You Legally Protect you JOB !



U are the UNION and If U want a VOICE to Negotiate Your Wages, Benefits, Job Security and Working Conditions U must Stand Up and Be Heard !



Remember: 99.9 % of union Do NOT charge Initiation Fees as management would like you to believe. Nor do they charge any monthly dues (which union members call Job Security) until the union negotiates on your behalf your written contract and the majority of officers of VOTE to accept its terms and conditions.



In reality no security professional would vote to accept the union contract if they were to receive less. This result is a WIN WIN situation for every security officer professional to gain the wages and benefits you deserve!



What can I do about the union buster's tactics?



Remember, the union buster plays off of an employee's lack of knowledge about a union. Employees can do several things to counter the union buster:



Ask the Company if they have hired a union buster - Ask the employer's representative whether they have hired a "consultant" to work for them to "educate" employees about the union. Ask the employer how much they are paying the consultant. Employers don't want you to know that they have hired someone to interfere with your rights to organize a union, and you will make them nervous if they have to answer this question. Most union busters charge anywhere from $750 to $2,000 per day plus expenses for their services.



Document - Have as many employees as possible document everything that a supervisor or manager says to employees, whether to a group of employees or an individual employee. A union buster will oft times violate the law in what he says about the union.



Ask Questions - If a supervisor makes an implied threat, ask the supervisor or manager point blank what he or she is trying to say. The employer cannot legally make direct threats to employees about union organization.



Ask for the information the union buster presents in writing - Remember, the general, vague information that supervisors and managers are giving you comes directly from the union buster. Ask management for the information that they are presenting to you in writing.



Protect and support each other - If a supervisor is shadowing an employee, band together for support. A union buster can only be effective in creating fear if the employees let him. If employees stand up to the union buster, he cannot be effective.



Ask the Union - If you have questions about what the union buster is having management say, contact the union for answers.



You can beat a union buster at his own game by sticking together!

Anonymous said...

In her native Germany Stephanie Loufik was a nurse.
Here in Madison she is a certified nursing assistant, or CNA, working at Oakwood Village Retirement Communities, making $10.97 an hour, working third shift, raising two children, and saving up money for the qualifying exams to get her nursing license.

That day can't come soon enough for Loufik, who says she is fed up with her work situation at the Oakwood complex on Mineral Point Road and the difficulties she and others are facing as they try to organize a union.

"I'm from West Germany. I am 34 years old and I remember East Germany. There I know it was a police state," she said.

At Oakwood, she alleges, "They are sitting hours in front of a camera to see who is union-involved. They have a blacklist with all the names of who is very involved in the union."

The Service Employees International Union Local 150 is helping Oakwood workers form a union. Employees and union organizers are charging that the company's administration is trying to thwart union activity.

In late August, a majority of Oakwood Village's 300 service workers signed union authorization cards, and the union filed for a National Labor Relations Board election, which is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.

Their main complaints are low morale, high turnover, an unfair pay scale, discrimination and what they call a declining quality of care for residents.

Two weeks ago the union asked the NLRB to bring unfair labor practice charges against Oakwood for what it calls "coercive and threatening behavior, and for discrimination against union supporters."

The union alleges that in recent weeks the Oakwood administration has told workers they can be fired for union organizing, and managers have interrogated workers about their union activities, sent messages to employees warning them not to distribute any union literature, and compiled lists of union supporters.

But John Norieka, executive director of Oakwood Village, said the organization's board of directors and its human resources committee will respect whatever decision employees make.

"We absolutely believe strongly in the right of our employees to choose to be represented by a union if they wish to be," he said.

Norieka promised that administrators at the assisted living center will work "constructively with our employees" whether or not they choose to be represented by a union.

He denied charges that the Oakwood Village administration has made it difficult for employees to form a union, is not keeping up with wage increases, and has hired a union-busting law firm as the union and some employees allege.

"We feel that we are doing everything that we can to make sure that employees understand precisely what their rights are under the law," Norieka said.

The company hired Axley Brynelson "not to advise us on how to interfere with a process," but to make sure Oakwood's management conducts itself according to law, Norieka said.

Claiborne Hill, organizing director for SEIU Local 150, calls Axley Brynelson "a union buster," and said that the management at Oakwood Village is waging a fierce anti-union campaign.

"They are a Lutheran organization," she said. "The Lutheran doctrine respects union rights to organize. So we didn't expect such a strong and negative anti-campaign."

It is difficult for outsiders to understand the coercive nature of an anti-union campaign, Hill said.

"These campaigns are designed to make workers so fearful that they act against their own economic and professional interests," she said.

Chad Jenkins, 28, has worked at Oakwood as a certified nursing assistant for nearly four years. He has recently been attending nursing school at Madison Area Technical College and had an arrangement with his supervisor about coming to work late once a week.

After the union drive he was told he no longer had that privilege, he said in an interview, concluding that the move was a result of his involvement with the union.

Jenkins said he could "go on for days" about his grievances with the organization, beginning with a pay scale he says "is all screwed up."

There are employees who have spent six months at Oakwood who make more than people who have worked there 10 years, he said.

Jenkins makes $10.47 an hour with 10 years of experience as a CNA.

"That doesn't seem fair to me," he said. "There wouldn't be such a high turnover if people were satisfied with their jobs."

Staffing nursing homes is a problem everywhere, Jenkins acknowledged, but a more equitable pay scale would be a positive first step, he said.

Monica Metcalf, Oakwood's human resources director, said that the organization's rapid growth may be an issue.

"We consider ourselves to be a leader in the Madison area in terms of our compensation package and conditions of employment compared to other long-term care facilities," she said.

"We do not know specifically what the issues are that have caused some of our employees to request an election but it may be due to the rapid growth we have recently undergone due to the construction of our east side facility."

Oakwood would prefer to work directly with its employees regarding wages, hours and other terms of employment, Metcalf said. At the same time, the company supports its employees' right to have an election, she said.

Ben Dalsoren, a CNA who works as a rehabilitation aide for the therapy department, isn't buying that. He claims he was threatened with termination for his support of the union.

He was given a verbal warning two weeks ago for solicitation and said management would not tell him what he was supposedly soliciting. And once he was identified as a union supporter, Dalsoren said, his superiors began a series of checks on him.

"All of a sudden they would say, 'You were gone for 16 minutes. Where were you?' " said Dalsoren.

He also alleges that discrimination is a problem at Oakwood and that some Hispanic housekeepers make at least $2 per hour less than other housekeepers.

Dalsoren is paid $11.16 an hour but said he will top out next year at $11.23 and will not receive any more raises.

Oakwood board member Rev. Larry Thies, of Mount Olive Lutheran Church, said the organization has always gone out of its way to do what is just and fair for its employees and what is best for its residents.

"They see that as a balancing act," he said.

Thies said he doesn't perceive Oakwood as being anti-union. While they have said they won't prevent a union vote, they don't embrace it either, he said.

"I do have a lot of confidence in the administration at Oakwood and the kind of people who are part of it," he said.

Thies said he has spoken with one of the union organizers and described the representative as strident, confrontational and unyielding.

"And I am a Democrat and a union man. I really believe in unions. But I don't believe in being one-sided either and villainizing your opponents all the time."

Anonymous said...

I can't belive Russ Fleck would let one of his managers ( Tammie Dugard )tell her workers they can't speak Spanish, especialy during diversity week. FedEx doesn't have a policy about speaking Spanish. There are EEOC laws that are being violated.

Anonymous said...

Race discrimination
Racial discrimination differentiates between individuals on the basis of real and perceived racial differences, and has been official government policy in several countries, such as South Africa in the apartheid era.

In the United States, racial profiling of minorities by law enforcement officials has been called racial discrimination. As early as 1866, the Civil Rights Act provided a remedy for intentional race discrimination in employment by private employers and state and local public employers. The Civil Rights Act of 1871 applies to public employment or employment involving state action prohibiting deprivation of rights secured by the federal constitution or federal laws through action under color of law. Title VII is the principal federal statute with regard to employment discrimination prohibiting unlawful employment discrimination by public and private employers, labor organizations, training programs and employment agencies based on race or color, religion, gender, and national origin. Title VII also prohibits retaliation against any person for opposing any practice forbidden by statute, or for making a charge, testifying, assisting, or participating in a proceeding under the statute. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 expanded the damages available in Title VII cases and granted Title VII plaintiffs the right to a jury trial. Title VII also provides that race and color discrimination against every race and color is prohibited, including whites, blacks, hispanics, and Asians.

Anonymous said...

An ethnic group or ethnicity is a population of human beings whose members identify with each other, either on the basis of a presumed common genealogy or ancestry or recognition by others as a distinct group, or by common cultural, linguistic, religious, or physical traits. Processes that result in the emergence of such identification are summarized as ethnogenesis. Members of an ethnic group, on the whole, claim cultural continuities over time, although historians and anthropologists have documented that many of the cultural practices on which various ethnic groups are based are of relatively recent invention.

Anonymous said...

the two comment i put in the blog or for the two O.P. management at fta.. it look like they do not know the meaning of the word discrimination.

just as info....

YES MANAGEMENT OR PUPPETS....


ray mercado

Anonymous said...

I’m pretty much disturb that FedEx allows discrimination acts, it is so unethical, I would suggest you guys at FedEx to get of hold of a T.V media news NBC, and share your story.

Anonymous said...

Managers like Farrin Harris from Fontana service center, shouldn’t be asking employee about if their car with union sign is their? And then discussing what can the union do for them?
Farrin should know that he is violating section 7 & sec 8 of the National labor relation act!
Farrin sounds like he is working for that coward union buster who can’t show himself!
Now hopefully Farrin doesn’t come back and retaliate with this employee why he discusses his conversion with a union supporter and Teamsters committee? Because I advised this employee we should file a NLRB charged.
Now is only time to wait for what Farrin will do next?

Anonymous said...

What things can my employer Not do?
The Law says Your Employer CANNOT

1. Threaten to close, in fact close, or move the plant in order to avoid dealing with the union;

2. Tell employees that the company will fire or punish them if they engage in union activity;

3. Lay off, discharge, discipline any employee for union activity;

4. Bar employee-union representatives from soliciting employee's memberships on or off the company property during non-working hours;

5. Ask employees about union matters, meetings, etc;

6. Ask employees what they think about the union or a union representative;

7. Ask employees how they intend to vote;

8. Give financial support or other assistance to the union;

9. Announce that the company will not deal with the union;

10. Attend any union meetings, park across the street from the hall or engage in any undercover activity which would indicate that employees are being kept under surveillance to determine who is and who is not participating in the union programs;

11. Ask employees, whether or not they belong to a union;

12. Ask an employee, during the hiring interview, about his affiliation with a labor organization or how he feels about unions;

13. Make anti-union statements or act in a way that might show preference for a non- union person;

14. Make distinctions between union and non-union employees when assigning overtime or desirable work;

15. Purposely team up non-union employees and keep them apart from those supporting the union;

16. Transfer workers on the basis of union affiliations or activities;

17. Choose employees to be laid off in order to weaken the union's strength or discourage membership in the union;

18. Discriminate against union members when disciplining employees;

20. By nature of work assignments, create conditions intended to get rid of an employee because of his or her union activity;

19. Deviate from company policy for the purpose of getting rid of a union supporter;

20. Take action that adversely affects an employee's job or pay rate because of union activity;

21. Threaten a union member through a third party.(union buster)

Anonymous said...

What does a Union do for me?
1. Improve your overall work environment with a Union Labor Contract.

2. Change employment status from "At Will" to "Just Cause".

3. Provide professional representation on disciplinary actions, including termination.

4. Establish fair seniority practices.

5. Protect wages, benefits and working conditions with a written contract. Proposed, negotiated and voted on by you!

6. Dignity and respect on the job.

7. Ensure safe working conditions by enforcing state and federal laws.

Anonymous said...

Facts about Teamster Dues.
*1.4 million working men and women just like us are united in the Teamsters Union.

*Teamsters support their union in many ways. One way is through paying dues, in much the same way as many Americans give to their churches and other organizations in the community.

*These dues enable the Teamsters Union to have the resources to stand up for good jobs and benefits, decent working conditions, and better future for our families.

That’s why union members in private industry earn 38 percent more on an average than nonunion workers and receives 54 percent more in benefits.

None of this would be possible without the strength that comes from our Teamsters dues. There is no such thing as something for nothing.

Remember, the boss pays his dues, too – to his country club or business association.

Let’s look at the truth

Fact: Teamster dues average two and one-fourth (2 ¼) hours of our wages per month.

Fact: Most of our dues stay right here with our local union. Dues fund activities that give us more power with management at the

bargaining table, at the statehouse and in the community. Dues enable us to pay attorneys to assist us in negotiations, grievances, and arbitration.

Our dues also support research into our company and industry so we can have our own INDEPENDENT information and not just rely on what the boss might tell us.

Financial statements, detailing how our dues money is spent are read to and approved by the members at each membership meeting

Anonymous said...

Remember, we FedEx Teamsters are the eyes and the ears of our Union. Our knowledge of working conditions, company policies, managerial activities, and day-to-day routines at Federal Express is absolutely, positively essential to the development of meaningful organizing resources.

Only our regular and widespread participation in passing along timely information and creative ideas and suggestions can insure accurate and "on-target" organizing materials. This is our Union movement. Nobody can "tell it like it is" at Federal Express better than we can. Therefore we share the responsibility of developing resources.

A reminder: to avoid managerial victimization, learn how to legally distribute organizing materials to your co-workers. Visit [your legal rights to organize] to know what you and management can and cannot do. If you feel you've been disciplined or even fired because of your Union activities, print and fill out the Teamster [harassment form] and follow its instructions.

Anonymous said...

Your Legal Rights
to Organize!!!!!
Fedex management maintains its rule by means of a culture of fear. Enlightened information is the most powerful weapon we can use to cut through fear and intimidation. Your self-confidence will grow as you absorb and successfully apply your legal organizing rights. And curious but fearful co-workers will relax when they see that the sky hasn't fallen on you!

As FedEx workers come to understand their legal rights, management's huffing and puffing has less of a hold on them. And like the big bad wolf, huffing and puffing is just what it is. Because once you firmly assert your organizing rights at your facility, management will be much less likely to "break the law." Remember, managers receive anti-Union training. They have been versed on the legalities. And they know that documentation of them breaking the law can have severe legal repercussions, both to them personally and FedEx management as a whole. Hand them a [managers beware!] flyer. When they know that you know your rights and their no-no's, they'll think twice before engaging in practices such as making illegal comments, conducting illegal interrogations, or illegally preventing you from passing out Union literature at work. After all, under the RLA they are subject to fines and even jail time.

Carry around a pen and notepad, and pull it out at every work group meeting. Jot down management remarks right in front of them, as they speak. You'll be surprised to see how quickly they tone down their anti-Union comments when they notice that you are documenting them! You must make managers understand that they can't fart without the Union knowing about it.

Document all questionable management practices with these methods:


Write down what they say and do.

Write down the names of witnesses, and how dependable you expect them to be.

Obtain any physical evidence [eg., a copy of a letter or flyer they are distributing].

Keep a daily diary or computer log, and record your own Union activities, encounters with managers, and anything out of the unusual that occurs during your work day.

Encourage other FedEx Teamsters to do likewise.

Inform Teamster Union organizers of all suspected managerial violations.

Anonymous said...

Have You Been Terminated or Disciplined by FedEx Because of Your Union Activities?



Federal law prohibits an employer from discriminating against employees because of their Union activities. If FedEx has acted against you because of your Union activities, complete this form, using additional pages if necessary. Attach copies of any relevant documents, and return the form to the Teamsters Union. Fax or send it to:

FedEx Teamster Organizing Committee
25 Louisiana Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001

fax # (202)624-6832 tele # (202)624-8718
__________________________________________________________________________



PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY
__________________________________________________________________________



NAME & EMPLOYEE NUMBER:


ADDRESS & ZIP CODE:



TELEPHONE NUMBER(S):


EMAIL ADDRESS:


CURRENT or MOST RECENT POSITION with FedEx:


NAME & LOCATION of FedEx facility where currently or most recently employed:


DATE of HIRE at FedEx:


OTHER POSITIONS at FedEx (include dates):


1. What disciplinary action(s) has FedEx taken against you on account of your Union activities (termination, suspension, warning letter, etc.)? Include date(s).







2. Describe all prior discipline you have received from FedEx, including the date and type of discipline.







3. What Union activities have you engaged in at FedEx? Include dates and locations.






4. Does FedEx management know about your Union activities? What specifically can you point to in order to show that management knows about your Union activities?






5. What can you point to in order to show that FedEx took disciplinary action(s) against you because of your Union activities?






6. What reasons did FedEx give for the disciplinary action(s)? Attach copies (not originals!) of any letters or other documents FedEx gave you regarding the discipline.






7. Did you commit any of the infractions with which FedEx has charged you? Explain your side of FedEx's charge(s).






8. Did anyone witness the incident(s) for which FedEx disciplined you? If so, who are they and what would they say about the incident(s)?






9. Have you triggered FedEx's Guaranteed Fair Treatment (GFT) process? If so, describe the steps you have taken in the process and the results so far. Include the dates of all actions in the GFT process taken by you or FedEx management. Attach copies (not originals!) of any letters or other documents that you gave to FedEx or that FedEx gave to you during the GFT process.






10. Do you know of any FedEx employees not engaged in Union activities who did the same thing that FedEx says you did? If so, who are they and what specifically did they do? What action, if any, did FedEx take against them?






Your Signature: ________________________________ Date: _________________

Anonymous said...

Do you wish to order FedEx Teamster organizing materials free-of-charge?
Do you have ideas or drafts to submit for future flyers, newsletters, buttons, stickers, videos, or a possible FedEx organizing pamphlet?

If you answer "yes" to either question, then please contact the:

FedEx Workers Organizing Committee
% Teamsters Organizing Department
25 Louisiana Ave. NW
Washington, D.C., 20001

toll-free: 1-888-FEDX-IBT (333-9428)

by fax: 1-202-624-6832

or at www.changefedextowin@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

What the UPS Victory Means for Us at FedEx
FedEx/UPS Comparison: Wages, Benefits & Working Conditions
Subcontracting
GFT: Guaranteed Failed Trust
Our Rights to Organize are Protected

authorization cards: specifically for Federal Express workers

adhesive stickers:
"Put People Back in P-S-P"
"FedUp: Join the Teamsters"

Teamster posters:
FedEx: Speed-ups wear me out!
FedEx: When I'm hurt, to you I'm dirt!
FedEx: We can't live on part-time work!
FedEx: My family needs a raise!
We support FedEx workers!


Videos--

"Building FedEx: Building Our Union" [9 minutes]--
FedEx workers speak out for the Union & UPS Teamsters discuss their new contract

"Talk Back to the Union Busters" [15 minutes]--
common questions & answers about Unions in general

"Former Professional Union-Buster Marty Levitt Tells All" [25 minutes]--
corporate strategies and dirty tricks from a man who made a living at it

Anonymous said...

Workers Have Rights Also!

The ever-vigilant eagle is the "symbol of our freedoms" in America. In the spirit of the eagle, we working men and women at Federal Express have the right to report for work and perform our jobs to the best of our ability, without being harassed by our bosses. We FedEx workers, under the Railway Labor Act, have the legal right to organize ourselves into the Union of our choice.

Individual managers who violate the law
can and will be held accountable!

Managers Beware:

We Are Watching You!

FedEx Teamsters-- document and report all suspected illegal comments and actions by your managers to your local Teamster union & to the toll-free FedEx Teamster hotline:

1-888-FEDX-IBT (333-9428)

Anonymous said...

Know & Assert your Legal Rights!

Demonstrate to co-workers that there is nothing to fear!

Anonymous said...

on Anti-union Comments by Management--
Q. Why do my managers frequently make remarks against unions?

A. Managers represent the interests of a small number of wealthy investors, best symbolized at FedEx by C.E.O. Fred Smith. Their "duties" include policing us, pushing to get more work out of each of us, and resisting our attempts to improve wages, benefits, and on-the-job rights. Management systematically schools itself in the infamous art of union busting by means of classes, consultants, and policy manuals. Their comments are part of that strategy, and are meant to confuse us and divert our attention from real issues. Don't be fooled by their smiles!

Q. What's "in it" for you FedEx workers who advocate the Union?

A. Unlike managers, we aren't paid to talk about the Union. We speak our minds and volunteer our time because we think a Union is a necessary and righteous thing to build at FedEx. Historically, people have been most successful in improving the quality of their working lives and economic security of retirement years by joining together into unions. We wish to leave life a bit better for our kids and future FedEx'ers. Unions democratically counterbalance the control of the wealthy few over the hard-working majority.

Q. Who should I believe, management or FedEx union members?

A. Gather as much printed information as you can. Ask both sides lots of questions. Observe whose actions and promised results most consistently support their words. Compare each point of view with the present and future self-interests of you and your family. Make up your own mind by thinking it through for yourself.

Q. Sometimes I think my manager "goes overboard" with what she says about unions. Can management say anything they want to?
A. No! Management cannot violate federal labor law. They are prohibited from making threats, promises, saying that unionization will result in loss of benefits or pensions, etc... Telephone your local Teamsters union to learn about legal restrictions governing management's conduct under the Railway Labor Act.

Q. Okay, I've researched federal labor law. So what should I do when I'm sure my manager's comments are illegal?

A. Ask him to repeat what he said, and then write it down word for word. Calmly and politely tell your manager that you believe he may be breaking federal labor law, and why. Jot down the names of all witnesses, and ask them to likewise document the incident. Discuss it with FedEx union members. Depending upon the frequency, nature, and severity of these occurrences, we may take appropriate legal action. Under the RLA, managers found guilty may be fined or jailed. The Union will help protect you against managerial recriminations, which are also illegal. By standing up for your legal rights, you'll likely see management backing down.
call the FedEx Teamster hotline toll-free at: 1-888-FEDX-IBT (333-9428)

Anonymous said...

SOLIDARITY FOREVER!
Did you know that during the UPS strike of August 1997 not a single member of the Independent Pilots Association crossed the picket lines? Instead, UPS pilots by the hundreds joined Teamster men and women on the picket lines and at rallies across the nation, in full uniform, to show their unwavering support with striking car drivers, tractor trailer drivers, loaders & unloaders, and other ground workers. IPA pilots later negotiated and ratified their own contract with United Parcel Service.
This is the kind of SOLIDARITY among workers we're constructing at Federal Express. Pilots, couriers, RTDs, handlers, vehicle & aircraft mechanics, customer service agents & reps, etc.-- every non-management person-- we're all in this together. We're organizing our Unions to improve the quality of our worklife and the financial security of our families. Put it all together, and it spells out the DIGNITY of taking some control over our own destiny.

With 98% of our pilots signed up with FPA, the 3500 men and women who fly Federal Express airplanes only need to stick 100% together behind their bargaining committee to obtain their reasonable and just goals. They have the upper hand in negotiations by means of their concentrated economic clout.