NLRB Also Requires Union Election as Part of Settlement
Contact: Galen Munroe,
(202) 624-6911
November 6, 2007
(Washington, DC) – FedEx Corporation [NYSE: FDX] subsidiary FedEx Home Delivery has agreed to pay five former and present drivers a total of $253,000 to settle a series of unfair labor charges brought by the National Labor Relations Board against the company.
The five drivers–four former and one present driver–all worked in the Northboro, Massachusetts Home Delivery terminal and were union supporters in a unionization drive in 2005 and 2006 by Teamsters Local 170. The NLRB also ordered an election in Northboro for February 2008.
“FedEx has delayed this process long enough and the Northboro drivers will get their right to vote,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. “I’m outraged at FedEx’s treatment of these workers. This small amount of compensation is not enough to undo the damage that FedEx has done to their lives.”
The unionization effort centered on the employee status of the drivers in the Northboro facility. The drivers gave sworn testimony to the NLRB that FedEx Home Delivery controlled their daily work like employees but called them “independent contractors.”
The NLRB ruled that the drivers were employees and ordered an election that was to take place in January 2006. FedEx Home Delivery then illegally harassed, intimidated terminated the four former drivers to prevent a legal union election. The NLRB charged FedEx in a June 2007 consolidated complaint with numerous unfair labor practice charges for the illegal acts. The October 25 settlement between the drivers the company came out of the NLRB charges.
“We backed the company right against the wall because we stood up to management and had all the answers when it came to their anti-union meetings," said driver Richard Lacina. "FedEx paid me thousands of dollars because they violated my rights and I am still employed as a driver. This shows everybody the power of the Teamsters Union and what it can do for you.”
Teamsters Local 170 and the company also agreed to schedule an election at the Northboro facility as a result of NLRB charges. The election is to occur on February 1, 2008.
“The Teamsters have stuck by these workers and the five drivers at least got some degree of justice,” said Teamsters Local 170 Secretary-Treasurer Mike Hogan. “The Northboro drivers have seen the worst that FedEx can throw at them, and in the end the workers will have their vote to take control of their lives and their future.”
FedEx Home Delivery drivers at three facilities in Wilmington, Massachusetts and Windsor, Connecticut already voted for Teamster representation in 2006 and 2007. FedEx ignored NLRB orders to bargain and appealed previous NLRB rulings to the U.S. Court of Appeal District of Columbia Circuit.
A recent report by American Rights at Work and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights document the anti-union campaign and patterns of discrimination at FedEx Ground and Home Delivery in Northboro and elsewhere. That report is online at: http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/fedex/
1 comment:
I would like to thank all those who came to the lax blitz and stepped up and came to listen to all the great speakers we had.
We are very happy with the turnout on Sat and even though I had to leave early sunday our committee chair told me they had a great turnout there too. I would like to thank David Webb for his words of wisdom once again.
When the question was asked about us getting farmed out if we organize ( a question I know many share) Mr Webb came out and said you think if they wouldn't have already if they could? Oh they love paying you now because we are all so nice and so are they!
People this company would pack your bags and walk you out if you sneeze wrong. The fact is that they know we do Great job keeping our jets flying and they have already had a taste of what contract labor can do to our jets. We are the world on time and we make it that way. Please believe in yourself more than what you do now if you feel this way.
There was a great presentation on the western confrence by one cute lady who took the book page by page. I recorded it and hope to be able to upload it to the site soon.
I want to thank the teamsters for the great BBq they provided along with the other meals and support they have shown us.
For those who do not know this but they are behind us 100%. They would not even be paying for these meetings if they did not know we will get this done.
I met so many people that gave me some great feedback on how they feel about this and I promise I will work my hardest to get us represented.
I will post the video's soon. Once again thanks for your support.
Post a Comment