FedEx and UPS Feud Over Union Rules

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I grew up during the heyday of unionization, the 1950's. Union shops were popping up everywhere, and the result was wages, benefits, and conditions improved greatly over those the case earlier. Just in unionized businesses? Not at all. The fact that unions pressured businesses for better had the side effect of making non-union businesses compete for their labor force. They tried to offer better wages, benefits, and conditions to stay competitive with unionized businesses. A good example was how non-union Gruman Aircraft was pressured by the existence of unionized Republic Aviation (among others). They stayed a step ahead to keep union organizers from being successful at Gruman.
Now, of course, there are relatively few union shops. Not everyone can work for UPS as FedEx well knows. Employees at FedEx have a right to be upset, for the legs have been cut out from beneath the union movement in this country (Ronald Reagan's firing of the FAA's flight controllers was pretty much the end of unionization except, ironically, for those in pro sports, film, education, and select other elite occupations.)
Everyone should know that there would be no need for unions at all if working conditions, wages and benefits were all satisfactory everywhere. If people were actually rewarded well for hard and successful effort, who could complain? But, no, the deck is stacked against labor in many ways, the most obvious being that too few unemployed in the available workforce means upward pressure on wages (and benefits and conditions), so 5% or so unemployed at all times is the antidote. The existence of "temps" pools and part-time only hours work to suppress wages, too.
There are businesses in America that work very hard to treat their employees well. Unfortunately, there are too few of them.
The UPS-FedEx illustration is a good one to ponder. Is it time for grass roots efforts to unionize and to have anti-union forces yelp about cometitiveness going down the drain as unions re-appear?
Your turn.

Ron W. Smith of UT 3:20PM December 09, 2009

FedEx's Inhumane Treatment!
In May 1998, A FedEx Manager, Tim Cecil denied me time off to attend my Father's funeral in New York. I did not receive a sympathy card from Tim, and no flowers were sent to my Father's funeral. I specifically asked for time off to grieve my Father or to attend the funeral. With emotional pain, I had to grieve my Father, John Henry Holt at work. FedEx says, Tim used "poor judgement" to justify their Discriminatory practices at the Elizabethtown, KY station. This was Deliberate! Tim also denied Jose Deleon time off to attend his StepFather's funeral. Because of my pending lawsuit I was fired on Sept. 25, 2009. I remember Manager, Kevin Hart saying, "Johnnie, I am going to make it short and sweet, you are fired!" This was Wrongful Termination and Retaliation! My work record is 25 years of loyal service, 23 years of Safe Driving and 16 years Perfect Attendance. FedEx is a Cruel, Callous and Defiant company.
This is why FedEx needs an Union!!!
Go to You Tube, search word: FedEx Inhumane Treatment

Johnnie of KY 11:03PM December 08, 2009

Both companies should be under the National Railway Act.

adv of NJ 5:21PM December 08, 2009

FedEx is a very shrewd company that takes advantage of their employees because we are not a union. Our productivety has shot through the roof while our pay and retirement benefits have gone down. I want to also say I am a conservative Republican that has never cared for unions! This company is not what it was 15 years ago. And I can give some very specific examples. Enough is enough

R Smith of NC 5:13PM December 08, 2009

It's time to level the playing field and pass the law so all Fedx employees will jion the union - just like UPS.
What are they afraid of, little competition with UPS on the same playing field by the same rules, after all they both perform the same service.

Stan Predki of IL 4:19PM December 08, 2009

Maury Lane is like the top politican in the country, my way or the highway, don't let the facts get in the way. Why not cover Fed Ex the same as UPS and UPS the same as Fed Ex? Playing field is equal, no one gains, no one loses. Wouldn't that be right Mr. Lane and of course we understand you only want to do the right thing.

Don McKenney Sr of AZ 4:13PM December 08, 2009

Fedx is afraid of leveling the playing field....if it quacks like a duck , walks like a duck then guess what...it's a duck. fedx is a service that delivers packages to consumers by truck just like UPS except they don't have to pay the taxes and medical benefits on the workers they use to drive their trucks.... can anyone else say "scam the government out of tax money".....come on congress, get your act together and see these two companies for what they are......the same type of package delivery businesses!

d Smith of NY 4:07PM December 08, 2009