FedEX, Pilots mediated talks proceed...

[Dav8tor]

FedEx, pilots mediated talks proceed
Fri Nov 11, 2005 3:56 PM ET


CHICAGO (Reuters) - FedEx Corp. <FDX.N> and the union representing its 4,500 pilots opened federally mediated negotiations this week to try to break a stalemate after 20 months of talks, spokesmen from both sides said on Friday.
FedEx and the Air Line Pilots Association started Monday with contract talks overseen by the National Mediation Board, concluding a first round of discussions Thursday. No new dates have been set, though Memphis, Tennessee-based FedEx expects a meeting in December.
FedEx went to the NMB after the pilots union rejected two contract offers without a vote, spokesman Maury Lane said. The proposals would have raised the average pilot salary to more than $200,000 per year, from about $176,000, he said.
"It was clear that it was time to have the NMB step in and use their expertise to help us complete the process," Lane said.
The pilots see work rules, job security, retirement and health care as the main sticking points to reaching an agreement to replace the contract that became amendable in 2004, ALPA spokesman Scott Sherrin said.
"We are frustrated," Sherrin said. "FedEx management typically has been very opposed to organized labor. ... We understand what is happening in the rest of the industry, but given that FedEx reaps billions of dollars of profits every year, we see our requests as responsible."
Pilots on Friday planned informational picketing in a dozen U.S. cities. Talks began on a new deal in March 2004 to replace the contract that became amendable in May 2004.

 

[DornierPilot]

"The proposals would have raised the average pilot salary to more than $200,000 per year, from about $176,000, he said."

With the top pay rate $206/hour and the lowest at $50/hour, explain to me how the average pilot salary would be anywhere close to $200,000/year?

The misleading information that comes from company spokespersons is amazing!

My Negotiating Committee speaks for me!

 

[SF3CA]

I would love to be an average pilot at Fedex! That would be one heck of a pay raise.


Sf3ca

 

[FedEx1]

Dang! I am well below "average"......

 

[kc10/c130]

More mumbo jumbo from management. My MEC speaks for me.

 

[klhoard]

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I think it is irresponsible for the pilots to be asking for a pay raise during this time of upheaval in the industry. If only FDX-ALPA would have gone to management and asked "What can we do to help?", we would have a contract by now and perhaps the company wouldn't be facing such a dire financial future!!
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[Huck]

Careful Keith - I've proclaimed the death of irony here before.....

 

[crashpad]

What's ironic is Fedex and UPS are payed real airline pilot wages, don't allow any fellow airline pilots to ride on them, yet sponge rides off passenger airlines.

 

[1stCivDiv]

Shot Over.....Shot Out...:uzi:

 

[FNG_that's me]

What's ironic is Fedex and UPS are payed real airline pilot wages, don't allow any fellow airline pilots to ride on them, yet sponge rides off passenger airlines.

You have to be a little more subtle that that if you want to start a fire.

 

[Purpledog]

What's ironic is Fedex and UPS are payed real airline pilot wages, don't allow any fellow airline pilots to ride on them, yet sponge rides off passenger airlines.

Guess you need to be spoonfed our jumpseat reservation number you 'go-getter'. Not from me, I'm all out of patience especially since I just found out I'm 60k below average.

 

[crashpad]

Guess you need to be spoonfed our jumpseat reservation number you 'go-getter'. Not from me, I'm all out of patience especially since I just found out I'm 60k below average.

Somebody call the WAAAAAAmbulance!!!!

 

[psysix]

What's ironic is Fedex and UPS are payed real airline pilot wages, don't allow any fellow airline pilots to ride on them, yet sponge rides off passenger airlines.

Ha. You may be a "real" airline pilot, but you are not paid like a "real" airline pilot.

 

[JohnnyCash]

crashpad:

need a hug? (i kiss and will tell)

jc

 

[semperfido]

What's ironic is Fedex and UPS are payed real airline pilot wages, don't allow any fellow airline pilots to ride on them, yet sponge rides off passenger airlines.

you guys crack me up.

 

[RedDogC130]

I dont need a hug but a job.....can you walk me in

 

[Falconjet]

Wow: I'm in year 4 and I haven't even made it halfway to average yet. Maybe this year.

I do wish that the ALPA reps would dispute these bogus numbers to the media instead of just letting quotes like that sit out there for people to believe.

FJ

 

[Goose17]

numbers

I am guessing the numbers published by the company include absolutely everything and are not limited to take-home $. They probably include health care, retirement, electricity for the AOC, gas for the crew busses and the wonderful catering!

Goose17

 

[Falconjet]

Agreed. All the more reason for somebody from the union to call the company out for sprouting such obsurd numbers out there to the media.

FJ

 

[Laughing_Jakal]

Hey, I don't know about you guys, but the company gives me a bonus everytime I deny Crashpad his reserved jumpseat, then mooch off his airline.

 

[crashpad]

You guys seem like the happiest bunch of all. I'm a little jealous...plus I can't even stir the pot here.
reserved jumpseat?....guess it's been a while since I flew cargo.

 

[Goose17]

dead horse

Crashpad,

The FedEx jumpseat issue has come and gone a bunch on this forum. Run a search and you will find a bunch of info. The long and short of it - if you are a CASS airline with digital pics, you are welcome to RESERVE a jumpseat with FedEx.

Goose17

selling my 5-bedroom house in MEM.

 

[crashpad]

CASS...there's that ugly four letter word again.

 

[FlyWolf]

FedEx alpa has the best jumpseat tool out there to find flights

here is the link if you haven't seen it:

http://crewroom.alpa.org/fdx/jumpseat/Default.aspx

Cheers

 

[klhoard]

What's ironic is Fedex and UPS are payed real airline pilot wages, don't allow any fellow airline pilots to ride on them, yet sponge rides off passenger airlines.

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What you guys don't realize is that FedEx and UPS pilots provide a truly vital service to the U.S. and world economy - if those boxes don't move the country nosedives into recession.
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However, if all the passenger airlines stopped flying for two weeks, the only effect would be a slight uptick in the price of stock in Greyhound, Amtrack, Schwinn, and Hertz rent-a-car.
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I hope that helps you guys find your place in the pilot food chain. . .
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[waitinginline]

Crashpad Please change your Avatar

whatever

 

[Marko Ramius]

I don't get it, it's a building and it's a robot....

CASS...there's that ugly four letter word again.

I guess I don't understand the point here, are you complaining about the CASS system itself or the fact that FedEx and every other airline that offers offline jumpseats in the cockpit uses it?

 

[FedEx1]

I feel bad we can only take the CASS guys with the digital photos. But why is everyone so quick to forget the ID 75 you get on shipping? On Fedex only?? You can actually afford to ship on us with this, track your stuff, and know it will get there. (Lots of sticky fingers if you send postal service outside the US.)

 

[Laughing_Jakal]

Every real irline pilot is part of CASS

I'm suprised that a member of the "Majors" board finds CASS to be a four letter word cause it was designed to be a database of all the "Real" airline pilots. System works like a champ and is transparent to me and the other guys in the system who are recognized by the ATA and the gub'mint to be "Real airline pilots". Whassamadda Crashpad...not in the system? If your digitial photo is not supported by your airline, I heard (Unsubstantiated) you could come to Memphis and submit one if you want to be included for our jumpseat. Someone really ought to check with our jumpseat committee...but it ain't gonna be me....

 

[commuterpuke]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/business/article/0,1426,MCA_440_4231636,00.html
FedEx and pilots go into mediation
Negotiations over health care costs and job security have not been fruitful

By Jane Roberts
Contact
November 13, 2005

FedEx Corp. and its pilots have begun their latest round of talks, this time
under the eye of the National Mediation Board, the independent federal
agency that steps in when railroad and airline negotiations are at an
impasse.

While industry watchers have no idea how long the talks will last, they say
mediation is positive because it means both sides are still talking.

"They call these people mediators; they are really magicians trained to find
holes where no one else could," said Michael Boyd, aviation consultant at
The Boyd Group.

The mediator assigned to the FedEx case is John Livingood, whose most recent
assignment has been finding common ground between UPS and its pilots. The
sides have been in mediation since summer of 2004.

FedEx expects a long session because the pilots' union has already rejected
two offers without taking them to the membership for a vote.

"The NMB process is not short," said FedEx spokeswoman Kristin Krause. "It
takes months; it can take years. We hope their experienced hand can help the
process."

At the top of the agenda are health care and job security, sticking points
for the pilots since negotiations began 20 months ago.

Because FedEx is expanding dramatically, it is leasing planes and pilots to
cover the load, and paying the union penalties for the lost work.

To date, FedEx says it owes the union $2 million -- on top of the $300,000
it has already paid -- because it began leasing planes earlier this year and
will have to continue beyond the four-month lease period allowed in the
contract.

The pilots want restrictions on leasing to preserve their jobs.

FedEx so far has refused, saying "exotic formulas" would inhibit its ability
to grow" and would reduce its flexibility in an "ever-changing environment."

On the the health care side, FedEx says the pilots have not had "significant
premium increases" since 1998 while other employees have shelled out more
nearly every year.

The company says it will pay $4 out of the $5 spent on pilot health care
instead of the roughly 90 percent it's paying now.

For rationale, it cites corporate records showing employees who pay a higher
percentage of their health care costs tend to manage their health
expenditures better.

"If you pay next to nothing for health care, your concern for saving money
in that area is small," according to an internal company memo sent to the
pilots last week.

It is inconceivable to Dave Webb, chairman of the FedEx unit of the Air Line
Pilots Association, "that a corporation with a subsidiary as profitable as
FedEx Express would go to war with some of its most loyal and dedicated
employees over issues like this in light of its profitability.

"We are more than willing to address their issues if they show some
commitment to address ours."

The pilots have been conducting informational pickets at FedEx and Kinko's
locations since spring, including a 12-city blitz last Friday, to show their
frustration.

"Instead of legitimately negotiating with the pilots, FedEx management has
chosen to request the NMB's assistance and bring us closer to a potential
confrontation," Webb said.

The pilots have been working without a new contract for more than a year.
Federal law prohibits a strike as long as mediation continues.

FedEx made its first offer in late April, offering $500 million in raises
and signing bonuses commensurate with contract length if the pilots would
stop negotiating and accept the terms of their last contract, negotiated in
1998.

In late September, it made its second offer, including $100 million in
signing bonuses and 15 percent in raises over the life of the 41/2 -year
contract.

"We addressed the concerns they brought to the table after the first
contract," Krause said. "There were some changes in health care and their
pension, which is still, bar none, one of the best in the aviation industry
and any industry, for that matter."

The second offer, according to Webb, included $53 million in health care
concessions -- a 400 percent increase in out-of-pocket medical expenses --
and "other onerous grabs."

Saying "unity has never been higher," the pilots are determined that the
company negotiate instead of dictate, Webb said.

"We've lowered our expectation off of the opener considerably in order to
get a deal."

Meanwhile, the pilot compensation climate has changed dramatically.

Pilots at Northwest Airlines have agreed to temporary cuts worth $332
million a year on top of the $265 million they gave back late last year.

And it is now also increasingly likely that Northwest and Delta Air Lines
pension plans will be converted to defined contribution plans, freezing
pension benefits at current levels.

Pensions at United Airlines and US Airways were terminated entirely, costing
mid-career pilots tens of thousands in benefits a year.

The concessions on the passenger side have the effect of making the FedEx
offer look more favorable, says Mark Kiefer, aviation consultant at CRA
International.

"The company might want to take advantage of that and make a less generous
offer."

With jet fuel over $2 a gallon, Boyd doubts FedEx "is in a conciliatory
mood."

"In this day and age, most labor unions recognize the challenge, and most
want to be part of the solution instead of walking a cold picket line."

--Jane Roberts: 529-2512

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