FedEx Pilots to Management: Now Is the Time to Deliver for Us
FedEx pilots hold an informational picket in front of the FedEx Express Air Operations Center to express frustration over the lack of a new pilot collective bargaining agreement.
Hundreds of FedEx Express pilots, fellow crewmembers, and supporters held an informational picket on June 28 in front of the FedEx Express Air Operations Center to express frustration over the lack of a new pilot collective bargaining agreement. The pilots have been negotiating for a new contract since May 2021, and several significant outstanding issues remain.
“Throughout the pandemic, while many were shutting down and working virtually, FedEx pilots were flying across the globe keeping the world economy intact,” said Capt. Chris Norman, the pilot group’s Master Executive Council (MEC) chair. “We’ve earned an industry-leading contract through these remarkable efforts and now is the time for FedEx to deliver.”
Armed with picket signs stating, “When the World Shut Down, FedEx Pilots Delivered,” hundreds of pilots stood together to send a strong, unified message to the negotiators on the other side of the table: Now is the time to resolve outstanding items and reach an industry-leading pilot contract. The parties originally entered focused negotiations with a mutually agreed to goal of reaching a new agreement by the end of May 2022—a date that has long passed.
“Several quality-of-life issues in our contract need to be resolved immediately. FedEx pilots have a proven track record of excellence, dedication, and unparalleled performance, and we deliver on the company’s ‘Purple Promise’ each day—and we need management to deliver a new pilot contract now,” commented Norman.
Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA’s president, and a former FedEx pilot group leader, added, “FedEx pilots exceeded all expectations during the pandemic and have more than earned an industry-leading agreement. Now it’s time for the company to recognize it.”
