US conservative group caught up in dispute
“A major conservative interest group asked FedEx for a $2-3m donation in exchange for the group’s backing in a legislative battle with UPS”, the Journal of Commerce states, according to a published report in the US on 17 July.
“A major conservative interest group asked FedEx for a $2-3m donation in exchange for the group’s backing in a legislative battle with UPS”, the Journal of Commerce states, according to a published report in the US on 17 July.
The article continues:
Politico, a Washington-based publication, saying it had received a copy of the letter from the American Conservative Union, reported FedEx did not respond to the request. The conservative group since then has endorsed UPS and its call for Congress to change the way FedEx is covered under federal labour law.
FedEx is fighting a measure in Congress that would move coverage of the operator’s air express business, now under the Railway Labor Act, to the National Labor Relations Act, which could make it easier for labor unions to organise FedEx Express workers at individual terminals.
The letter said that for $2m, the ACU would offer “op-eds and articles written by ACU’s Chairman David Keene and/or other members of the ACU’s board of directors.”
The group was among several conservative organisations that issued a statement sharply condemning FedEx for its attack on the legislation in Congress. FedEx has called that measure a “Brown bailout” – referring to UPS – and the groups countered that the attack is a “disinformation campaign.”
Politico quoted an official at the American Conservative Union who said the group did not receive money from UPS.
