FedEx Express and pilots agree new contract

FedEx Express has reached an agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) over a new contract for its pilots. As previously reported by Post&Parcel, FedEx and ALPA reached a “tentative agreement” at the end of August, and the pilots have now voted and approved the deal.

In a statement issued yesterday (20 October), ALPA said: “The new agreement provides across-the-board increases to hourly pay rates and new-hire compensation, a significant signing bonus, retirement plan enhancements, work-rule improvements, and other positive modifications.”

ALPA Master Executive Council chairman Chuck Dyer commented: “With the ballot to approve or reject the agreement open for nearly a month, our pilots did their due diligence to analyze and evaluate this agreement. In the end, the majority felt we achieved an agreement that brings improvement and recognizes our contribution to the success of FedEx.”

The deal will come into effect in November and run through to 2021.

Meanwhile, the contract wrangling between UPS and the Independent Pilots Association (the union which represents UPS pilots) are continuing. Yesterday (20 October), the IPA issued a statement that it will release the results of its strike authorization vote this Friday (23 October) “at approximately 10:30 a.m. EDT”.

The statement continued: “IPA members are being asked to authorize a pilot strike against United Parcel Service.

<!– Paragraph before: If approved, the five-pilot Executive Board of the Independent Pilots Association will have the authority to formally request a release from federally mediated negotiations with UPS, and the discretion to conduct a strike once mediation is concluded.  UPS and its pilots began negotiating in August 2011.

–> <!– Paragraph After: If approved, the five-pilot Executive Board of the Independent Pilots Association will have the authority to formally request a release from federally mediated negotiations with UPS, and the discretion to conduct a strike once mediation is concluded.  UPS and its pilots began negotiating in August 2011.

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“If approved, the five-pilot Executive Board of the Independent Pilots Association will have the authority to formally request a release from federally mediated negotiations with UPS, and the discretion to conduct a strike once mediation is concluded. UPS and its pilots began negotiating in August 2011.”

The UPS has suggested that the IPA’s strike threats are mainly a sabre-rattling ploy.