September 20, 2007 - The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 267-151 to approve the massive $68 billion bill to finance Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations over the next four years. The FAA reauthorization bill (HR 2881) also contains language championed by the IAM that would dramatically increase the opportunity for FedEx workers to organize a union.
The “Express Carrier Employee Protection” language in the House legislation would allow FedEx workers to organize under National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) guidelines, rather than Railway Labor Act (RLA), which prevents local organizing efforts. For more than a decade, nearly all FedEx workers have been classified as aviation employees, regardless of what work they do for the package delivery giant.
“This legislation is the result of years of work and a major step forward in our fight to give FedEx workers the right to organize,” said IP Tom Buffenbarger. “It will also level the playing field among the large package delivery companies and eliminate the unfair advantage FedEx has enjoyed for so long.”
The next battle will come as the legislation moves to the Senate, where anti-union forces are certain to oppose any restoration of collective bargaining rights for FedEx employees. “Now is the time to let Senators know how you feel about special favors for large corporations at the expense of workers whose rights have been denied for too long,” said Buffenbarger.
Click here to urge your Senators to insist the “Express Carrier Employee Protection” language is contained in the Senate version of the FAA legislation.
