Disappointed But Not Surprised

Captain David Webb, chairman of the FedEx unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), issued the following statement following FedEx management's decision to request the assistance of the National Mediation Board in the pilots' ongoing contract negotiations:

"We are disappointed, but not surprised, by FedEx management's actions today in requesting the assistance of the National Mediation Board and admitting the failure of FedEx Labor Relations to reach an agreement with the pilots.

"The company's final comprehensive proposal contained significant concessions, reflective of opportunistic greed in a time of industry turmoil. Management presented this proposal while corporate officers repeatedly make public statements that FedEx profits continue to rise and will be even greater in the future.

"Our proposals address the issues of our members as expressed through more than three years of polling and are responsible and consistent with the contributions of our pilots and the extraordinary profitability of FedEx. No matter what the venue of negotiations, we will continue to pursue a responsible agreement that addresses our pilots' concerns."

FMI: www.alpa.org, www.fedexlabortalks.com