Comes In Advance Of Shareholders’ Annual Meeting

Just in time to give FedEx shareholders food for thought as they get together for their 2025 annual meeting, the company’s pilots have issued a formal vote of no confidence in the ability of Rajesh Subramaniam to lead the FedEx Corporation.

The loss of confidence declaration was announced by the FedEx Master Executive Council (MEC) of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, which represents more than 5,000 FedEx pilots, on September 29, 2025.

The leadership of the union stated in a memorandum, “Under his tenure, FedEx has abandoned a people-first culture and embraced a narrow profit-first mindset that jeopardizes the company’s future. Over the past three years, a narrow focus has eroded employee trust, weakened loyalty, and continues to jeopardize operational reliability in what is now a highly competitive marketplace.”

The MEC emphasized that corporate restructuring programs championed by Subramaniam have prioritized process over purpose, and in doing so they redirect the company away from the People–Service–Profit philosophy of Fred Smith, the founder of FedEx.

The MEC states that the initiatives, One FedEx, DRIVE, Network 2.0, and Tricolor, focus only on how the company functions and disregard why FedEx became so successful. Over the past three years, that narrow focus has eroded the trust of employees, weakened loyalty, and jeopardizes operational reliability in an ever more highly competitive industry.

“FedEx is at a crossroads. Without decisive change, the Board risks further damage to FedEx’s brand reputation, workforce stability, and shareholder value. Leadership must urgently restore accountability, transparency, and trust by realigning corporate vision to a foundational people-first philosophy,” reads the statement.

The action by the pilots raises fundamental concerns about the strategic direction of FedEx. The frontline employees who are the face of the company, the customers who rely on its services, and shareholders who value the financial stability of FedEx all deserve better. The MEC calls on the Board of Directors to act in the best interests of the company by addressing this crisis.

FMI:  fdx.alpa.org/