FedEx Express pilots were out in force Thursday afternoon in East Memphis.
About 75 pilots gathered outside the FedEx corporate office at 942 Shady Grove Road on Thursday as their push continues for a better labor contract with the logistics giant. The informational picket was organized by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), which represents the FedEx Express pilots.
“With minimal progress achieved during recent mediated negotiating sessions in sections of significant importance to the pilots and no progress on the core economic sections related to retirement and pay, management forced our hand in requesting a release from mediation,” said Connor Wilm said in a statement. Wilm is the acting chair of the FedEx Master Executive Council, the governing body of the FedEx unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, International.
FedEx founder Fred Smith was on hand Thursday and spoke with each pilot, asking them what they did for a living before they came to FedEx and thanking them for their service.
The picket comes nearly two weeks after the ALPA filed mediation release with the National Mediation Board on March 8. That action was considered the first step toward a legal strike to force a new contract.
Thursday's picket also coincides with the release of FedEx's third quarter earnings report. A similar picket was also held outside FedEx's New York City office.
In a news release, the ALPA said FedEx management has continued stalling and delaying a renewed contract, and as a result, the union is prepared to continue hosting informational picketing events in greater frequency.
In a statement earlier this month, FedEx said:
"FedEx remains steadfastly committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching an agreement that is fair to all stakeholders. We believe the mediation process under the supervision of the National Mediation Board — which ALPA requested — remains the best way to achieve that goal."
Negotiations between the ALPA and FedEx have been ongoing since May 2021. The groups entered into mediation via the National Mediation Board in October 2022. In July 2023, FedEx pilots rejected tentative agreement by a 57% to 43% margin.
The ALPA was founded in 1931 and represents more than 77,000 pilots between 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines.
Neil Strebig is a journalist with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at neil.strebig@commercialappeal.com, 901-426-0679 or via X: @neilStrebig.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: FedEx pilots picket in Memphis for new contract: The latest updates