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FedEx Pilots Pick Third Union Chairman Since Last Summer

New leadership ready for more aggressive tactics

Eric Kulisch
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A Fedex 767 in Las Vegas [Credit: AirlineGeeks/ William Derrickson]
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Key Takeaways:

  • The FedEx pilots' union has elected a new chairman, Jose Nieves, replacing Billy Wilson, amidst internal divisions and dissatisfaction with contract negotiations.
  • The union is taking a more aggressive stance against FedEx management, requesting an impasse declaration to potentially strike over better compensation and benefits.
  • FedEx's recent strong financial performance, including increased operating income and a share buyback program, fuels the union's argument that the company can afford a better contract.
  • Pilots aim to achieve a contract comparable to those secured by counterparts at other major airlines, despite decreased leverage due to recent airfreight and parcel demand fluctuations.
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The board of the FedEx pilots’ union has elected its third chairman in eight months as the group tries to overcome internal divisions that have hampered efforts to achieve an updated labor contract.

The FedEx Master Executive Council voted for Captain Jose Nieves, a Boeing 757 pilot who has been at FedEx for 28 years, to lead the union’s 5,800 members, the Air Line Pilots Association announced late Tuesday.

Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Air Cargo Market Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government coverage and news analysis, and was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. Eric is based in Portland, Oregon. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com

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