FedEx workers will recommence industrial action with rolling four-hour stoppages from Monday next week after the latest pay talks broke down.
In a media statement released today, the Transport Workers Union said the company refused to even consider a reasonable counter-offer put to them by union members.
While exact details of terms being sought are under wraps, the union said it is calling on FedEx to abandon its approach to attack workers and instead work cooperatively on a safe, secure and sustainable future.
As a result, stop-work actions are planned across all states during the first three days of next week. Workers will determine further industrial action on a rolling basis, the statement added.
“FedEx is attempting to swindle workers twice: by refusing to agree to or put a monetary offer to workers for their brilliant 2020 contribution to record profits and then by dangling modest future earnings as a carrot in 2023 that might not even meet CPI,” said TWU national secretary Michael Kaine.
Last week, FedEx workers suspended further industrial action after the company agreed to union meetings during paid time across the country. During those meetings, workers overwhelmingly endorsed taking further action to break the impasse with FedEx management taking orders from America.
Yesterday, workers brought a fair solution to the table which would provide their families with financial security sooner without adding costs to the company, said the union.
However, it added that FedEx management persisted with its refusal to provide an agreement offer which repays workers for their hard work and restraint during a record year of multibillion dollar profits for FedEx and its clients like Amazon and Apple.
“Industrial action is the only option left for workers facing a hostile international juggernaut fighting a losing battle based on warped ideology,” said Kaine.
“Christmas is just around the corner, it’s time for FedEx management to redirect its energy on providing a viable, trusted service with a valued workforce at its heart.”
FedEx is the only remaining major transport operator in Australia not to have reached an agreement with workers following settlement between TWU members and StarTrack on Friday.
Other transport companies which have settled their agreements with workers are looking at ways to raise standards in the industry to protect major transport operators and workers from the ‘Amazon Effect’ of cost cutting and exploitative competition.
In America, Amazon Logistics has now overtaken FedEx on deliveries, charging parent company Amazon three times lower prices to transport its goods.
Kaine called on FedEx to recognise its workforce as its biggest asset, not its enemy.