Martha Coakley, the MA Attorney General and candidate for the Senate seat vacated by the late Ted Kennedy, paid a visit yesterday to a UPS facility in Watertown, MA to meet with Teamsters Local 25 and to sign on to support the Express Carrier Employee Protection Act.
UPS and the Teamsters claim that FedEx has operated at an unfair advantage since its inception by being allowed to classify employees of the Express business unit as railroad and airline employees. UPS employees are organized under the Teamsters.
Coakley's support comes after last month's ruling that the IRS would drop all pending investigations into FedEx Ground operations. The Ground business unit was under investigation for the same employee misclassification which would have lead to the IRS' involvement in auditing previous years of FedEx revenue.
Also present was Sean O'Brien, president of Teamsters Local 25. "This loophole has allowed FedEx to operate on an unfair playing field," O'Brien said. "Most workers at FedEx in the Boston area don't have anything to do with aircraft operations, yet they are trapped under the jurisdiction of the Railway Labor Act. These sorters, drivers, truck mechanics and package delivery drivers deserve the opportunity to join a union to improve their working conditions and benefits."
The Express Carrier Employee Protection Act is cleverly attached to the FAA reauthorization bill which will be heard and discussed by the Senate in the coming months. Some government action is expected.
Teamsters Gain Support From Coakley for FedEx Express Carrier Legislation -- BOSTON, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
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