After years of attempting to organize drivers at the trucking company FedEx Freight, the Teamsters Union on Tuesday scored its first victory.

A group of 47 drivers at FedEx Freight's East Philadelphia terminal in Croydon, Pennsylvania, voted to join Teamsters Local 107 in Philadelphia. The vote was 26-18.

"The drivers are fed up with FedEx Freight," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "These workers are tired of management talking down to them at every chance, and they want decent benefits, including more affordable health insurance. They also want consistent and fair working conditions and a more hopeful future."

In a statement, FedEx said, “We believe our open and thriving work environment provides a more flexible, team-oriented and customer-focused work model than the union offers.” The company also said it is considering its options following the vote, including an appeal.

The decision by employees at the Pennsylvania facility follows a vote against union organizing last week by drivers working out of FedEx Freight’s Cinnaminson, New Jersey, facility.

According to the Teamsters, numerous campaigns at FedEx Freight are under way to organize drivers at other facilities and such efforts have already paid off. It noted that FedEx Freight announced an 80 cent-per-hour raise a few days after Local 107 filed for the election at Cinnaminson, and the company got rid of its “overly punitive driver scorecard, which gives drivers infraction points for errors.”

About the author
Evan Lockridge

Evan Lockridge

Former Business Contributing Editor

Trucking journalist since 1990, in the news business since early ‘80s.

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