File photo by Evan Lockridge.

File photo by Evan Lockridge.

A group of 222 drivers at FedEx Freight's Charlotte, N.C., terminal have voted in favor of joining the Teamsters Union, the third location to do so in a recent campaign.

In a statement FedEx said it is considering an appeal of the election.

Neither side has disclosed the vote total.

This victory is the latest of several Teamsters wins. On Oct. 31 at FedEx Freight in South Brunswick, N.J., drivers voted in favor of the union, and on Oct. 14 drivers in Croydon, Pa., voted to do the same, giving the union its first organizing win at FedEx Freight.

"Like the drivers in Philadelphia and in South Brunswick, N.J., who voted to join the Teamsters, the workers in Charlotte want to be treated fairly and they want to have consistent, fair work rules," said Steve Bess, president of Teamsters Local 71 in Charlotte.

However, the union's efforts are not uniformaly successful. Earlier this month drivers at the FedEx Freight terminal in Newark, N.J., voted against Teamsters representation, as did drivers at the company’s Cinnaminson, New Jersey in October.

Other campaigns at FedEx Freight and at rival Con-way Freight are under way across the country, where the union has had mixed success in organizing workers since its first win at the less-truckload carrier in September and only a second victory since earlier this month

The only other workers at FedEx represented by a union are the company’s pilots. Drivers at rival UPS, including in its UPS Freight division, are represented by the Teamsters.

Meantime, the union has withdrawn its petition for elections at FedEx Freight terminals in South Newark, N.J., and Richmond, Va., the second and third petitions to be withdrawn in three weeks, according to FedEx Freight.

“These withdrawals are a clear indication that the union lacks support among FedEx Freight team members. The union generally withdraws from an election when it believes it is going to lose,” said Michele Ehrhart, communications director for FedEx Freight.

The Teamsters earlier withdrew at least one other election petition at FedEx Freight.

 

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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