Your comment said that the lobbying by FWS/FedEx was nothing more than trickery and a scam. Also, that UPS should "climb into bed with the Teamsters", as if they aren't already. (Even though they aren't "officially" lobbying against it together) How is that any more respectable?
UPS tried for years to get RLA coverage, when it appeared that it wasn't going to happen, that's when they started lobbying to get FDX under the NLRA. Yes, FedEx has diversified since 1973, but the companies are run separately unlike UPS. So it's a bit more complicated in my eyes. There would be major issues if one station voted for representation, but not the the one across town, or the Ground terminal, etc. If it happened, it would/should be as a whole.....not one at a time.
Your statement about being topped out is a bit misleading since the top-of-range goes up every year, with the possible exception of this year. If everyone feels so underpaid, why would they agree to work here in the first place, let alone stick around? You accepted it, honor it. If I had stayed a courier I would have been "topped" out next year, but I chose to take advantage of tuition reimbursement and JCATS. You should look into it, you might be a whole lot happier.
I don't disagree that UPS could pick up the Express volume if in the almost impossible event that Express went Union and decided to strike, but it would not be as simple as you make it sound. 5-6M pcs/day from Express alone, plus Ground. The customers would be the ones that suffer due to poor service/no competition, and they pay the bills. So for their sake, I hope it never comes to that.
People are getting the wrong idea from the whole Boeing deal. The point is that FedEx would not be buying ANY planes, not that we would buy them from Airbus instead. If we went Union it would increase our cost structure 30%. That money has to come from somewhere, so no more new planes in the near future. Plus, that stipulation was in the contract that FedEx/Boeing signed before this became a hot topic. Boeing agreed to it.
Dang, don't make me type so much next time.......